South African Women Seek Administrative Answers at MHC

The visitors' two-week period of observation and learning has, in some respects, been a study in contrasts. UCT is South Africa's oldest university, founded in 1829. It has a student body of 16,500, with 4,500 staff members, and is situated in a city of more than a million. While the women note that "we do operate in a different environment," they have come to learn from MHC because of the College's success in finding solutions to change.

Of special interest to Blignaut and Da Gama, faculty human resource managers at UCT, is how institutions look at change and assess staff levels within newly merged departments. While Blignaut works with humanities departments and Da Gama focuses on the sciences, they are both seeking general "change management" ideas designed to help alleviate issues of staff instability, hostility, fear, uneasiness, and resistance to change. Moll, a team leader of network and operating systems at UCT, is looking at the information side of administrative structure and technology, what she refers to as "knowledge management." How information is shared and how to create easy access to it are key to her research. The human resources department at MHC has provided them with ample information to take back home.

For Moll, Blignaut, and Da Gama, their Mount Holyoke visit has been a successful research experience and a memorable cultural junket as well. After a week of orientation at Wellesley College, two weeks in South Hadley, and a visit to Smith, the women express much admiration for the "brilliant public transport" that has enabled them to visit Boston by bus for sightseeing trips and to negotiate that city on the MBTA. In addition, they note the high level of safety and security on the two college campuses, "even at night." As for other new and different aspects of campus life, the women noted their surprise at the idea of an honor code, which they learned about at Wellesley and which does not exist at UCT. They commented as well on the "less formal" atmosphere of staff meetings and, in addition, remarked on the "celebrated diversity" at MHC.

Diversity is, of course, an issue of particular interest to the women, who hail from a country recovering from the difficult legacy of apartheid. It was a mere six years ago, they point out, that the country's first democratic elections were held, and policies banning black South Africans from certain jobs were lifted. "We are a country in transition," says Da Gama. "The Employment Equity Act diversified the workforce," she says, "so anyone can apply for any job." In addition, she notes, "most of the 'homelands' have become part of the country, and anyone can live anywhere."

Moll adds that "UCT's student body profile has changed enormously" since Nelson Mandela was elected, and began changing even in the previous decade. UCT's new chancellor, she points out, is the former president's new wife, Graca Machel. Although "change comes very slowly," and "laws are changed one at a time," the women noted that "as a young group, we feel very positive."

When the visitors return home--leaving behind the strange phenomenon of central heating--after busy weeks on the "very beautiful" MHC campus, they will take with them plenty of ideas for administrative change. They express enthusiastic gratitude to their hosts at MHC and to the human resources department in particular for a productive and fulfilling visit.

 

photo by Fred LeBlanc

---