Surely there should be suitable black candidates in the humanities field (unlike in engineering, medicine and so on)?
WO: The position of dean is an uncomfortable juxtaposition of academic, administrative and managerial tasks — we look for a ”proper” academic, with impeccable credentials, but then expect him/her to give up teaching and research to manage a faculty. We have difficulty finding any suitable candidates (black or white) who are willing to do this and who have the managerial experience required. There are undoubtedly outstanding black academics in humanities, but the majority wants to remain just that — academics.
Did the selection committee weigh up Professor Timothy Reagan’s credentials against those of the black female candidates?
LN: This process was no different to other selection processes. A selection committee is supposed to evaluate each candidate against the requirements of the post. These requirements are normally summarised in an advertisement and there would be supporting institutional documentation that guides the committee … In this case the selection committee recommended to the council that Professor Reagan be appointed as the next dean of the faculty of humanities.
SRC president Nyiko Floyd Shivambu said the committee made their decision based on racial grounds. Is that true?
LN: I suppose Floyd is able to substantiate his allegation. If so, I will be more than happy to respond to any evidence that he is able to put forward to back his claim.
Do the transformation and equity targets (set for 2006) mean anything if they are not reached?
WO: We do not have ”transformation and equity targets” for 2006 — we have employment equity targets. Failure to meet our employment equity targets does not necessarily mean failure to make progress in respect of other transformation goals and objectives. Nevertheless, employment equity targets do mean something even if they are not reached. They mean that we are ambitious in terms of how rapidly we would like to see change in the demography of our staff. The fact that we are unlikely to achieve them means that we will take a long hard look at the factors that might be hindering our progress — and take steps to address those.
Do you think transformation should be put above the desire to be a world-class institution?
WO: This question seems to assume that ”transformation” and being ”world class” are in conflict with each other. That is a very troubling assumption. We believe transformation and excellence go hand in hand — we will not be world class if we do not transform.
… but the students say
Nyiko Floyd Shivambu, SRC presiden
Does it matter what the skin colour of the successful candidate is when we are supposed to live in a non-racial society?
Contextually it matters. In an institution that is supposed to undo the apartheid-created racial demographics, there is a need to prefer qualified and appointable candidates from designated groups, and that’s females, blacks and disabled persons. Now the university’s predominantly white selection committee overlooked all equity issues and appointed a white male from America through a racially based vote. That is unacceptable.
Did you familiarise yourself with Professor Timothy Reagan’s CV, and what concerned you about it?
We do not have a problem with his qualifications. What we have a problem with is the appointment process. His CV doesn’t matter within the context in which our concerns are raised. We are saying that it was mandatory for an institution that needs to transform to consider appointable and equally qualified candidates from designated groups vis-à-vis an American white male. I am familiar with his CV and CVs of other applicants and what I saw in his CV was lots of American education.
Would you rather students do not get the best education just for the sake of transformation?
First, deans of faculties are not academics; they are senior administrators … who take very important decisions in regard to academia. And who said American education is the best education? We are emphatic in calling for appointable black candidates, particularly with South African experience since academic institutions of higher learning in the country ought to respond to South African and African needs before anything else.
You’ve said that equity legislation forces the university to appoint a black person should there be a black and a white candidate. Do you still believe this to be true?
What we said was that the university ought to prefer candidates from designated groups when there is a situation of appointable black and white candidates. And certainly the equity legislation provides for that. Now Wits University failed to exercise leadership and chose to appoint a white person. This trend has been recurrent in the past three appointments, where blacks were overlooked for white candidates. This must come to an end.
Do you not think that you are merely reversing racism?
I think the view of reversing racism is a right-wing view and totally misplaced. South African demographics in regard to race are created by a racist apartheid system. It is therefore the responsibility of everyone, including Wits University, to redress such an odious phenomenon. There is no way that we can leave the current racial demographics at the university intact. Wits University must be adherent to the South African transformation trajectory and discourse.
Do you think Wits is transforming?
”It’s going to take a long time. Some people are more equal than others and particular races still battle in terms of registrations and so on. I think it will take a whole lot of work for everybody.” — Masetjhaba Mokhethi, second year, BSc
”I think Wits is transforming for the better. There is no real racial discrimination.” — Bilal Essa, first year, engineering
”I suppose we are a transformed university because we are a multicultural institution.” — Craig Roman, first year, mechanical engineering
”There’s still suppression. You have to address the issues, not side-step them. You don’t want the same issues to erupt again in 10 years. A lot of white people do not understand the concept of affirmative action.” — Darran Nadas, second year, BA LLB
”I’m kind of oblivious to what happens here. I just go to classes.” — Ken Horn, second year, BSc
”If you look at lecturers, they are still mostly white and that needs to be addressed.” — Joanna Sawicka, second year, BSc
”It’s really up to the people in charge to decide who becomes the dean. Obviously if a white guy is more qualified it’s valid but you can’t have that all the top guys are white.” — Tholoana Mofolo, second year, psychology