Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University
Universiteit van Stellenbosch
Motto	Pectora roborant cultus recti (A sound education strengthens the spirit)
Established	1866
Type	Public
Chancellor	Johann Rupert
Vice-Chancellor	Russel Botman
Admin. staff	2,430
Students	26,243
Undergraduates	15,869
Postgraduates	9,233
Location	Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Campus	2 suburban and 2 urban
Colours	Maroon
Nickname	Maties
Mascot	Squirrel[1]
Affiliations	AAU, ACU, CHEC, HESA, IAU
Website	http://www.sun.ac.za/

The Ou Hoofgebou (former main administration building) on Stellenbosch University campus

Stellenbosch University (formally University of Stellenbosch/Afrikaans: Universiteit van Stellenbosch) is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape.

Stellenbosch University designed and manufactured Africa's first microsatellite, SUNSAT, launched in 1999.

Students are nicknamed Maties. Some claim the term arises from their maroon rugby colours: a tamatie is the Afrikaans translation for tomato. It is more likely to come from the Afrikaans colloquialism maat (meaning "buddy" or "mate") originally used diminutively by the students of the University of Cape Town's precursor, the South African College.

History

The origin of the university can be traced back to the Stellenbosch Gymnasium, which was opened on 1 March 1866 , which became the Stellenbosch College in 1881 and which was located at the current Arts Department. In 1887 this college was renamed Victoria College; when it acquired university status on 2 April 1918 it was renamed once again - to Stellenbosch University. In 1966, the University was visited by Robert F. Kennedy.

Name

Both descriptions, University of Stellenbosch and Stellenbosch University are correct, although the latter more informal format should be used in marketing and communication activities. This also holds true for the corresponding Afrikaans versions of the name, Universiteit van Stellenbosch and Universiteit Stellenbosch.^[2][3] Some departments favour one over the other, for example, the University of Stellenbosch Business School, which is regularly shortened to USB.

Ranking

See also: Rankings of universities in South Africa and Rankings of business schools in South Africa

According to the QS World University Ranking 2011/12, SU ranked in the 401-450 category in the world.^[4] In terms of this ranking SU is 3rd in South Africa, after University of Cape Town and University of Witwatersrand.

According to the University of Leiden’s ranking, SU ranked 454th out of the top 500 universities worldwide in terms of international publication output and 415th in terms of the impact of citations from SU scientific publications in 2007. This is one of the most reliable^{[citation needed]} rankings in respect of research but it does not attempt to rank universities in a comprehensive sense.^[5]

The University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) was ranked 39 out of the 100 leading business schools in the world, according to the Aspen Institute’s 2009-10 edition of its alternative Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey. The USB is also the only business school not only in South Africa but also the rest of the continent to be included in the Top 100 list.^[6]

In 2011 Webometrics ranked Stellenbosch's web footprint 3rd largest in Africa behind the University of Cape Town and University of Pretoria.^[7]

Location

View over the "Red Square" of Stellenbosch University with the peak,"The Twins" beyond

Stellenbosch, South Africa's oldest town after Cape Town, is a university town with a population of about 90,000 (excluding students). It is located about 50 kilometres from Cape Town and is situated on the banks of the Eersterivier ("First River") in the famous wine-growing region and is encircled by picturesque mountains. Teaching at Stellenbosch University is divided between the main Stellenbosch campus, the Tygerberg campus, where the Faculty of Health Sciences is situated, the Bellville Park campus, where the graduate School of Business is, and the Saldanha campus, housing the Faculty of Military Science at the Military Academy of the South African National Defence Force.

Language

Stellenbosch University is a predominantly Afrikaans medium university, especially at undergraduate and honours course level. However, students are allowed to write their assignments, tests and examinations in both English and Afrikaans. The language of tuition also varies depending on the faculty, with the Arts faculty for example being 40% English, most if not all courses are lectured bilingually and the language of most handouts or prescribed material is determined by the student.

