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THREE-SIXT-E | ALUMNI E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 8/MARCH 2014
NEW APPOINTMENT
Dean Martin to drive change Transformation is often a thorny and sensitive issue in the higher education environment, but Professor Bernard Martin believes it is attainable at UWC’s Faculty of Law. Martin, who took over the reigns as the Dean of the Law Faculty in January 2014 from Professor Julia Sloth-Nielsen, has put transformation on top of the agenda for his five-year term. “Our staff doesn’t represent the demographics of the country, and it’s my job to try to change that and transform the faculty,” comments Martin, who obtained his LLD at the University in 2008. Martin points out that he will not haphazardly chop and change, but will explore ways to drive the transformation process. Among these are to change how staff see and do things, instil greater collegiality and use the opportunities presented by the growth of the University to bring more black people on board. Ladysmith-born Martin, after short stints at various universities, joined
OBITUARIES
Professor Bernard Martin is the new dean of law at UWC.
UWC in 1988 as a senior lecturer, rising to become the deputy dean in 2009. He is also the current vice-president of the Society of Law Teachers of Southern Africa. He has witnessed UWC's Law Faculty develop a proud history of not only graduating top lawyers, including many magistrates and judges, but of also making significant contributions to the transition of South Africa to a democratic state, most notably the Community Law Centre’s role in the drafting of the Constitution. The faculty is deeply engaged with the community, through providing
legal advice, training for trade unions, research on domestic workers and the establishment of the Centre for Disability Law and Policy – the first of its kind in the country. The Law Faculty, according to Martin, is in good stead of becoming the “cradle of Africa’s legal talent”. “Our main areas of focus – firmly encapsulated in the Faculty Institutional Operating Plan 2010-2014 – are to increase the postgraduate student cohort and our publications output,” Martin adds.
UWC mourns the recent passing of our alumni, staff, students and friends, including:
George Africa, who was a part-time lecturer in education at the University for several years, passed away in 2013 after suffering a heart attack. Africa obtained his teaching diploma at UWC in 1978, a BA in 1984 and BEd in 1986. He was the principal of Mary Harding School for the intellectually impaired, where he was popular for his passion for art.
Professor Mohamed Hanif Moola passed away in December. After joining the Faculty of Dentistry in 1977, he served as lecturer, senior lecturer, Head of the Department of Community Dentistry and Acting Dean before retiring in 2009 as Dean of the new faculty formed after the merger with Stellenbosch University's School of Oral Health Sciences.
Dr Ingrid Miller, who was the Registrar and a member of the University’s executive management, passed away on 21 December. Miller, who obtained her PhD at UWC in 2001, held a BA (HMS) degree, Higher Diploma in Education, BA Honours and Master’s from the University of Stellenbosch and an Executive MBA from the University of Cape Town. PAGE SEVEN
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