Revised D/311/10

Previously D/586/09


INSTITUTIONAL REGULATORY CODE (IRC)
(Policies, Procedures, Rules etc.)
To be completed by initiator of policy/policy owner:
1. POLICYTITLE: / Residence Tuck-shop Policy
2. FIELD OF APPLICATION:
(All persons to whom policy applies) / All registered residence students
3. COMPLIANCE OFFICER(S):
(Persons responsible for ensuring policy implementation) / Dean: Student Affairs; Director: Housing, Living & Learning Programmes, Student Life Officer and House Committee Members
4. STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION
(State the stakeholder group/s consulted during policy formulation/revision) / Student Leadership, Residence Management and Catering Committee
5. DESIGNATION OFPOLICY OWNER:
(Person responsible for maintaining policy) / Director: Housing, Living & Learning Programmes
6. NAME OF POLICY OWNER: / Dr S Mpuru
POLICY HISTORY(To be completed by policy owner)
Decision
Date
(Compulsory) / Status
(New/Revised/
No Changes) / Implementation Date
(Compulsory if “new” or “revised”) / Approving Authority
(If ”new” or “revised”. N/A if no changes) / Resolution Number
e.g. 07/11-10.2
(Minute number. N/A if no changes) / Policy Document Number
(e.g. D/…./07 N/A if no changes) / Pending date for next revision
(Compulsory)
3 Aug 2005 / New / 3 Aug 2005 / EMCOM / 05/12/9.4 / D/840/05 / Sept 2008
24 June 2009 / Revised / 16 Feb 2009 / EMCOM / 09/06-6.24 / D/123/09 / Sept 2011
11 Nov 2009 / Revised / January 2010 / EMCOM / 09/11-6.9 / D/586/09
Previously part of D/123/09 / Sept 2011
23 Sept 2010 / Revised / July 2010 / EMCOM / 10/09-10.2 / D/311/10 / Sept2012
For office use only
SUBJECT(Broad policy field): / Student Governance
SUBJECT NUMBER: / 200
CATEGORY(Policy sub-field): / Residence Governance
CATEGORY NUMBER: / 202
IRC NUMBER: / 202.04

5.Preamble

As one of theresponses to the challenges facing human resource empowerment in South Africa today, the Department of Student Housing, Living and Learning Programmes believes in nurturing innovation, fostering creativity, embracing technology and developing people to meet the challenges of the world of tomorrow. The University has a vision to optimise the potential of students towards sustainable development.

The Department of Housing, Living & Learning Programmes is committed to playing its role in developing graduates who are well-rounded, critical thinkers, entrepreneurial, innovative and employable. Whenever an opportunity arises, the Department will afford the students space and infrastructural support to develop their life skills. Entrepreneurship is one such skill that introduces selected students to business as a possible career. Having identified a need for small scale retail outlets in residences, especially for incidental items, and at times when all other retail centres are closed, the Department promotes the establishment of tuck shops which are run by students.

This policy serves as guideline for the establishment and running of the tuck shops by students in residences.

Purpose

The residence tuck-shops serve as a programme to develop entrepreneurial and managerial skills among students. The venture also gives an opportunity for experiential training for the managing of a business. Furthermore, these small scale businesses create job opportunities for other residence students, and thenominalrent paid by the owners contributes in the respective residence’s house funds.

5.The Policy

In order to ensure fairness in the allocation of tuck shops to studentsand the regulation of procedure and boundaries, tenders are invited and strict timelines in the process are adhered to. Separate water and electricity meters will not be installed and no charges will be levied for the consumption of water, electricity or for the disposal of waste. The University, however, reserves the right to review this concession when and if necessary. The University will not provide a telephone or connect the premises to the University network or internet.

  1. The process
  2. Applications are invited from students in October of each year in order to give
    the prospective tuck-shop owner enough time to prepare for opening the
    business the following year, or in the case of a vacancy due to circumstances, on a needs basis.
  3. A panel consisting of the Director: Housing, Living & Learning Programmes, the Senior Manager: Residence Operations, the respective Residence Manager,the Student Life Officer, and two House Committee members from the residence concerned is convened toconsider the application;

1.3.The panel determines a schedule of the following events:

1.3.1.Date of invitation of applications,

1.3.2.Cut off date for submission of tenders,

1.3.3.Date for panel to consider business plans,

1.3.4.Date for final announcement of short listed candidate

1.3.5.Date for short listed candidates to present business plans to panel;

1.3.6.Date for final announcement of successful candidates.

