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Our Mission:Our Mission:

CSC: Going for Gold!CSC: Going for Gold!

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At last, IT IS HERE! Yep, the now half-yearly publication of

Rands&Sense is finally here! Wow, what a task it has been to put this edition together, what with the

first-half of the year going past so quickly!

The first semester has been quite a challenging one for many of us, with quite a bit of academic time pushed up to

make way for the world Cup. As I write this article, Bafana Bafana has done us proud this evening

we have made history! We have beaten 1998 World Cup Champions, France, for the first time ever!

This edition aims to celebrate Africa, and how far we have come! What an honour it is to see Africa hosting the world! Ke nako, Africa, ke nako!

May you enjoy this edition of Rands&Sense. Here’s wishing you a spectacular second-half of this academic year.

A special thanks to Lungelo, Irfaan and all involved in making this edi-tion possible!

Yours in recessionary times and in good times,

Itumeleng

P.S. Remember to feel free to e-mail photos, articles, or anything else you would like to see in the Rands& Sense!

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Chairperson

Vice & Outreach

Secretary General

Academics & Faculty Rep

Academics & Faculty Rep

Corporate Relations

Publications

Transformation

Treasurer

Marketing & Events

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r&s/csc/csc_report

Wow it is unbelievable how swiftly the past nine months have concluded. Having begun our term as the 2010 Commerce Student Council in Sep-

tember of 2009 with a rather bumpy start during the handover, I am proud to say that we have remained strong and united against all odds.

With majority of members being senior students, the team has worked with undeniable respect for the positions held and most importantly for each other. Having no major disputes under the marshalling of the Chairman Lungelo Gumede (‘the CEO’), the hands involved have made for light work.

The council joined their heads in ensuring a high standard of objectives were laid down in order to make our fellow commerce students feel heard and confident in the service delivery from both the council and the faculty. I am proud to say that we have reached and more over exceeded most of our objectives and expectations.

Breaking us into 2010 was Orientation and Jammie Plaza Week at which the Commerce Student Council was open primarily to the first years for information and support as well as all other com-merce students in attendance. We partnered with ABSA at Plaza Week to bring an important ser-vice to the new and returning students. Students were afforded the opportunity to open student accounts with ABSA as well as find out more about the company as a commercial entity for various post graduate career opportunities.

The council seeking to do more for the community at large as well as to raise awareness part-nered with Kopano Residence to conduct the ever popular CANSA Shavathon. The event went off really well attaining a lot of support from the UCT community and friends. Students and staff were sporting funky haircuts and random colours on their heads to illustrate that we are not our hair, life goes on without it. We managed to raise an awesome R10 000 on the day.

Through Student Representative Council initiatives, the council has been involved and has fos-tered good relations with the SRC as a whole. The Transformation representative coordinated the Deans Talk whereby students were afforded an opportunity to pick at our Acting Deans brain (awaiting the arrival of the incoming Dean Dr Don Ross) as well as to hear of the Dean and his committee’s short and long term goals with respect to transformation in the faculty. During the Academic Week the Academic representatives ensured that students were reminded of all the avenues and assistance available to them as well as all of the dangers inherent in studying and being a student. Hoodies are out and these have been a major success.

Amongst other plans that the council has in place include various transformation talks and de-bates featuring highly influential and notable South African figures, academic quizzes and debates as well as the ever popular Graduation Ball. Outreach working hand in hand with the Chairman and the Corporate Relations Officer plan to at least lay down the ground work to introduce a text book fund for commerce students, especially those that really cannot afford them. We all know how textbooks change every year, this means that there is a very small second hand book market. This means that only those fortunate enough to get money from parents or from book allowances can afford these books. We are still in search of partners for this venture but we are hopeful that we find sponsors who will share our vision and give in monetary means, vouchers or actual text-books.

We look forward to the remainder of the year and helping out the commerce students in every way possible. We are here for them.

CSC For You Sifiso Ngcobo (Vice Chairman & Outreach Coordinator)

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r&s/editorial/deans_letter

The crucial mission ahead for the Commerce Faculty is to pull up our level of research funding and

research activity.

Students seeing me start off by saying that might at first worry that it implies that we want to relegate good teaching to second place in our priorities. It’s therefore important for me to explain why students should want to study and get their degrees from a Faculty that does the best possible research.

UCT is SA’s top university. Therefore, students who graduate from here head out to the job market with the best credentials they can get in this country. This advantage is compounded by the fact that UCT stu-dents build networks with the best other students in SA. Solid studies by economists show that the network advantage they gain from that is worth a very great deal. Prospective employers pay for access to the network that they get by hiring UCT graduates.

