UCT scientist favourite for top Maties post

A UNIVERSITY of Cape Town scientist has emerged as the early frontrunner to become the new vice-chancellor at Stellenbosch University.

Professor Wim de Villiers is the dean of health sciences at UCT, but has strong ties to Stellenbosch.

He graduated from its medical school and matriculated at the town’s Paul Roos Gymnasium.

The new vice-chancellor is expected to be elected on December 1, replacing Professor Russel Botman, who died in June.

This week, the names of deputy vice-chancellors Mohammad Karaan, Eugene Brink and Arnold Schoonwinkel, and former North-West University vicechancellor Theuns Eloff, among others, were mentioned, but rumours that some have withdrawn have confirmed De Villiers’ status as frontrunner.

Eloff had been favoured by those who viewed the preservation of Afrikaans as a central concern of the university, but said on Thursday that he had never agreed to be a candidate.

The selection panel of 17 consisted of two members of the university council, four members of its senate, two members of its institutional forum, two lecturers who are not members of the senate, three university employees, two students nominated by the Students Representative Council, the president

He is a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford University, and has a master’s from Harvard

of the convocation and George Steyn, the chairman of the council. Steyn, who chaired the selection committee, instructed the members this week not to reveal the provisional shortlist, but the Sunday Times has learnt that the smart money is on De Villiers.

The provisional shortlist will be finalised tomorrow, followed by formal interviews on November 26 and a range of interactions with the senate and the institutional forum, which will share their preferences with the council, which will aim to make the appointment by December 1.

De Villiers is a respected researcher in gastroenterology. He has been chief of the division of digestive diseases and nutrition in the department of medicine at the University of Kentucky. He is a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford University, and has a DPhil from Oxford and a master’s from Harvard. He is a renowned expert in inflammatory bowel disease. Comment on this: write to tellus@sundaytimes.co.za or SMS us at 33971 www.timeslive.co.za