At postgraduate level the language of tuition is determined by the composition of the class. The majority of advanced postgraduate courses are conducted in English. According to the current^[when?] language profile of the university, 60% of its students state Afrikaans as their home language, 32% have English as their home language, whilst only 1.6% of students have Xhosa as their home language.^[8]

The language policy is still an ongoing issue for the University, since it is one of the very few tertiary institutions left in South Africa offering tuition in Afrikaans. Because of this, it is held in very high regard by the Afrikaner community, with the university even being considered a central pillar of Afrikaner life. Most other institutions have always been English or have changed over time to an English-only policy.

Student profile

Stellenbosch University's student racial profile is as follows:^{[citation needed]}

Ethnic enrolment, 2009	Percentage	Total number
White	67.6%	17,753
Coloured	15.2%	4,000
Black	14.4%	3,800
Indian	1.9%	500
Total	100%	26,243

Faculties and schools

The university's Tygerberg medical campus, viewed from the air

Stellenbosch University consists of about 150 departments divided amongst 10 faculties. It also has more than 40 research (and other) institutions.

The faculties that are situated on the main campus are:

• Arts and Social Sciences
• Science
• Education
• AgriSciences
• Law
• Theology
• Economic and Management Sciences
• Engineering

The faculties and schools that are not situated on the main campus are:

• Military Science — situated in Saldanha Bay
• Health Sciences — situated in Tygerberg
• University of Stellenbosch Business School — situated in Bellville

Student societies

List of societies 

• African Christian Democratic Party Youth League
• Catholic Students Society
• Adam Tas Vereniging^[9]
• Adlib-Improv
• Anglican Students Society
• Spirituality, Philosophy and Yoga Society (SPYS)
• Berg- en Toer-Klub (Mountain and Tour Club)
• Black Students Association
• Canticum Novum (Stellenbosch Student Church Choir)
• DASUS (German Students at Stellenbosch University)
• Democratic Alliance Students' Organisation (DASO)
• Every Nation (His People Christian Church)
• Golden Key Academic Honours Society
• Gabonese Research and Scientific Discussion Group (GRSDG)
• Habitat for Humanity
• Landsdiensbeweging
• Lesbigay^[10]
• Matie Community Service
• Matie Dance Society
• Matie Productions
• New Apostolic Church Society
• Stellenbosch Poetry Society
• Die Voortrekkers
• SDASM
• Shofar Church Society^[11]
• Chess Society
• Stellenbosch Baptists Society
• Stellenbosch Gemeente
• The Bible Talks Student Church^[12]
• UNASA-Stellenbosch (United Nations South Africa)
• Debating Society^[13]
• Stellenbosch University Choir
• US Otaku^[14]
• Vineyard Christian Fellowship
• Wynkultuurvereniging (Wine Culture Society)

List of academic student societies 

• Agriculture Students Association (ASA)
• Consumer Science Society
• Economic and Management Sciences Society
• English Society
• Geology Society
• Industrial Psychology Society
• Juridical Society of the law faculty
• Sciences Student Society
• Stellenbosch Forestry Student Association
• Theological Student Society
• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Student Committee (BASC)

Facilities and services

Students gathering on the campus' "Red Square"

The J.S. Gericke Library, is notable for being subterranean, on two levels, and occupying a surface area equivalent to two and half rugby fields. The library has collections scattered around the campus outside of the main facility, and all of which are catalogued on a computerised database, using the university's original mainframe, a UNIVAC. There are several other satellite libraries servicing the different faculties, including the Theology Library, Law Library and Tygerberg Medical Library.

Stellenbosch University also has a Conservatory, including two concert halls. The Conservatory is the home of the internationally acclaimed^{[citation needed]} Stellenbosch University Choir, who, along with being the oldest South African choir have received numerous awards overseas^{[citation needed]}.

The university also has a 430 seater theatre, known as the H.B. Thom Theatre and an open air amphitheatre. Accompanying these facilities is the university's own drama department, under the guidance of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The department regularly puts on plays, dramas, productions, cabarets and musicals.

