Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Committee: The USAf Board endorsed a recommendation from this Committee, that a high-level meeting be secured with the Minister of Higher Education and Training, the DDG of the University Education Branch and other senior members of the DHET over four long-standing matters of priority to the Committee.  These were:

• Dissolution of Committee of University Principals (CUP), Committee of Technikon Principals (CTP) and Matriculation Board in terms of S74 of the Higher Education Act, Act 101 of 1997
• The Central Applications Service (CAS)
• The Designated subject list and minimum higher education admissions requirements and
• Proposed changes to Matriculation regulations.

The Board also approved the revised request for proposals (RFP) for a research project on Predictors of Success in the National Senior Certificate, initially presented to the Board in October 2017. The project will be funded from the Matriculation Board’s reserves to the tune of R500,000 based on initial proposals. Furthermore, the Board mandated the Admissions Committee to authorise additional funds up to a total amount of R1,000,000 if necessary.

Audit and Risk Committee: The Board approved the appointment to this Committee, of Mr Charles Mathumba, Director of Finance at the University of the Witwatersrand, for a three-year period starting 01 January 2019 and ending 31 December 2021. The memberships of Ms Faiza Majiet of Stellenbosch University as Chair, and Mr Shai Makgoba of the University of Cape Town, were extended for another three years.

Finance and Investment Committee: Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, was appointed new Chair of this committee as a successor to Dr Albert van Jaarsveld.

Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, succeeds Dr Albert van Jaarsveld as Chair of USAf’s Finance and Investment Committee.

Human Resources and Remuneration Committee: Prof Xoliswa Mtose, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Zululand, was appointed new Chair of this committee, replacing the University of Limpopo’s Prof Mahlo Mokgalong, whose term was due to end on 31 December 2018.

Legal Advisory Committee: Realising that the Committee was about to lose two members who had served two terms, the last of which was due to expire on 31 December, the Board was requested to consider an amendment to a clause 4.5 in the Terms of Reference of this Committee, to state that “if the USAf Board should deem it necessary to retain specific capacity, a member could be re-appointed to the LAC, provided that member’s total term of office does not exceed a period of nine years, or three terms. In the event of the proposed amendment being approved, to approve the appointment of Messrs Hugh Amoore and James Botha for a further term.”
The Board endorsed the amendment. It also approved the appointment to this Committee, of a new member, Advocate Corlia van der Walt, current Director: Legal Services at the University of Johannesburg.