Masualle called the meeting following a defining year with students demonstrating under the #FeesMustFall banner to extract concessions from government on zero fee increases for next year.
The four heads of local universities attending were: Walter Sisulu University interim vice-chancellor (VC) Khaya Mfenyana; Rhodes University VC Dr Sizwe Mabizela; Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University VC Professor Derrick Swartz; and University of Fort Hare VC Dr Mvuyo Tom.
While the group had detailed discussions on what could be done to address the challenges, they skirted firm proposals on the way forward, with Masualle saying: “Let’s hear what the president will say and take it from there.”
President Jacob Zuma is due to receive a report within the next few weeks from a special task team comprising higher education stakeholders which was formed at the height of the student protests.
Masualle said the group looked at preparations for the new academic year, but there were few indications what Zuma might agree to once the task team reports.
Swartz said a major discussion point was how to give working class and poor students “a fighting chance of studying at university to break through inter-generational poverty”.
“Large sections of our students are recruited from very poor backgrounds,” he said.
“We were talking about ways in which we can harness our resources and policies, where can optimise access of the poor .” — rayh@dispatch.co.za