Student Number : 0314897V - MA research report - School of Social Science - Faculty of Humanties / This research report asks ‘how effective has academic staff transformation been at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)?’ This question was examined from four angles: i) the historical engagement of UCT and Wits, as employers, with race, class and gender, ii) the impact of government directive and the legislative context on the transformation of higher education workplaces, iii) the institutional role and response of UCT and Wits to the race, class and gender of their academic staff and iv) academics’ experience of UCT and Wits as workplaces. The findings are based on in-depth interviews with 50 academic and senior executive staff at UCT and Wits. The results illustrate both continuity and change in the way in which academic staff experience institutions. Whilst there are progressive elements identified, there are also disconcerting expressions of prejudice, discrimination and harassment which undermine the transformation process.

Magister Educationis - MEd / This study investigates the factors that conditioned the establishment of, and responses to, a centrally coordinated, institution wide change initiative aimed at promoting equity in the academic workplace in an historically white South African university. It is examined by presenting two kinds of analyses, firstly, an institutional analysis that explores the environmental and managerial conditionalities that influenced the reception, interpretation and responses to the national policy framework. Secondly, a bottom-up analysis that explores the distinctive disciplinary contexts that conditioned the responses of the participants. The study reveals that top-down approaches to managing change have limited capacity to influence the nature and pace of change on the ground, despite the best intentions of institutional managers. The study illustrates that the distinctive disciplinary context conditioned the responses to, and outcomes of the change initiative. In this study, the authority of the academic project powerfully trumps the legitimacy and credibility of the institutional transformation initiative.

Magister Educationis - MEd / This study investigates the factors that conditioned the establishment of, and responses to, a centrally coordinated, institution wide change initiative aimed at promoting equity in the academic workplace in an historically white South African university. It is examined by presenting two kinds of analyses, firstly, an institutional analysis that explores the environmental and managerial conditionalities that influenced the reception, interpretation and responses to the national policy framework. Secondly, a bottom-up analysis that explores the distinctive disciplinary contexts that conditioned the responses of the participants. The study reveals that top-down approaches to managing change have limited capacity to influence the nature and pace of change on the ground, despite the best intentions of institutional managers. The study illustrates that the distinctive disciplinary context conditioned the responses to, and outcomes of the change initiative. In this study, the authority of the academic project powerfully trumps the legitimacy and credibility of the institutional transformation initiative.