ENN1504/02/2024

SEMESTER TWO

ASSIGNMENT 01

NB. THIS ASSIGNMENT CONTAINS ONE MANDATORY QUESTION

Submit this assignment only if you are registered for Semester 02 in 2024. This
assignment should be submitted online on the Moodle platform and ensure that it
is converted to a pdf file. Check that you have uploaded the correct file containing
your specific assignment. The plagiarism form, available on the last page of this
assignment question, should accompany this assignment.

The due date for this assignment will be made available to you on the myUnisa
landing page for this module.

WRITING SKILLS IN WORKPLACE CORRESPONDENCE

Please read the following guidelines before attempting to answer this assignment:

The purpose of this question is to assess your ability to record minutes of a meeting
accurately and objectively, using formal language. This requires you to do the
necessary preparatory reading so that you can answer the question adequately.

Work through Unit 2 in the Study Guide and Learning Unit 2 in the workbook before
attempting to answer this question.

QUESTION 1: MINUTES OF A MEETING

BACKGROUND

Most of the students at Gauteng College applied to the National Student Financial Aid
Department for funding to pay tuition fees. However, not all the students received funding.
As a result, they mostly owed the institution tuition fees. The college has already
submitted some of the debts to the debtors’ office for further investigation. Most of the

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students could be deregistered, blacklisted, or not receive their results at the end of the
year if their fees are not paid in full. The Financial Manager of the college, Mr Selby,
called a meeting with the College Board members, the students’ parents, and members
of the Student Representative Council (SRC) to discuss different ways in which parents
could be assisted to resolve their financial problems and pay tuition fees owed to the
college.

INSTRUCTIONS

Below is a transcript (exact words written down) of what was said under the relevant
agenda item that discussed non-payment of tuition fees, among other matters at a
recent meeting held. As the minuting secretary of the Finance Department at Gauteng
College, it is your duty to take minutes during meetings. Most of the students at Gauteng
College did not qualify to be funded by the National Student Financial Aid Department
and they therefore owed the institution tuition fees. The institution tried to come up with
different ways of assisting students and parents to resolve their financial problems and
pay tuition fees. The matter was discussed under agenda item 4.1. Students’ tuition
fees debts. Write the minutes for agenda item 4.1 only. This means that the complete
format for minutes is not required. Remember that in taking minutes, we carefully select
and summarise information, and make changes to style and grammar. Note that you
should not record what each person said in turn. You should use the linear format of
minutes (in sentences and paragraphs). Your answer should not exceed ONE page in
length.

TRANSCRIPT

Mr Selby (Chair): Ladies and gentlemen, we have so far addressed most of the crucial
issues that are affecting the broader society and our immediate
families, such as high student drop-out and failure rates. We are all
aware of our country’s declining economy especially after the
outbreak of Covid19, load shedding and the high level of corruption
in the country. Most members of our households are unemployed
as a result. The socio-economic decline of the country directly or

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indirectly affects the smooth running of some institutions of learning

like ours, which depends on the tuition fees paid by the parents. I
am aware that most of the students applied for funding through the
National Student Financial Aid Department. Unfortunately, not all
our students were lucky enough to get approval and receive the
funding. About 60% of the students, therefore, owe their tuition
fees. This makes it very difficult for the college to sustain itself
because it is through the tuition fees that a lot of debts are
covered, including electricity and water bills. The lecturers
employed on fixed-term contracts get paid through the tuition fees.
Resources such as computers, library books, sport equipment, to
name a few, are purchased through that money as well. Without
tuition fees, the institution cannot survive. The challenge we are
faced with is, how can we help each other to resolve the students’
debts to sustain the institution? I therefore suggest that we discuss
agenda item 4.1: Students’ tuition fees debts.

Mr Moss: Thank you very much, Chair. The College Board acknowledges
the financial struggles that the parents are going through. It is just
unfortunate that the National Students’ Financial Aid Department is
unable to fund every applicant for various reasons. Thus far, the
College Board has recommended that some of the debtors be
handed over to the credit bureau for further investigations.

Ms Small: Ladies and gentlemen! Finances are a very sensitive topic. Most
of us parents are really trying hard to make payments, but like you
already said, Chair, it is such a struggle. One of the reasons why
I, and maybe most of us parents, struggle to pay our children’s
tuition fees is that we are over-indebted. I heard about debt
counselling over the radio and TV and visited one of the National
Credit offices to find out if I could not get assistance with debt-

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counselling and advice on how to meet my debt repayments. The

counsellor explained the process of how an over-indebted
consumer can apply for his/her debt to be restructured so that he
or she could pay household expenses and still be able to pay off
such other debts as college fees at the end of each month. If you
are battling with debt, debt-counselling may be one way out of a
tight spot without having your goods repossessed, getting
blacklisted by a credit bureau, or getting your child suspended or
kicked out of the college.

Ms Zondi: I agree with Ms Small. Debt counselling could be one of the options
for saving our children from being expelled from the college
because of unpaid tuition fees. However, we also need to be careful
about some of the disadvantages of the debt counselling process.
The process involves reducing your monthly payments on your
debts, but it will take longer for you to settle the amount you owe,
and you will pay more interest as well. Another drawback is that,
while under debt counselling, you are unable to get more credit or
use your pre- existing credit facilities. The debt counselling process
is also not free, as debt counsellors also receive 5% as a monthly
after-care fee. So, do not think about debt counselling as an easy
way out; it is a tough process that demands commitment and
sacrifice from you. I therefore suggest that we should also consider
other ways of dealing with our tuition debts before we enter the
debt- counselling process. One option could be to make
arrangements with Gauteng College to change our payment terms
and maybe allow for longer term payments.

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Ms Moima: The Student Representative Council has been debating about

student tuition fee debts and how we could help each other to
resolve the problem. We also agree that over-indebted parents can
opt for debt counselling if possible. Additionally, we also think that
the student body should think about fundraising events such as
marathons or sports tournaments, beauty pageants, and others,
which can assist students who are struggling with tuition fees.
Different local businesses could be approached for sponsorship of
such events. Representatives from different banks can be invited to
the college to share information with students about available
student loans from the banks.

Mr Moss: In one of the recent College Board meetings, it was proposed that
the college establish an academic award committee which would
look at different accolades that students could compete for and be
awarded bursaries. These accolades would relate to academic
achievement, achievement in sports, academic debates,
outstanding short stories or the most interesting college articles.
Different college departments could suggest categories and criteria
on the basis of which high achievers could be awarded bursaries.

Mr Selby: Ladies and gentlemen, It looks like we have exhausted different

ways of assisting each other to raise funds to cover tuition fees. Are
there any additional strategies that you can think of?

Mr Moss: I think we have exhausted different fundraising strategies.

However, we can also establish a suggestion box in which
students can post additional academic accolades for bursary
awards for consideration.

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Mr Selby: Definitely, Mr Moss. Members of the SRC will take care of that and
liaise with the College Board to finalise decisions. Are there any
objections to these initiatives?

All: No!

Mr Selby: Thank you very much for your wonderful inputs, ladies and
gentlemen. I will provide feedback on tuition payment to our next
College Senate meeting.

TOTAL: 100 MARKS

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Plagiarism declaration

DECLARATION

Name and Student number……………………………………………………….…………

Assignment Topic…………………………………………………………………………….
I declare that this assignment is my original work. Where secondary material has
been used (either from a printed source or from the internet), this has been carefully
acknowledged and referenced in accordance with departmental requirements. I
understand what plagiarism is and am aware of the department's policy in this
regard. I have not allowed anyone else to borrow or copy my work.

Signature………………………………………………Date………………………………….