The Langenhoven Students' Centre (Neelsie) houses the Student Representative Council, a food court, a cinema, a post office, a shopping centre, an advice office and all the student societies' offices. Student bands and various entertainment and activity promotions usually appear in the main food court during lunch hour.

The university has its own radio station known as MFM (Matie FM), situated in the Neelsie. It broadcasts over the entire Stellenbosch area at 92.6 FM. Broadcasting a mix of music, news, entertainment and campus news.

The university also distributes regular publications, Die Matie (appearing every fortnight), for its students and Kampusnuus (appearing monthly) for its staff. An official yearbook, Die Stellenbosch Student, is published annually and presented to all graduating students. Matieland is the name of the official alumni magazine. It is published twice a year and distributed to some 100 000 alumni and friends of the University.

Sport

Sports facilities for the more than 30 competitive and recreational sports that are supported by the university include two sport stadiums, two large swimming pools (one under roof), the D.F. Malan Center, a multi-purpose center for ceremonies and indoor sports, numerous playing fields, including a hockey field, a gymnasium and a new football complex. The university offers the following sports to its students:

List of sports 

• Athletics
• Bouldering
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Canoeing
• Cricket
• Cross country running
• Cycling
• Fencing
• Golf
• Gymnastics
• Field hockey
• Judo
• Kendo
• Netball
• Rowing
• Rugby union
• Soccer
• Squash
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Taekwondo
• Tennis
• Underwater hockey
• Volleyball
• Water Polo
• Yachting

Stellenbosch has served as a test site in 2006 for a set of proposed modifications to the rules of rugby union, commonly referred to as the Stellenbosch Laws.

Student housing

Main article: Stellenbosch University halls of residence

The university has various residences, or koshuise (Afrikaans for residence halls).

Students in private lodgings can become a member of the Private Students' Organisation (PSO), also known as Private Wards. There were previously 6 PSO wards until 8 October 2008, when four new PSO wards were commissioned. Students are assigned to the various wards through a system of random allocation. Private Wards allow students to enjoy all the same functions, from academic support to sport opportunities, as a Residence provides, while the student remains in their private lodging.

List of residences 

Men's Residences

• Dagbreek
• Eendrag
• Helderberg
• Helshoogte
• Huis Marais
• Huis Visser
• Majuba
• Simonsberg
• Wilgenhof~1903

Women's Residences

• Erica
• Harmonie
• Heemstede
• Huis Francie van Zijl (Tygerberg campus)
• Huis Neetling
• Huis Ten Bosch
• Irene
• Lydia
• Minerva
• Monica
• Nemesia
• Nerina
• Sonop
• Serruria

Mixed Residences

• Goldfields
• Hippokrates (Tygerberg campus)
• Kerkenberg (Tygerberg campus)
• Metanoia [5]
• Academia
• Meerhoff (Tygerberg Campus)

University Flats

For senior, post graduate and international students

• Concordia
• Huis De Villiers
• Huis MacDonald
• Lobelia

Private Wards

• Oude Molen~1973 (Men's)
• Pieke (Est. 1973) (Men's)
• Aristea (Women's)
• Aurora (Mixed)
• Libertas (Men's)
• Equite (Women's)
• Osler [PSO-Tygerberg] (Mixed)
• Silene (Women's)
• Venustia (Women's)
• Vesta (Men's)