It’s worth asking: what is it about UCT that leads to it being regarded as SA’s top university? We say that all the time, but what makes it the truth instead of just a PR slogan? The answer – pretty much the whole answer – is that UCT is the leading producer of new knowledge in SA.

Because of that fact, UCT Commerce academics are integrated into the top ranks of business and govern-ment networks. And therefore employers believe that what students learn at UCT is fresh, reliable and ready for global and regional competition. They pay for those qualities when they hire you.

However, the world has its share of universities, just as it has its share of companies and football teams, that were once on top but tried to cruise on their rep-utations and fell out of first place. (The Brazilian side in the World Cup might now be reflecting on this.)

UCT’s Commerce Faculty hasn’t been slipping in the ratings. Our research production in every recent year has been higher than in the year before. However, our

investment in capacity needs major refreshment – especially because the competition hasn’t been stand-ing still.

Another key point is that research and teaching only trade off against one another for staff time and energy if the pot of resources doesn’t grow. When it does grow – because higher quality research brings in big-ger grants – quality improves across the board, includ-ing teaching quality.

Students play a vital role in a Faculty’s competitive improvement. Many senior students participate di-rectly in research, and in activities spun off from the resources that research brings in. But please think about this: just as UCT’s Commerce Faculty needs to keep pace with, and indeed out-pace, other institu-tions, so we need students who are the best, and who show that to the market, the country and the world after they graduate.

This brings me to one very practical point. Many students have brothers and sisters in high school, or have other younger contacts who are still making key decisions about subject choices. I urge you to please get the word out to them that Math Literacy, useful though it is, is not the math they need to qualify for admission to the Commerce Faculty. We know there’s some confusion out there about that. We need to do what we can to dispel that mix-up, and you can help us to do that. In your families and social networks, please talk up this message: stick with Math!

I wish you all the best possible semester. Work hard, and have fun too.

Don Ross Dean, Faculty of Commerce

by Azile Bovungana

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r&s/features/vuvuzela

The term comes from a South African township slang word related to

“shower”

1965

year first Vuvuzela was made, from a bicycle horn

127db 13 decibels less than a handgun, 7 times more intense than a chainsaw

1000% Increase in Amazon

sales of the Vuvuzela

1.5 Million Vuvuzela’s sold in Europe

The Vuvuzela: statistically speaking

Excitement. Anxiety. Happiness: Most of us probably remember our first day at UCT. Even Cape Townians get lost on Campus for the first two weeks of lectures. You can always identify the “new ones” by the big blue one by one metre campus map, desperately searching for their lecture venues. Now think about how it feels coming from a country not located on the African continent, with English not being your first language, knowing no one, being in a new cultural environment, and having no clue what to expect from the next couple of months.

Every year over 4500 international students come to study at UCT. The International Office (IAPO) supports international students as much as they possibly can. We start off with a week of orientation, a tour around Cape Town, an Afri-can Dinner and Networking session. We are also given lots of information materials, including the “big blue map”.

Once you are “left alone,” it pretty much de-pends on you if the year is to become a success or not. In terms of lectures, exams and assign-ments, international students are not treated any differently. It is very hard to get used to the tricky MCQs and the highly-particular essay structures. After the first few lectures, it is clear why UCT is the highest-ranked university in Africa and you can tell that they want to main-tain their status. The workload seems almost unmanageable. At first, I thought that maybe it was just me (what with being enrolled in six classes and the high standards of the Faculty of Commerce). However, friends from other coun-tries like Japan, UK, or Italy seemed to struggle with the workload as well. However, after the first four weeks and many sleepless nights, I think it is right to say that we have adapted to

the South African way of handling the weekly hand-ins: setting priorities and having a good glass of wine in between!

One other challenge internationals have to face is definitely how to make South African friends. It is easy to stick to the melting pot of internationals all the time, but most of us are really keen to meet “real South Africans”. I want to be honest and give a compliment to all South Africans at this stage: the majority of people I have met are very open-minded, friendly and have made me feel welcome and accepted.

One piece of advice I can give to every interna-tional student: Get yourself a stapler! Some of you might ask the question: What does a sta-pler has to do with meeting new people? It is easy to explain. A couple of times, I have met the nicest people by standing in front of the pigeon holes in Leslie Social searching for a person with a stapler. People are automatically inter-ested in your accent and ask where you are from and what are you doing at UCT? This sparks a nice conversation, maybe a coffee at Java Junction, or even great friendship.

