Dear Stellenbosch Engineering Students,
We trust that you are all safe and “locked-down” in this challenging period. The last three weeks we worked hard and considered various options to assist you to successfully complete the first semester of 2020. The most important arrangements we decided on are:
- As previously communicated by the University we will resume on Monday 20 April with a full online offering of all our undergraduate modules.
- The second term has been extended by three weeks and will only end on Friday 5 June.
- The first exam period (A2s) will start on Monday 8 June and end on Friday 26 June.
- The second exam period (A3s) will start on Saturday 27 June and end on Saturday 11 July.
- All assessments (including A2 and A3) for the remainder of this semester are planned to be online assessments (even if students are allowed back to campus by the examination period).
- If all goes well classes will start the second semester on Monday 27 July, in Stellenbosch if that is allowed.
The detail of how each module will be presented, the type of online assessments that will be used, as well as how the final marks will be calculated will be available on Monday 20 April on each module’s SUNLearn site. It is very important to note that all the information you will require to complete your studies this semester will be posted on each module’s SUNLearn site and you should regularly visit all your modules’ SUNLearn sites to make sure you stay informed.
We are aware that some of you may still have no, or limited, connectivity making it difficult or impossible to access SUNLearn. The University is investigating how students who indicated no or limited connectivity in the recent survey can be assisted. If you have not completed the online Survey send an email to august@sun.ac.za who will send you the questions to be completed. For those students who will not be able to connect to SUNLearn for the rest of this semester we are planning an alternative that may include another assessment opportunity in January 2021.
Please visit the University’s website for Online Teaching and Learning Support for Students where many support measures are given. Furthermore, the Engineering Faculty’s student support officers, Ms Avril Ford and Mr August Engelbrecht remain at students’ disposal to assist with non-academic matters. Our educational psychologists are also available to help students online (please contact Ms Ford for an appointment).
I am sure that you understand that we are in a challenging period that will require all of us to be agile, flexible and accommodating. Unfortunately, we cannot predict how the Covid-19 pandemic will unfold in South Africa and what decisions the National Government may make. This could of course mean that we may have to amend our arrangements again.
As we said before, to successfully complete this semester will require that you work independently, stay focused and regularly consult your fellow students and the lecturers with challenges you may experience.
Please stay safe, stay indoors and adhere to the National Regulations.
We hope to see all of you back in Stellenbosch for the second semester, if not before.
Kind regards,
Prof JL (Wikus) van Niekerk