Notable alumni

• André du Pisani, political scientist and professor at University of Namibia.
• Andries Petrus Treurnicht, theologian and founder of the Conservative Party in South Africa.
• Attie van Heerden, Olympian, rugby union, and rugby league footballer.
• Beyers Naudé, theologian, student of HF Verwoerd and struggle hero.
• Brian Currin, leading Human Rights lawyer.
• Billy Downer, public prosecutor.
• Casper de Vries, is a South African actor, comedian, entertainer, composer, director, producer and author of sketches famous for his Afrikaans one man shows.
• Cornelis Jacobus Langenhoven, Afrikaans poet and writer of the words of Die Stem.
• Cromwell Everson, the classical music composer and composer of the first Afrikaans opera.
• Danie Craven, prominent Rugby player and sport administrator.
• Daniel François Malan, former Prime Minister of South Africa.
• Deon van der Walt, was a singer who performed at the Nico Malan Theatre as a tenor.
• Edwin Cameron, is a Rhodes scholar and High Court judge.
• Elsa Joubert, her novel Die swerfjare van Poppie Nongena was translated into 13 languages and staged as a drama.
• Ernst van Heerden, was a leading Afrikaans poet.
• Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, was chancellor of Stellenbosch University, a Political analyst and a former leader of the official opposition of South Africa who resigned the position to form IDASA.
• Friedel Sellschop, was a scientist and pioneer in the field of nuclear applied physics.
• Gerhard Tötemeyer, former Namibian Deputy Minister of Local and Regional Government and Housing.
• Heinz Carl Heinrich Winckler, entertainer and former law student.
• Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd, former Prime Minister of South Africa.
• James Barry Munnik Hertzog, lawyer, former Boer general and Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa.
• James Leonard Brierley Smith, father of William Smith
• Johann Rupert, businessman and founding trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
• Jan Smuts, former South African Prime Minister, military leader, and international statesman. One of the key figures behind the formation of both the League of Nations and the United Nations.
• Johannes du Plessis Scholtz, was a South African philologist, art historian and art collector.
• Johannes Frederik Janse Van Rensburg, was a South African leader of the Ossewabrandwag.
• Jonathan Trott, is a England Cricketer.
• Lourens Wepener Hugo Ackermann, is one of the four judges appointed to the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
• Magnus André De Merindol Malan, last Minister of defence during the Apartheid era.
• Martin Welz, doyen of investigative journalism in South Africa and Editor of South African investigative magazine Noseweek.
• Mark Patterson, private equity investor and founder of MatlinPatterson Global Advisors
• Mike Horn, South African adventurer.
• Peet Pienaar, art student who created an anatomy museum specimen from his own body.
• Petrus Abel Louw Strauss, famous journalist and auditor.
• Riaan Cruywagen, news reader and voice artist who has been associated with the SABC since its first television broadcasts in 1975.
• Rona Rupert, musician and author of 33 Afrikaans books.
• Ruda Landman, former co-anchor of award winning Carte Blanche series
• Sampie Terreblanche, former professor of Economics at Stellenbosch and founder member of the Democratic Party.
• Sandra Botha, Former Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly for the Democratic Alliance (South Africa).
• Stuart Abbott, rugby player and former economics student.
• Uys Krige, famous writer, poet, playwright, translator, rugby union player, war correspondent and romantic.
• Vern Poythress, Calvinist philosopher and New Testament scholar
• Zanne Stapelberg, opera soprano

References

1. ^ "Meet Pokkel the Maties mascot", Matie News, 18 February 2009
2. ^ SUN.ac.za
3. ^ SUN.ac.za
4. ^ [1]
5. ^ [2]
6. ^ [3]
7. ^ [4]
8. ^ Anthonissen, Christine (October 2008). "Language choices of English L1 learners in a Western Cape High School". http://scholar.sun.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10019.1/2586/Farmer,%20JL.pdf.txt?sequence=2. Retrieved 11 April 2011. 
9. ^ Adam Tas Vereniging
10. ^ Lesbigay
11. ^ Shofar Church Society
12. ^ The Bible Talks Student Church
13. ^ Debating Society
14. ^ US Otaku

External links

• Stellenbosch University official site
• SUNScholar - Full text, open access research repository of the Stellenbosch University
• Students' Representative Council official site
• Maties alumni official site
• Official site for prospective students
• Die Matie Student Newspaper official website
• Southern African University

Coordinates: 33°55′48.27″S 18°51′53.01″E / 33.930075°S 18.864725°E / -33.930075; 18.864725