70% of LSU lecturers, students relocate

By Nqobile Tshili

Seventy percent of Lupane State University (LSU) lecturers and students have relocated from Bulawayo to the institution of higher learning’s campus in Lupane, Matabeleland North province.

The university is targeting to have moved everyone to the campus by 2022.

Since 2018, LSU has been gradually moving its departments to Lupane town and the first to be moved was the Faculty of Agriculture.

The university’s relocation has been affected by accommodation shortage hence it is doing it in phases.

Last month, the Faculty of Agriculture, Humanities and Social Sciences as well as departments in the Vice Chancellor’s Office such as Physical Planning, Works and Estates, Information Communication Technologies, the Quality Assurance Directorate, Internal Audit Section, Marketing and Public Relations Office, Procurement Management Unit and Research and Innovation Services Office relocated to Lupane.

It also moved the Pro-Vice Chancellor’s Office and some departments that fall under the Registrar’s office including student admission, examinations, central services and human resources, library and student affairs to the main campus.

In an interview, LSU director of marketing and communications Mr Zwelithini Dlamini said the university was committed to moving to its main campus and 70 percent of staff members have relocated so far.

“We are hoping by 2022 we would have completed the relocaton to the main campus. That is however depended on the availability of resources to build accommodation particularly for students.

“We have managed to move to campus 240 members of staff leaving just a 100 at the Bulawayo campus. As for students, the conventional students who are now at the main campus are 840,” said Mr Dlamini.

He said 70 percent of students including those on parallel and block release have since been moved to the campus.

Mr Dlamini said most of the relocated staff and students had to seek accommodation in Lupane town as the campus has limited accommodation.

“Now that most students and staff members have relocated to the main campus, the university can now concentrate on its core business of teaching, research and supporting other pillars as enunciated in vision 5.0 which includes innovation.

“There is lesser attention being given to issues that do not relate to the university’s day to day business. More resources are now being spent on the core business of the university,” he said.

Mr Dlamini said in order to address transport challenges for students and staff members not residing at the campus, the university had engaged the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) to provide the service. The Chronicle