About Alumni Relations

Alumni, alumnae, alumnus, alumna ‘Who are they?’

"Alumni" are the graduates of the university. Once you have completed your degree at a university you become an "Alumnus" of that university. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English defines alumni as former pupils or students of a particular school, college, or university. At Wits we consider both graduates (who received a Wits degree) and diplomates (who receive diplomas) to be alumni of the University. Technically, those who only obtained certificates for short courses are not considered to be alumni, but we also recognise them as being part of the Wits family to some extent, and try to keep the relationship with them alive where possible.

Being a word with Latin origins, the way that alumni is used follows the rules of Latin grammar, which is gender specific. So when you refer to a male graduate (singular), the word is Alumnus, while it is Alumna for a female (singular). Although we use the word to denote both genders, Alumni is actually for the male plural form, and alumnae for female plural.

What is the Convocation and how do I become a member?

The Convocation is the largest stakeholder body concerned with governance at the University, consisting of 86,000 graduates. While the term alumni is generally used to describe former students fairly loosely, the membership of the Convocation is specific, and defined by the University Statute which states that membership is restricted to all persons who are or become graduates of the University. It also lists a number of University office bearers who become members of Convocation by virtue of their office. These include the principal, the vice-principal, deputy vice-chancellors, and the registrars. It also includes Academic employees on the permanent staff of the University, Professors Emeriti and other retired academic employees who have been on the permanent staff in continuous employment for not less than 10 years immediately prior to retirement.

The University has current addresses for 74,000 individuals, the alumni, with whom it stays in regular contact via a magazine, the Wits Review, and an electronic newsletter, the eWits.

In addition, those who have indicated interest in participating in the life of the University are invited to attend regular functions and events. These include alumni breakfast talks‚ previous guest speakers include the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Tito Mboweni, and Mervyn King (who formulated the King report on Corporate Governance). Alumni Affairs also arranges class reunions, where alumni are invited back to re-establish ties with their former friends and classmates.

What is the relationship between the Convocation and the Office of Alumni Affairs at Wits?

While the Convocation is a statutory body, which elects representatives to an Executive Committee (EXCO), the Office of Alumni Affairs is a University department that is responsible for the administrative support of the Convocation, as articulated by EXCO. In addition, Alumni Affairs plays an important role in building up relationships between graduates, students and staff. While the field of alumni relations in South Africa is relatively undeveloped, the relevance of mobilising alumni has been amply demonstrated elsewhere. The USA in particular, has mastered the ability to rope in the considerable resources of alumni. The quality of tertiary education in the USA bears testimony to their success in this regard. Some American institutions are able to rely almost exclusively on alumni contributions to fund their programmes.

What role do alumni play in the life of the University?

Wits alumni make their presence felt and views known in a number of ways, which shape and guide the institution, building the future by learning the lessons of the past.

The University Statute provides that–The convocation discusses and states its opinion upon any matters relating to the University including matters referred to it by the council.

Members of the Convocation elect an Executive Committee (EXCO) that meets on a regular basis for this purpose. To see the list of current members, or to contact them, click here

In addition, the members of the Convocation have the exclusive right to elect the Chancellor of the University. This is currently Justice Dikgang Moseneke. EXCO also sends (voting) representatives to other University governing bodies, including the Council, Senate and the University Forum.

The current members of the Convocation EXCO are serving on a number of other committees, including:

The Honorary Degrees Committee
Working Group on University Governance
Naming Rights Committee
Screening Committee for the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Academic Citizenship
Financial Aid and Scholarships Committee

The Convocation EXCO also interacts with a number of sister bodies, including Wits Business School Graduate Association, the Health Graduates Association and the Wits Club. There are also a number of Alumni groupings around the world that are aimed at keeping in touch with Wits, and promoting the institution in their areas. Some of the more active alumni centres include Cape Town, Bloemfontein, New York, London, Melbourne, Galvestone (Texas, USA), Chicago and Jerusalem.

For the full list, click here

EXCO has also formed sub-committees from time to time, and one that might be of interest to students is the Wits Alumni Initiatives Forum (WAIF). This group was formed specifically to involve students and young alumni in Convocation matters, as well as to investigate career guidance and placement opportunities.

Successes of this group include the plans to launch a Wits Young Alumni Club (WYAC), and extensive collaboration with the Careers and Counselling Development Unit in the area of careers guidance and placement opportunities. More information about both of these exciting developments will be communicated to students over the course of the next few months.

The Convocation recognises the hard work and dedication of Wits academic staff, by awarding The Distinguished Teacher Award, which includes a cash reward, to Wits top academic staff.

It also recognises contributions made by graduates who have excelled themselves in service to the University or broader community in the form of the Alumni Honour Award.

What do alumni do for you, as a student?

We are aware that financial issues rate very high on the list of priority areas for students. The University has 74,000 active alumni on its books, and is currently researching ways of bringing about a transformation of this largely passive body to mobilise them to support the University’s mission by contributing in all or some of the following ways:

Making financial contributions to the University in the form of voluntary donations (which attract tax concessions)
Paying for goods and services provided by the University, such as publications (the Arena and eWits)
Supporting the Alumni shop and buying University memorabilia
Playing the role of advocacy on behalf of the University in the community.
Mobilising whatever resources they may have at their disposal for the good of the University (eg. they could use their influence to encourage their employers to contribute to the University, or to collaborate on projects)
Facilitating mentorships and internships for students, to assist in preparing them for the world of work.
Providing employment and other opportunities for Wits graduates

Some of our alumni have already displayed extraordinary generosity, such as Sir Donald Gordon, who donated approximately half a billion to enable the University to purchase the Kenridge Hospital‚ now the Donald Gordon Medical Centre.