My first semester at UCT has flown by! All in all, I can say it was the best decision ever to study in Cape Town. The Faculty of Commerce is well-organized, the learning curve immense and the students and friends I have met are all amazing! I can confidently say that by the end of my postgraduate course, I will feel delighted and proud of having been a part of UCT!

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“Being an international student at UCT is both a chal-

lenge and a blessing in disguise. I view it as challenge as

one encounters cultural and language barriers – on a

daily basis – that make the adjustment to the university

environment thornier. Yet, those same challenges provide

opportunities for international students to understand

the diverse cultural dynamics of the South African socio-

economic landscape. I also believe that one’s perceptions

will vary depending on the duration of the programme

or degree to be completed. For those of us who are en-

rolled in a year programme, the challenges might be

greater as time is limited.”

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r&s/voxpops/outside_perspective

Lemay LL. Q; Cuba

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“UCT provides a good orientation program at the beginning of the year. It

allows students to receive important information about the university and

SA cultural specifics. Apart from this, UCT also arranges a lovely one-day

tour around Cape Town for students to get to know Cape Town a bit more.

This was really awesome and provides one with the opportunity to meet

other international students and experience Cape Town first hand.

However, after the end of the induction I have not had a lot of chance to nei-

ther meet other international students nor make more trips around CT.

Just to compare, being an international student in Germany, Technical Uni-

versity of Darmstadt, there were two organizations (one was based in the

university and the second was a private initiative funded by the university)

that catered for international students. They would provide budget excur-

sions and organize different cultural events for international students in

Germany, which allowed to meet other international students and get to

know the country and its people.

This is something I am really missing at UCT, as being new to a country and

university, you do not know many people and it makes you feel alienated, as

most people at UCT have already a well established circle of friends and

people to hang out with.”

Anna K; Russia

W hen the SRC of 2010 put their

heads together in mapping out

their strategic goals for the year, they made

the decision to run a campaign that was

aligned with promoting academic excel-

lence. This is of course not surprising see-

ing that we are, after all, at an academic

institution. However, the implications of

adopting a campaign of this nature trans-

lated into the entire SRC embracing the

campaign as if it were their own.

The campaign was held from the 6-15

April and was entitled ’10 Days of Academ-

ic Activism’.

The campaign aimed to achieve the fol-

lowing:

1. Create awareness about the

support UCT offers

2. Create awareness about Aca-

demic Exclusion

3. Motivate students to perform

better academically

The SRC arranged workshops, pamphlet

distribution and a stall outside Jameson

hall. Faculty and Residence Tutoring Com-

mittee (RTC) events were also held during

the campaign.

The campaign was essentially one that

aimed at reminding all of us that our aca-

demics are the means through which we

can take ourselves to new heights and

reach the goals that we have set out to

achieve in our lives. It’s easy to forget why

we are here and it’s important to take ac-

count of ourselves. In reflecting and moti-

vating ourselves as to why we are here,

there’s one quote worth remembering:

by Sumaya Hendricks

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r&s/features/r&s/features/10_days_of_academic_activism10_days_of_academic_activism

“Education is the most

powerful weapon which

you can use to change

the world” - Nelson Mandela

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A philosopher, Rousson, once said "all men are born free, but everywhere a man is in chains". This is most certainly true and can be seen across all corners of life. People keep talk-ing about changing the world and making it a better place for everyone, yet these very same people fail to comprehend the fundamental truth as to why "change" remains an everyday struggle: the level of poor par-enting skills evident in most households is the emblem of the world's never ending struggle for liberation.

The future depends on the world’s children because they are the consolidated rocks upon which hope for a better future is bestowed. Children are the tena-cious conjugate for holding to-gether the pieces of liberation

against poverty, and only chil-dren have the capacity to make the world's renaissance fertile.

Moreover, the parents' contri-bution is vital because they are the strongest moral compass and the organs of life for shap-ing the future of their children. They hold the golden key to lib-erating the world from common predicaments such as juvenile delinquencies and the nauseat-ing art of poverty. However, many parents take for granted the fundamentals of life they are meant to instill in their children and this is one drawback lead-ing to a long battle for emanci-pation.

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r&s/opinions/perspectives_on_the_long_struggle_for_change

by Molefi Khoabane

by Khanimambo Mashimbye

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1.1. You have You have as your Facebook profile picture.as your Facebook profile picture.

2.2. You know Washington DC++!You know Washington DC++!

3. ... all you ever say is "it's late for you/me" or “I can’t get involved”

4. When all the printers don’t work the day the assignment is due

5. You wait more than 30 minutes for a Forest Hill shuttle!

6. Your results come out after over a month!

7. You are not passing...

8. The weather on campus is different to the rest of Cape Town's weather.

9. …"YOU'VE BEEN" studying!!!!

