Historical Perspective
The University of Zambia, Students Affairs Unit (SAU) was founded in 1966 by an Act of Parliament No. 66 of 1965 that legally created the University of Zambia. The Students Affairs Unit derives its mandate from the Act No. 23 of the Higher Education Act of 2021 and is responsible for the organisation, coordination, and administration of various non-academic aspects. The Students Affairs Unit is located in Lusaka within the University of Zambia, Great East Road Campus, next to the Goma Lakes. It also has an Office at Ridgeway Campus located in Long Acres, opposite the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
The University (SAU) has accommodation for 3,431 students at the Great East Road Campus and for 721 at the Ridgeway Campus, giving a total of 4,152 bed spaces. Student accommodation is on a shared basis with two students occupying each study room, or four, where there are bunk beds. The University does not guarantee accommodation to every student. This is so because the total student enrolment each academic year exceeds the available hostel accommodation.
The hostels are organised into a number of halls of residence. Hostel residents in each hall elect a representative each year to run the day-to-day student governance and to deal with minor organisational and disciplinary challenges that involve members of the hall. Each hall of residence is manned, on a 24- hour basis, by Hall Attendants whose duty is to assist students with any immediate residential challenges.
The University, through SAU, offers students various facilities for sport, recreation and cultural activities. These includes such facilities for football, cricket, tennis, basketball, volleyball, netball and several other indoor sport activities. A full-time Sports and Recreation Officer assists students in the organisation of sporting and recreation activities.
The University is affiliated with the National Sports Council (NSC), the Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sports Association (CUCSA), the International University Sports Federation (FISU), and the Zambia Federation of University and College Sports (ZAFUCS).
General Counselling is provided to students who experience psychosocial challenges or any difficulties while at the University. Counselling services are entirely voluntary, and students may discuss their problems with qualified professional counsellors in total confidence and privacy. The other services provided at the Counselling Centre include: career guidance and placement, encounter groups, and HIV/AIDS counselling. Grief counselling is intended to help students cope with the loss of a beloved colleague or relative in the case of funerals.
There are many other services provided to enhance student welfare. For instance, the laundry service offers cleaning facilities for clothes and beddings; the Student Board of Discipline exercises disciplinary control over all students registered in the University; and security needs are serviced by a sub-contracted security firm that works in close liaison with the University Department responsible for internal security at both the Great East Road Campus and the Ridgeway Campus. Whereas cleanliness and campus hygiene are maintained by sub-contracted firms, and the horticultural Department maintains general surroundings of both campuses.
Functions and Structure of the Student Affairs Unit
Specifically, the unit is responsible for providing social welfare services for students registered in the University, including the following:
- Accommodation;
- Student governance;
- Counselling and career guidance;
- Student orientation;
- Students’ discipline;
- Sports and recreation;
- Students’ health and security;
- Laundry and hostel cleaning services;
- Campus hygiene and sanitation; and
- Refuse collection and the environment.
In order to meet these obligations, the Dean of Student of Students is assisted by the Deputy Dean of Students and two Senior Administrative Officers as well as the Heads of Department.
Our Vision
The Unit’s vision is rooted in the mitigation for a conducive learning and living environment and the improvement of infrastructure and facilities with a view to enhancing non-academic aspects, social welfare and personnel services for students registered in the University.
Our Mission
The Student Affairs Unit is enunciated under Article 35 if the University Act No. 11 of 1999. As articulated in the Act, the mission of the Unit is to exercise overall responsibility for the organization, coordination and administration of the various non-academic aspects, social welfare and personnel services for students registered in the University. The guiding principles of the Unit’s mission in relation to the vision of the University are inclusiveness, appropriateness, responsiveness, accountability, transparency, social justice and fairness, proaction and zero tolerance to corruption.
Operational Structure and linkages
The Student Affairs Unit implements various activities under five departments which are: