Dear NWU stakeholder,

Greetings, and we hope that this note finds you all well as the NWU approaches the finalisation of the 2017 academic year.

The normal scheduled consultation process for the revision of the NWU Language Policy and Plan (LPP) is due to occur in 2018, during which time it is anticipated that a range of stakeholders (and structures such as faculty boards, Convocation, Senate, Council, academics, support staff, IF, student representatives etc.) will be invited to provide feedback and input.

As with the development and revision of all key policy documentation, the NWU management welcomes your input and seeks to provide opportunities in which this can be channelled to be considered. This communiqué serves to describe what work has been done to date. This is in light of key guidance provided to all universities from the Minister of Higher Education and Training, as well as arising from important discussions that occurred during this year at Senate under the guidance of the Language Policy and Plan Revision Committee (LPPRevCom).

The specific purposes of this communiqué are twofold:

1. To provide feedback on the progress that had been made since June 2017 when the LPPRevCom's draft Language Policy and Plan were discussed at an extraordinary meeting of Senate, and
2. to provide an overview of the planning for future processes regarding the review of these documents.

Progress since June 2017 Senate where the Language Policy and Plan (LPP) were discussed:

1. The LPP was updated, based on a discussion at Senate and work done by the LPP task team, ready for submission to all identified stakeholders, to coincide with submission to faculty boards, for discussion and feedback.
2. The LPP was submitted to Legal Services for vetting against South African statutory provisions.
3. A language audit research project description and checklist were completed for ethics clearance application, to be discussed with the chair of the NWU Ethics Committee for Language Matters before official submission for approval.
4. Drafts of an undergraduate and of a postgraduate and staff questionnaire for the language audit research project were updated, based on feedback from the LPP task team.
5. Arrangements for the symposium on language in education on 31 October 2017 is in process.

Timeline for the 2017 and 2018 processes with regard to the LPP (deadlines in bold):

1. Symposium on Language in Education – 31 October 2017
2. Processing of information from Language in Education symposium into LPP – 30 November 2017
3. Finalisation of language audit research project ethics application – mid October 2017
4. Approval of language audit research project ethics application – 2017-2018 (depending on NWU Ethics Committee for Language Matters)
5. Submission of questionnaires for language audit research project to Statistical Services for vetting – end October 2017
6. Finalisation of questionnaires for language audit research project after feedback from Statistical Services – end November 2017
7. Processing of language audit questionnaires into electronic format in readiness for electronic survey – end November 2017
8. Submission of the LPP for discussion by faculty boards and all other identified stakeholders on the same date – closing date of agendas for first faculty board meetings 2018, around mid-February
9. Launching of language audit electronic survey – 1 March 2018
10. Deadline for feedback from faculty boards and other stakeholders to be received by the Registrar – 9 March 2018
11. Closing date for language audit electronic survey – 16 March 2018
12. Completion of processing of feedback by the LPP task team from stakeholders as well as from language audit electronic survey – 29 March 2018
13. Update of LPP based on feedback from both stakeholders and audit – before closing date of agenda for Senate meeting in May 2018
14. Penultimate draft of LPP presented to Senate – May 2018
15. Redrafting of the draft LPP – before closing date for agenda of June 2018 Council meeting
16. Approval of LPP by Council – June 2018

The LPP task team (whose terms of reference were approved by the University Management and the Senate in October 2016) will receive feedback as part of its drafting process and will report to Senate towards the middle of 2018 in anticipation of approval by Council at its June 2018 meeting.

This is an exciting opportunity to take our next steps as a university in the advancement of multilingualism, and we hope everyone will participate in and support the process.

Queries with regard to the process and the draft LPP can be directed to Johan Blaauw. The LPP task team, chaired by the DVC T&L, will also keep you up to date as the processes unfold.

Let’s all participate fully as the various opportunities arise to revise our Language Policy and Plan.

Kind regards

Prof Marlene Verhoef, Registrar, and Prof Robert Balfour, DVC: Teaching and Learning

Beste NWU-belanghebber,

Groete, en ons hoop dat dit met jou goed gaan so in afloop na die einde van die 2017- akademiese jaar.

Die normale geskeduleerde raadplegende proses vir die hersiening van die NWU se Taalbeleid en Plan (TBP) sal in 2018 plaasvind, wanneer 'n verskeidenheid belanghebbers (en strukture soos fakulteitsrade, die Konvokasie, Senaat, Raad, akademici, ondersteuningspersoneel, die IF, studenteverteenwoordigers, ens.) genooi sal word om terugvoer te gee en insette te lewer.