  1. Business Plan:

The business plan must include:

2.1Stock items to be sold (keeping in mind that food may not be cooked orprepared in the shop);

2.2Financial resources – proof of available capital (e.g. confirmation of loan froma bank or sponsor);

2.3Entrepreneurial potential and skill;

2.4Details of benefits to residents e.g. job creation, fund raising etc;

2.5Estimated profit orloss;

2.6Hours of service;

2.7Rent

  1. Criteria:
  2. The business owner must necessarily be a registered student of NMMU during the year an application is submitted as well as the year during the business running.
  3. The prospective entrepreneur must be a resident in one of the NMMU residences
  4. Business owners are expected to be acquainted with University policies that impact directly on residence life, such as Alcohol/Liquor Policy, the Housing Rules and Procedures, The Glass-Free Campus Policy, The NMMU Smoking Policy, the Residence Disciplinary Code, the NMMU Occupational Health and Safety (OPS) Policy and other applicable OHS legislative standards applicable to resale of food items.
  1. Agreement:

4.1An official agreement is entered into between Student Housing and the successful candidate(s) to run the business for the duration of one academic year. Limited hours during vacation periods could also be negotiated if deemed necessary; any deviation must be agreed to by the approving authority.

4.2The University shall not be held liable for any agreements made between the lessee and his/her sponsor;

4.3Prior to any agreement signed between the Student Housing authority and the entrepreneur/owner, the owner shall submit a health and safety plan to the NMMU Health and Safety Manager for approval.

4.4It is imperative that the owner holds a meeting with the House Committee of the residence in which he/she will be operating to solicit their views on the general stock needed in the tuck-shop and to discuss the hours of operation.

4.5Under no circumstances should the business owner interfere with the electrical, plumbing or any other utility installations serving the building without the express permission of the Director: Technical Services.

4.6Maintenance of the premises shall be at the cost of the business owner.

4.7The Housing Department Management, Technical services, Security, Campus Health Services as well as the Committee for Safety, Healthand Environment (SHE) reserve the right to inspect the premises at any time and insist on any work they deem necessary to carry out in the interest of maintenance, safety or health.

4.8The following are examples of items that may be stocked for sale from the tuck shop:

4.8.1Pastries, crisps, sweets, soft drinks, non-alcoholic beverages;

4.8.2Groceries

4.8.3Stationery

4.8.4Toiletries

4.8.5Minor hardware items such as bulbs, padlocks, batteries, etc.

4.9The agreement includes

4.9.1Opening times;

4.9.2Security plans;

4.9.3Safety and health;

4.9.4Delivery;

4.9.5Cleaning and

4.9.6Refuse removal

4.9.7Payment of rent for the space used shall be made monthly.

4.10Payments due to the House Committee will be made at the University cashiers who will in turn credit the respective House Committee’ssocial fund account.

4.11In the event of the lessee committing any breach of the terms and
conditions of the lease, including non-payment of rental, the University may demand that the lessee remedy such breach within seven days of
the date of written notice of demand.

4.12The University shall not be liable for any damage to the premises or to any other loss suffered by the lessee or clients arising out of its occupation of the leased premises, whether such damage or loss arises from failure of any services connected to the premises or arising from a defect in the leased premises or from fire, theft or from any other cause whatsoever, including any negligence on the part of a University employee or agent(s), unless wilfully caused.

4.13The University shall bear no liability whatsoever for damage or loss of stockincurred as a result of any riotous behaviour.

4.14The lessee shall submit reports, once a term, to the Student LifeOfficer to advice on the progress of the business and any concerns or suggestions that should be noted and/or actioned. The feasibility of the shop is assessed at this point and at the end of the year.

4.15The owner/entrepreneur is awarded a certificate if the tuck-shop is run successfully.

4.16The lessee is obliged to leave the premises at the expiration of thelease in a condition which is acceptable to all stakeholders. All installations (e.g. shelves) shall remain the property of the University subject to negotiations with a future lessee to take over the improvements.

5.Termination of Agreement:

5.1Should the lessee, for whatever reason wish to terminate the leaseagreement, he/she should advise the Student Life Officer of such intention with at least one month’s notice.

5.2Should the University, also for whatever reasonother than outcomes of a disciplinary procedure, decide to terminate the lease agreement, the University should serve the lessee with at least one month’s notice to fold the business.In the event of the lessee found guilty of any breach of University rule or South African law, being expelled or suspended from the University following a disciplinary hearing, the agreement shall be terminated instantly. The lessee may, in terms of paragraph 7.1 of the Student Disciplinary Code submit a written request to the Registrar for the review of the finding and/or the penalty by the Review Committee.

5.3The University shall not be liable to the lessee for any costs incurred by the lessee arising from such cancellation and the University retains the rights to claim payment of any monies due to the institution, and compensation for any damages caused to the premises or suffered by the University.

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