Page 57 - UniZulu Annual Report 2020

The following changes to Council and Council committee membership occurred during the year under review:
o On 25 June 2020:
- It was announced that based on Section 20(3)(9) of the
UNIZULU Statute, the Vice-Chancellor appointed Prof. S.P. Seepe (Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Institutional Support) to serve on Council as an Internal Council Member. He was further appointed by Council to serve on FCC
- Council approved the deviation from the Statute by appointing the ‘interim student structure comprising
12 students representing various student structures until the finalisation of the 2020/2021 SRC elections. The interim structure, as constituted, shall have full powers, duties and functions of an SRC Administrator conferred on it in accordance with the SRC Constitution. The two students appointed by the interim students’ structure shall serve on Council as the ‘Convenor’ and ‘Coordinator’, substituting the student representation on Council
o Mr T. Kulati resigned from Council during the year under review
o Mr B. Makhoba (SRC Administrator) resigned on 8 March 2020 from this position and membership on Council was terminated
In terms of good governance principles, the role of the Chairperson of Council differs significantly from the role of the Vice-Chancellor. The Chairperson of Council is primarily responsible for the effective functioning of Council, while the Vice-Chancellor’s responsibility is to focus on the operations of the University, ensuring that it is run efficiently and effectively and in accordance with the strategic decisions of the Council. The Chairperson of Council Ms N. Caluza and Deputy Chairperson of Council Mr J. Kunji-Behari were appointed by Council at its meeting on 18 April 2018. Their term of office will expire on 19 June 2022. Matters reserved by Council for decision-making are set out in the UNIZULU Statute and the HE Act. Council is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the University, approval of major developments and the receipt of regular reports from management on the day-to-day operation of its business. In terms of the Charter of Council, it should meet four times a year. Council met five times during the year under review. The HE Act (see Section 29(1)) stipulates as follows:
‘The Council (and the Senate) of a public higher education institution may each establish committees to perform any of their functions and may appoint persons who are not members of the council (or the Senate) as the case may be, as members of such committees.’
The aforementioned committees, with the governance functions as described below, have been approved by Council. All the committees are formally constituted with approved terms of reference and comprise a majority
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UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND ANNUAL REPORT 2020
of members of Council who are neither employees nor students of the University. The Committees are:
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ARCC: This committee assists the Council in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. It reviews the annual financial reporting process, the system of internal control and management of financial risks, the audit process, and UNIZULU’s process for monitoring compliance with laws and regulations. The Committee is also responsible for the issues of risk, its management and risk mitigation. The Committee also ensures that the implementation of the assurance model results in coordinating and aligning assurance activities across the various lines of assurance. The Committee also ensures that the risk management system and risk register is maintained. The Committee also assists Council in carrying out responsibilities related to IT governance as no separate IT governance committee has been established. The Committee, chaired by Ms S.J. Masite, held four ordinary meetings during the year under review. All members of the Committee are not employed by the University. Both internal and external auditors have unrestricted access to the Committee, which ensures that their independence is in no way impaired. The composition and meeting attendance statistics of the committee are contained in Table 6 of the Report of the Chairperson of Council. FCC: This Committee ensures the financial health of the University and assesses and recommends the approval of financial policies and protocol; the consolidated operating budget, including operational, staff and capital budgets, cash flow predictions, the asset/liability profile and multi-year budgetary predictions; the annual consolidated report to the DHET and other ring-fenced funds and loans; the performance of the University against approved budgets and targets and takes/advises on appropriate corrective actions; the annual increase in student fees and deals with the University’s investments. It also assures the financial health of the University as a ‘going concern’. The Committee, chaired by Mr Kunji- Behari, held four meetings during the year under review. The composition and meeting attendance statistics of the committee are contained in Table 7 of the Report of the Chairperson of Council.
PICC: This Committee develops and updates campus master plans for facilities and infrastructure, with implementation strategies, priorities and financing models for approval by the Council; advises the Council on the development, acquisition and integration of facilities and infrastructure; and develops and updates a comprehensive and sustainable institutional maintenance and replacement plan and strategy. The committee
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