Soos met die ontwikkeling en hersiening van alle sleutelbeleidsdokumente, verwelkom die NWU-bestuur jou insette en poog om geleenthede te voorsien waar dit deurgegee kan word vir oorweging. Hierdie kommunikasie het ten doel om te beskryf watter werk reeds tot op datum gedoen is. Dit teen die agtergrond van sleutelleiding wat deur die Minister van Hoër Onderwys en Opleiding aan alle universiteite gegee is, asook voortspruitend uit belangrike samesprekings wat vanjaar in die Senaat onder leiding van die Komitee vir die Hersiening van die Taalbeleid en Plan (TBPHersKom) plaasgevind het.

Die spesifieke oogmerke van hierdie kommunikasie is tweërlei:

1. Om terugvoer te gee oor die vordering wat sedert Junie 2017 gemaak is toe die TBPHersKom se konsep van die Taalbeleid en -Plan tydens 'n buitengewone Senaatsvergadering bespreek is, en
2. om 'n oorsig te gee van die beplanning vir die toekomstige prosesse wat betref die hersiening van hierdie dokumente.

Vordering sedert die Junie 2017-Senaat waar die Taalbeleid en -Plan (TBP) bespreek is:

1. Die TBP is bygewerk op grond van 'n bespreking by die Senaat en werk wat deur die TBP-taakspan gedoen is, en is gereed vir voorlegging aan alle geïdentifiseerde belanghebbers, om saam te val met die voorlegging daarvan aan fakulteitsrade, vir bespreking en terugvoer.
2. Die TBP is aan Regsdienste voorgelê vir kontrole aan die hand van Suid-Afrikaanse statutêre bepalings.
3. 'n Taaloudit-navorsingsprojekbeskrywing en -kontrolelys is voltooi met die oog op 'n etiekklaringsaansoek, wat nog met die voorsitter van die NWU se Etiekkomitee vir Taalsake bespreek moet word alvorens dit amptelik vir goedkeuring ingedien kan word.
4. Konsepte van 'n voorgraadse en van 'n nagraadse en personeelvraelys vir die taaloudit-navorsingsprojek is bygewerk op grond van terugvoer wat van die TBP-taakspan ontvang is.
5. Reëlings vir die simposium oor taal in onderwys op 31 Oktober 2017 is in proses.

Tydlyn vir die 2017- en 2018-prosesse ten opsigte van die TBP (sperdatums in vetdruk):

1. Simposium oor Taal in Onderwys – 31 Oktober 2017
2. Bywerking van TBP met inligting voortvloeiend uit die Taal in Onderwys-simposium – 30 November 2017
3. Afhandeling van etiekaansoek vir taaloudit-navorsingsprojek – middel van Oktober 2017
4. Goedkeuring van etiekaansoek vir taaloudit-navorsingsprojek – 2017-2018 (na gelang van NWU-etiekkomitee vir Taalsake)
5. Afhandeling van etiekaansoek vir taaloudit-navorsingsprojek – middel van Oktober 2017
6. Afhandeling van vraelyste vir taaloudit-navorsingsprojek ná terugvoer van Statistiese Dienste – einde van November 2017
7. Verwerking van taalouditvraelyste in elektroniese formaat in gereedheid vir elektroniese meningsopname – einde van November 2017
8. Voorlegging van die TBP vir bespreking deur fakulteitsrade en ander geïdentifiseerde belanghebbers op dieselfde datum – sluitingsdatum van agendas vir eerste fakulteitsraadvergaderings 2018, om en by middel van Februarie
9. Van stapel stuur van taaloudit- elektroniese meningsopname – 1 Maart 2018
10. Sperdatum vir terugvoer vanaf fakulteitsrade en ander belanghebbers vir ontvangs deur die Registrateur – 9 Maart 2018
11. Sluitingsdatum vir taaloudit- elektroniese meningsopname – 16 Maart 2018
12. Voltooiing van verwerking van terugvoer vanaf belanghebbers sowel as van die taaloudit- elektroniese meningsopname deur die TBP-taakspan – 29 Maart 2018
13. Bywerking van TBP op grond van terugvoer van belanghebbers sowel as uit die oudit – voor sluitingsdatum vir agenda van Senaatsvergadering in Mei 2018
14. Voorlaaste konsep van TBP aan Senaat voorgelê – Mei 2018
15. Herverwerking van konsep-TBP – voor sluitingsdatum vir agenda van Raadsvergadering in Junie 2018
16. Goedkeuring van TBP deur Raad – Junie 2018

Die TBP-taakspan (wie se opdrag in Oktober 2016 deur die Universiteitsbestuur en die Senaat goedgekeur is), sal terugvoer ontvang as deel van hulle TBP-opstelproses en sal teen die middel van 2018 aan die Senaat terugrapporteer, met die oog op die verwagte goedkeuring deur die Raad op hul Junie 2018-vergadering.