10.Freshers run for SRC...

11. (In other institutions, only “old people” who want to avoid exclusion run for SRC since being in the SRC entitles you to free education and a 40% pass mark).

12.There are five Mowbray shuttles and no Forest Hill shuttle in over 30 minutes.

13.You stay in the same res and eat the same bad food with a child of a minis-ter or president...

14.You see Eric Van Steen…

15.The catering staff goes on strike a day before exams...Thanks Fedics!!!

16.You’ve got the word “EXCLUSION” all over your student number…

17.You know the following terms : DPR, Jammie101, CPS, KRamer, LS...

18.You are in a blue bus…

19.You’re watching "baeskopo" on your small screen before it hits the big screen!

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20.You see white pieces of paper on the notice board. They read: Results, DP list, Exam timetable, et

21.You can’t sleep at night thinking about being DPR’d!

22.You know that Thursday lunch time is special on Jammie stairs, unless you are an engineer wanna be!

23.You have an exam that ends at 8pm and another starting at 8am the next morning...

24.There are more gay dudes than fine women...

25.... You have gangster birds “tryna chow yo food”

26. You plan your schedule around the Jammie shuttle timetable.

27. You feel guilty for doing nothing all-day.

28.You know dubious individuals who call themselves names like “ScruffyNut”.

29.When the world cup is hosted by your country but you have to study for exams :(

30.You are always studying:(

31.When you call lunch, Meridian.

32.Your new name ends with 001, 002, 003....

33.You minimize costs of living so that you can get more booze . . .

34.You move out the way so that a pigeon can pass . . .

35.One year you’re in your tutor’s tut. . and the next year your tutor is in your class . . .

36. ...this day (2 July 2010) is of significance to you...

37.… you tell everyone how much work your degree entails and how busy the semester was.

38.You say things like "it's rough bra!"

39.You ask people the same question for 6 weeks after vac: ''How was your vac?''

40. ... you feel guilty for doing nothing or having fun

41.You say things like 'sweeet', 'for days' ,'its chilled' and think you know more Zim people than...

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What's a gift?

I met a big-shot former Fortune 500 company CEO who explained to me that he used to have three secretaries. One for his calendar, one for his usual work, and one who did nothing but send peo-ple gifts.

I think when it's sent by a corporation and chosen by a secretary, it's not a gift. It's a present. Or a favor...

A gift certificate from a rich uncle is a present as well, it's not really a gift.

A favor is something we do for someone hoping for an equal or greater favor in return. (Hence the phrase, "return the favor." No one says, "return the gift.")

A present is something that costs money, sure, and it's free, but I don't think it's a gift.

A gift costs the giver something real. It might be cash (enough that we feel the pinch) but more likely it involves a sacri-fice or a risk or an emotional exposure. A true gift is a heartfelt connection, some-thing that changes both the giver and the recipient.

The Gift of the Magi is a great story be-cause each person in the story sacrifices to create a heartfelt gift for the other per-son. And it's gifts--gifts that touch us, gifts that change us--that are transform-ing the way we interact.

One or two readers asked me why my book Linchpin costs money. After all, they ask, if gifts are a cornerstone of the new era, why not give it away free, as a gift?

Free doesn't make something a gift. Free might be a marketing strategy, free might make a generous present, but free doesn't automatically make something a gift. Gil Scott Heron's new album isn't free, but it's a gift. He's exposing himself. Taking a risk. You listen to the album and you feel differently when you're done... it's not a product, it's a very personal statement. Keller Williams approaches his entire craft as a chance to give gifts, but that doesn't mean he can't charge for some elements of his work. What it took him to create the music is so much great-er than what it cost you to consume it that he is giving gifts without doubt.

The way I understand gifts is that the giver must make a sacrifice, create an uneven exchange, bring himself closer to the recipient, create change and do it all with the right spirit. To do anything less might be smart commerce, but it doesn't rise to the magical level of the gift. A day's work for a day's pay is the win/lose mantra of the industrial era. More modern is to view a day's work as a chance to generate gifts that last.

Seth Godin is an American author of business books and a popular speaker with appearances at Google, TED and a number of charities. Godin popular-

ized the topic of permission mar-keting.

View Seth Godin’s blog: sethgodin.typepad.com

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RANDS&SENSE MAGAZINE COMMERCE STUDENTS COUNCIL (2009/2010)

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

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