Bureaucracy is alive and well at Wits University! After several trees' worth of paperwork and a good three hours walking backwards and forwards across the university, I am officially a Visitor! Unfortunately, I should have been registered as a student, not a visitor, so I will have to go through the whole process again next week.
A photo of me looking gormless on my Kudu Card.
Wits is a campus university in the centre of the city. It is a vibrant place where, as far as I can tell, the sun always shines. The main campus is divided into two: west campus and east campus. A huge road runs down the middle, but underneath the campus, which is somehow raised above the rest of the city. The whole campus is accessible only by swiping your 'Kudu Card', and so is relatively safe.
Just last week the Wits maths department moved to a brand new building making up part of the ‘science stadium’ on the west campus. The area used to be a stadium for agricultural shows. Now, the stadium houses most of the science faculty, although some of the old stands were kept as a reminder, and provide a good place for students to chill in the shade and eat lunch. Maths is on the Floor 3 of the north east building, which is actually the fifth floor since between the ground floor and the first floor there is also the mezzanine floor and the upper ground floor.
I have my own office, which is considerably bigger than my supervisor’s at the OU. I have two large whiteboards and a networked PC, although I'm yet to find any board pens, and I can't use my computer until I get my student ID. My view looks south, over campus, which is a shame; the north-facing windows give a great panorama over the city's northern suburbs, and get more sunlight.
Things I have learnt
- The old maths department had burglar bars fitted on every office door. The new building doesn't - although all storage units are fitted with durable locks and it is normal to lock everything up even if you're just nipping to the loo.
- It's not as usual to break for coffee twelve times a day here as it is in your average UK maths department. Despite the lack of caffeine though, I'm still buzzing. Yet to work this one out.
- The academic career path seems very different here. For a start, it's possible to get a lecturing position without even having a masters. I'll find out more about this at some point.
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