Cornia Pretorius chats to Calie Pistorius, outgoing UP vice-chancellor and Tukkie with a long pedigree
Calie Pistorius literally grew up on the lawns of the 100-year-old institution where his father was a deputy vice-chancellor.
In fact, the family ties with the university are so strong that between an uncle, his father and himself they have 50 years of uninterrupted service in the University of Pretoria senate.
Pistorius also studied at Tuks and, after a stint in the United States, worked his way up the academic ladder.
But recently the news broke that he will be moving to the United Kingdom to become vice-chancellor of the University of Hull.
Was he pushed?
You are saying your departure from UP is not sudden as has been suggested. Why so?
I started my vice-chancellorship on August 1 2001. By the end of August this year I would have been in the position for eight years — the longest-serving vice-chancellor in South Africa at a traditional university. I have only two years left of my contract. I was head-hunted and this is therefore a career move. You cannot wait until the last day and then start looking for a job. Furthermore, I am 50 years old. I have many years of work ahead of me. I was privileged to work at one of the best institutions in the country, but I am not keen to return to work as a professor at UP or go to another local university. I have to move on. So my departure is not sudden and I was not pressured to leave.
At least two other vice-chancellors have, in recent times, stepped down from their posts. You have also been accused by the likes of the Freedom Front Plus of ‘selling” out the Afrikaans language as a medium of instruction. To what extent have your clashes with the likes of the FF+ contributed to your decision to seek other opportunities?
I think it is inappropriate for one vice-chancellor to comment on another in a newspaper. Each university has its own unique realities, which means there is no link between the reasons why one leaves at one university and another leaves at another institution. I have noted the comments of the FF+ aligned chair and deputy chair of the Student Representative Council [that Afrikaans deteriorated at UP in my time]. I don’t think it is true. I am on record saying that it is critical that Afrikaans and English are both maintained as languages of instruction. What is necessary is to discuss the implementation of the policy. If there are incidents where the policy is not upheld we have to rectify it. Resource shortages — financial and human — often contribute to instances where policy and practice are not aligned.
How difficult is it to be a vice-chancellor in South Africa today?
Universities are huge, complex organisations involving thousands of people. At UP we have 150 000 alumni, 60 000 students, 20 000 people who work here in some way or another, parents, donors and the council, and everyone wants to speak to you at once. The challenge is to make everything work together at
once in a context where the competition for resources and staff is rife.
What has been the most difficult moment in your time as the vice-chancellor of UP?
You have to make big difficult decisions and small difficult decisions. I started in 2001 shortly after the then minister of education, Kader Asmal, announced the restructuring of higher education. We decided to place the institution on a new trajectory. We decided we wanted to become one of South Africa’s world-class institutions. It was also the year of the [Jakes] Gerwel report on language in higher education, which recommended that Afrikaans remain the medium of instruction at Stellenbosch University (SU) and the then Potchefstroom University (now North-West University, NWU). We said no and I want to acknowledge Theuns Eloff, vice-chancellor of NWU, and Chris Brink, former vice-chancellor at SU, for supporting this view. UP could have hidden behind the Gerwel report and opted for English as the only medium of instruction. These were big, difficult decisions. Smaller difficult decisions include those ones you have to make in the heat of the moment, for instance, during student protest or when you have to speak to the parents of a student who has just committed suicide.
What do you think will be your most important legacy?
This is a question that other people have to answer … Perhaps the fact that we, not me, repositioned the university on a trajectory to aspire to become one of South Africa’s world-class universities. I also think UP is increasingly an institution for all South Africans. The transformation is not concluded, but transformation is a process. In addition, our international profile has grown. I think the academic, financial reputation and systems are sound. There is a firm foundation for my successor.
Tell us more about the University of Hull. How does it compare with UP?
It has only about 20 000 students, so it is not comparable in size, but it also has a strong medical school, it excels in the hard sciences and it has been recognised as one of the most welcoming institutions in the UK. It has the same kind of feel as UP.
Is UP the next historically white institution to get a black vice-chancellor?
I have confidence in the council to appoint the best person for the job; someone who can take UP forward.
The university still has a very ‘Afrikaans” culture. Is it ready for such a change?
I would say there is a UP culture and the Afrikaans culture of the institution is one of the many on campus that contributes to this culture. The variety of cultures allows for a richer experience. It would have been wrong of us to say UP is for all South Africans and then they don’t feel welcome because one culture is dominant.
What are the biggest challenges UP will face in the next five years?
It will be interesting to watch UP perform as one of South Africa’s world-class institutions. Take note that we say we are one of them. We know there are other excellent institutions in South Africa and we want to work with them. But the challenges are a shortage of resources and people.
How would you describe your vice-chancellorship?
I will always remain a loyal Tukkie and I am grateful that I have been given the opportunity to lead and to be part of this institution, I am leaving on a positive note