Hierdie is 'n opwindende geleentheid om as universiteit die volgende treë te gee onderweg na die bevordering van meertaligheid, en ons hoop dat almal aan die proses sal deelneem en dit ondersteun.

Navrae in verband met die proses en die konsep-TBP kan aan Johan Blaauw gerig word. Die TBP-taakspan, onder voorsitterskap van die AVK O&L, sal jou ook op hoogte hou na gelang die prosesse ontvou.

Kom ons neem almal deel aan die hersiening van ons Taalbeleid en -Plan soos die verskillende geleenthede hulle voordoen.

Vriendelike groete

Prof Marlene Verhoef, Registrateur en prof Robert Balfour, AVK: Onderrig en Leer

Motsayakarolo wa YBB yo o rategang,

Madume le tsholofelo gore dikitsiso tse di le fitlhela le siame fa YBB e atumela bokhutlo jwa ngwaga ya akatemi ya 2017.

Tirego ya tlwaelo e e rulagantsweng ya ditherisano go boeletsa Pholisi le Leano la Dipuo mo YBB e mo tseleng mme e tla diragala ka 2018. Ka nako e go akanngwa gore mefuta ya batsayakarolo ba tla kopiwa go fana ka pegelokarabo le dikakanyo tsa bone (jk. batsayakarolo jaaka Diboto tsa Magoro, Baithuti ba Kgale, Senete, Khansele, Baakatemi, badiri ba kemonokeng, IF le Baemedi ba baithuti jj.)

Jaaka tlhabololo le poeletso ya ditokomane tsotlhe tsa dipholisi tse di botlhokwa, tlhabololo le poeletso, Botsamaisi ba YBB bo amogela dikakanyo le ditshitshinyo mme go batliwa gore go nne le ditšhono mo tse di ka tlisiwang mme di akanyediwe. Tlhaeletsano ya Memorantamo e e na le maikaelelo a gore e tlhalose tiro e e setseng e dirilwe go fitlhela jaanong jaana. Tse di diragetse ka mo teng ga dikaelo tse di botlhokwa tse di filweng diyunibesiti go tswa go Tona ya Thutogodimo le Katiso, le gape go tswa mo dipuisanong tse di botlhokwa tse di diragetseng ka ngwaga e kwa Seneteng mo tlase ga kaelo ya Komiti ya Poeletso ya Pholisi ya Leano la Dipuo.

Maikaelelo a a Totobetseng a Tlhaeletsano e ke a mabedi:

1. Go fana ka pegelokarabo ka tswelelopele e e ileng ya diragala go tloga ka Seetebosigo 2017 ka nako e pholisi ya tlhomo ya Komiti ya Poeletso ya Pholisi ya Leano la Dipuo e ne ya buisanwa kwa kopanong e e seng ya tlwaelo ya Senete, le
2. go fana ka kakanyo ya togamaano ya ditirego tsa bokamoso le tswelelopele ya poeletso ya ditokomane tse.
   

Tswelelopele go tloga ka Senete ya Seetebosigo 2017 mo go ilweng ga buisanwa ka Pholisi le Leano la Dipuo (PLD):

1. PLD e ile ya ntšhwafatswa, go tsamaisana le dipuisano kwa Seneteng le tiro e e dirilweng ke Setlhopha sa Tiro sa PLD, e siametse tlhagiso go batsayakarolo botlhe ba ba biditsweng, gore go tsamaisane le tlhagiso kwa dibotong tsa magoro gore di buisane mme di fane ka dipegelokarabo.
2. PLD e ne ya gorosiwa le kwa Ditirelong tsa Semolao gore ba se atlhole go ya ka dikaelo tsa semmuso tsa Aforikaborwa.
3. Tlhaloso ya porojeke ya patlisiso ya thuno ya dipuo le Lenaanetlhatlhobo di ile tsa fetswa gore go diriwe kopo ya dietiki, gore di buisanwe le modulasetulo wa Komiti ya Dietiki tsa YBB ya Mabaka a Dipuo pele ga gore e tlhagisiwe semmuso go ka dumelwa.
4. Dipotso tsa tlhomo tsa baithuti ba pele ga kalogo le ba morago ga kalogo le tsa badirammogo tsa porojeke ya patlisiso ya thuno di ne tsa ntšhwafatswa go tsamaisana le dipegelokarabo tsa go tswa kwa setlhopheng sa Tiro sa PLD.
5. Dithulaganyo tsa letsatsi la 31 Diphalane 2017 tsa go tshwara simposiamo ya dipuo mo thutong ka letlha leo di a tswelela.

