Page 10 - DUT Annual Report 2023

Strengthening Governance
Institutional Forum
The Institutional Forum (IF) is tasked, among other things, with the responsibility to advise Council on institutional transformation, including race and gender policies. In a bid to deepen the understanding of the IF to execute its duties properly, Council afforded the IF to visit other IFs in universities based in the Western Cape. Led by its Chairperson, Dr Z. Mbandlwa, the IF is an active participant in a national initiative to establish a Community of Practice geared towards deepening a shared understanding of their statutory role and a sharing of best practices among peers.
Revised DUT Statute
The revised DUT Statute, which was approved in February 2023, has been implemented, and some members who were affected by the revised DUT Statute were removed from the Council committees. As noted, the Delegation of Authority Register and Institutional Rules were revised and approved during the year.
Approval of Policies and Other
Official Documents
As part of its oversight role, Council approves and, in certain cases, notes and reviews relevant policies and other governance documents, such as the revised terms of reference of university structures. To this end, various policies and governance documents were dealt with by the Council in 2023, including:
• Business Continuity Management Policy
• Performance Management Policy, including a revised performance bonus payment threshold
• Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Policy and Procedure
• Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Policy • Corporate Card Policy
• Travel Management Policy
• Procurement Policy
• Financial study support offered to DUT staff and dependents policy
• Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Policy
• Environmental Policy, including biological agents
• Privacy and Protection of Personal Information Policy
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy and Standard Operating Procedures
• Policy to manage protests, strikes, pickets and demonstration
Conclusion
I once again thank all stakeholders of the university for having shown the much-needed resilience, commitment, and passion that enabled the university to see the year through successfully. I would like to thank Mr Mheta from the ML Sultan Foundation, whose term of office ended, for his dedication to the work of Council, and wish him well in his future endeavours. Lastly, I thank Council members for their continued dedication to co-operative governance, for which they were commended by the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation during their previously-mentioned oversight visit during the 2023 registration season.
MR N. Z. W. MADINANE
Chairperson of Council
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DUT ANNUAL REPORT 2023