Increased intake could harm varsity's budget

2002-07-21 22:19

Alice - Fort Hare University's dramatic increase of student numbers would impose serious financial constraints on the institution, vice-chancellor Derrick Swartz said at the weekend.

Swartz was briefing the university alumni about the university's state of affairs at the prestigious "alumni home-coming" gala event.

This year, Fort Hare had about an 80 percent student increase and its residences were overflowing with tenants, with some residing in Alice and Fort Beaufort.

Swartz said student numbers were likely to swell to more than 10 000 in the near future as the university would incorporate the University of Transkei's Medical School and the East London Rhodes University campus.

Swartz said the university had over the past six months raised about R141m from various donors.

"There is a growing market confidence in us now, something which keeps on pumping our pride," he said.

Swartz said their objectives were to diversify and expand the university revenue base, offer quality programmes and sharpen the teaching and research skills.

In 1999 student enrolment at the university took a dramatic nose-dive as the institution was plunged into a serious management and financial crisis with a deficit of R90m, which dropped to R45m within a year.

Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburi said that although the university should put a lot of muscle behind generating funds for the deficit, Fort Hare could make a strong proposal for it to be written off off if one looked at the way in which former whites-only institutinos generated funds.

"If you know how they generated their funds you can make a strong proposal, but if you do not you cannot," she said.

She was echoed by acting Judge Dumisa Ntsebeza who said Fort Hare was having a very good case for its deficit to be written off.

"People that are governing should take the case of Fort Hare seriously as the institution has a very strong case on having its deficit written off," Ntsebeza said.

Safety and Security Deputy Minister Joe Matthews said the alumni should create the economic conditions in the Eastern Cape that would facilitate thegrowth of the university.

"What contribution can all of us make to enhance the effectiveness of the university as a supplier of skills, technology and culture to our nation and to the surroundings hinterland of Africa?," Matthews asked.

He said measures were needed to enable Fort Hare not to rely solely on student and government fees as well as subsidies only, but its wealth as well.

- SAPA