Ditlha tsa dithulaganyo tsa ditirego tsa 2017 le 2018 ka ga PLD (Ditlha tsa makgaolakgang ke ka ditlhaka tse dintsho):

1. Simposiamo ka ga Dipuo mo thutong - 31 Diphalane 2017
2. Go tsenya tshedimosetso go tswa mo Simposiamong mo teng ga PLD – 30 Ngwanaitseele 2017
3. Go fetsa kopo ya dietiki ya porojeke ya patlisiso ya thuno ya dipuo - magare a Diphalane 2017
4. Tumelo ya kopo ya dietiki ya porojeke ya patlisiso ya thuno ya dipuo – 2017-2018 (ikaega ka Komiti ya Dietiki tsa YBB ya Mabaka a Dipuo)
5. Tlhagiso ya dipotsolotso tsa porojeke ya patlisiso ya thuno ya dipuo kwa Ditirelong tsa Mananepalo gore di atlholwe - mafelo a Diphalane 2017
6. Go fetsa ka dipotsolotso tsa porojeke ya patlisiso ya thuno ya dipuo morago ga go amogela dipegelokarabo go tswa kwa Ditirelong tsa Mananepalo - mafelo a Ngwanaitseele 2017
7. Go baakanya dipotsolotso tsa thuno ya dipuo go ka dirisiwa ka mokgwa wa seileketeroniki go ka dira patlisiso jalo ka seileketeroniki - mafelo a Ngwanaitseele 2017
8. Tlhagiso ya PLD gore e buisanwe ke diboto tsa Magoro le batsayakarolo ba ba biditsweng leina ka letlha le le tshwanang - letlha la go tswala ga mananetema a dikopano tsa ntlha tsa Diboto tsa Magoro tsa 2018, gongwe kwa bogareng jwa Tlhakole
9. Go tlhomela ga Patlisiso ya seileketeroniki ya thuno ya dipuo - 1 Mopitlwe 2018
10. Letlha la Makgaolakgang la dipegelokarabo go tswa kwa Dibotong tsa Magoro le batsayakarolo ba bangwe kwa ofising ya Mokwadisi - 9 Mopitlwe 2018
11. Go Tswala ga Patlisiso ya seileketeroniki ya thuno ya dipuo - 16 Mopitlwe 2018
12. Go fetsa ga tiro ya go kgobokantsha dipegelokarabo tsa patlisiso ya seileketeroniki ya thuno ya dipuo ke PLD go tswa go batsayakarolo le patlisiso - 29 Mopitlwe 2018
13. Ntšhwafatso ya PLD gore e tsamaisane le dipegelokarabo tsa batsayakarolo le tsa thuno - pele ga letlha la lenanetema la Kopano ya Senete mo go 2018
14. PLD ya tlhomo ya bofelo ya PLD e fiwa Senete - Motsheganong 2018
15. Poeletso ya PLD ya tlhomo pele ga letlha la go tswalwa ga lenanetema la kopano ya Khansele ya Seetebosigo 2018
16. Tumelo ya PLD ke Khansele - Seetebosigo 2018

Setlhopha sa Tiro sa PLD, Tiro le Tlhaloso ya Tiro e e dumetsweng ke Taolobolaodi jwa Yunibesiti le Senete ka Diphalane 2016, e tla amogelwa pegelokarabo le go nna karolo ya tirego ya go tlhama mme go tla fanwa ka repoto kwa Seneteng go ya kwa bogareng jwa 2018 le go solofela tumelo ya Khansele ka kopano ya Seetebosigo 2018.

Se tšhono e e tlhagafatsang go tsaya kgato e e latelang go nna yunibesiti e e gatelang pele go diragatsa bopuontsi mme re solofela gore mongwe le mongwe o tla tsaya karolo le go ema nokeng tirego e.

Dipotso ka ga tirego le PLD ya tlhomo di ka romelwa kwa go Johan Blaauw. Setlhopha sa Tirelo sa PLD se se nang le Modulasetulo wa DVC wa go ruta le go ithuta, le ene a ka nna a fetisa tshedimosetso jaaka tiro e tswelela.

A re dirisaneng mme re tseye karolo gotlhelele fa ditšhono tse di farologaneng di tlhagelela gore re boeletse Pholisi le Leano la rona la Dipuo.

Madume ka masego

Marlene Verhoef le Robert Balfour