Illustrious alumni

Nelson Mandela, Patrice Motsepe, Helen Suzman, Zanele Mbeki, Richard Goldstone, Nadine Gordimer, Donald Gordon, etc etc.

What role can you play?

You can register as a student with the Alumni Office so that we can keep you informed of developments on some of the exciting programmes that we have lined up for you. Our programme is geared up towards making it easier for you to make the transition from life as a student to being a working person, who will be able to make your mark on the world. In exchange, we urge you to remember the role played by your fellow graduates shaping your future, and to sign on with the Alumni office so that we can continue to keep you informed of developments at Wits. We hope that you will find many worthy causes to support, either through financial contributions, or in kind by your generous participation, where you might serve as a role model to students.

It is important for students to realise that your final examinations and graduation are not the end of your relationship with Wits. While we support you in your desire to turn your back on your student years, you will find (as those who went before you did) that Wits has a lot to offer you throughout your life cycle. Your future relationship with Wits will include some of all of the following opportunities:

Receive regular communications from Wits, like the Arena magazine and eWits newsletter. These publications will keep you informed of developments at the University, especially your old Faculty, School or Department. You will find this to be extremely useful, as Wits is at the cutting edge of research and innovation in the world and there will be many areas of excellence that you will be able to draw on to inform your own working programme.
Wits University is intensely engaged with the business and civic communities on a number of fronts. You will find that every University Faculty has contacts in the community, with whom they are engaged in research or other activities.
You will be invited to exclusive alumni breakfasts, lunches and other events, where we are addressed by distinguished alumni who have made their mark in the community.
You will be sent voting papers for elections for the Chancellor of the University, as well as for members of the Executive Committee of Convocation (EXCO).
Those of you who are under the age of 35 will be invited to join the Wits Young Alumni Club (WYAC). The WYAC will be launching an exciting programme of events that will equip younger graduates with the tools they need to assist them in their quest to climb the corporate ladder.
All alumni events are geared towards providing graduates with opportunities to network and establish contacts with graduates in their field, with whom they would not normally be able to interact on an equal footing.
You will be kept informed of the Wits programmes that are geared towards continuing and adult education. As dreary as this might sound to you now, being focused on getting through your basic Wits degree, you will find that you will want to further your development back at Wits in the years to come.
Many alumni send their children to Wits so that they too can be empowered to take up leadership positions in South Africa and abroad.
If our current negotiations in this regard succeed, you will be able to use an email for life through the University.
You will be able to interact and network with your fellow graduates via our online community‚ Gradnet.
You will be able to enter your listing in the Wits Who’s Who, which will include your class year books online.

As you are aware that year 2005 has been declared as a beginning of a journey for Wits University to build and diversify relations and partnerships with internal publics and external publics, Alumni Affairs is also playing its role in making this dream a reality.

Goals of the Student Awareness Programme

To cultivate interest in Convocation matters among students while they are still within reach at the University
To create awareness among students of the role that Convocation can play in furthering the objectives of the University.
To create awareness among students of the contributions made by alumni, in the hope that this will encourage them to contribute after they have graduated.
To enhance the image of the University of the Witwatersrand and further its objectives by eliciting student participation in alumni programmes.
To assist students by offering them opportunities to interact with alumni, at functions and through internship and mentorship programmes that will be run via the alumni network.
To provide alumni with opportunities to participate in a meaningful way in the lives of students.
To create a conducive environment for academic excellence at faculty level and in student residences
To work with student alumni to promote societal development through community outreach programmes
To build a bridge between the student years and membership of alumni regional chapters

What’s in it for me as a student?

As a student you could be invited to participate in our mentorship programs, designed in collaboration with the CCDU. This will expose you to the influence and guidance of our veteran alumni, in the workplace, or through your attendance at talks by prominent alumni who are champions in their respective fields.

Alumni Affairs and the CCDU University Student Employment (USE) programme will assist you with job placement, and a special database is being set up for this purpose. All you need to do is to sign on with Alumni Affairs, and indicate that you would like job-placement assistance in the relevant section of the application form.

The Office of Alumni Affairs is currently negotiating a package of benefits that would accrue to students. This includes channelling alumni financial contributions to a special Alumni Bursary Fund, a Library Fund to channel funds to the University Libraries, and contributions towards the University Residences from alumni.

Once you are in our database, we would like to build on our relationship by remembering your birthday, and providing you with opportunities to get more involved in the life of the University. You will be able to make your views known to the members of EXCO, as well as to senior University management. This will be via special get-togethers that we will arrange with the various office bearers.

We are negotiating the option for an email address for life through Wits. This will mean that you will never need to lose touch with your friends and classmates, who will always be able to look you up through the University network.

Contact information
(including signing on to the student database):
Email: alumni@wits.ac.za
Phone: 717-1090
Fax: 403-4493 or 717-1099

Sign-on Now! to be part of this exciting initiative