QUESTION 1: MINUTES OF A MEETING

BACKGROUND

Several overweight lecturers, including students at Olandi University, are willing to be taken on board about a fitness and diet programme to be introduced at the institution. Student Support Officials at Olandi University would like to engage the Students Representative Council (SRC) and the Department of Sports and Recreation to discuss this initiative. The Student Support Official, Mr Kani, called a meeting to discuss possibilities of opening a fitness centre and to identify a physician to be part of the institutions' fitness programme.

INSTRUCTIONS

Below is a transcript (exact words written down) of what was said in that meeting presented in the form of a dialogue. As the secretary for the student support office at Olandi University, it is your duty to take minutes during meetings. Olandi University is overwhelmed by unfit and overweight lecturers and students who urgently need diet guidance and physical training to keep fit. At this point, the meeting is discussing Agenda Item 3.1: Controlling overweight positively. Write minutes of a meeting for agenda item 3.1 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).

TRANSCRIPT

Mr Kani (Chair):

Colleagues, to be at the centre of everyone's jokes and being called by names like 'Sdutla' (meaning fat person) and "lazy lump", is a burden to many people who face negative criticism daily. Some of these victims of obesity are even ashamed to visit their relatives or friends and are afraid that they might break the furniture they sit on. You are all aware of attempts by both the lecturers and students to keep fit. You will see our colleagues in the morning and afternoons going out for a jog. Before I get all worked up about this health challenge, let's move to item 3.1:

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Mr Kay:

Controlling overweight positively. Mr Kay, you are the Head of the Department of Sport and Recreation at the university, and you conducted some research about how best we can positively control overweight problems. Please share some of your findings with us.

Thanks very much, Chair. Battling with extra weight is certainly everybody's domain, young or old, men or women. Some people are genetically predisposed to obesity, but that is no reason to accept the health risk of being overweight without trying to do something about it. Many men aspire to shed a few kilograms and sporting a six-pack is nowadays definitely the way to go if you really want to attract girls. Beer bellies and jogging shorts just do not crack it. The workplace is no exception. It seems that skinnier people are more inclined to get a promotion compared to their overweight colleagues. Crash diets are not an answer. As soon as you lose some kilos, they pile up again. Some women can become so desperate to lose weight that their whole self-image gets distorted, and they are affected by eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. They want to lose more and more weight and at some point, they simply stop eating.

Please Mr Kay, this is a frightening topic. So do not frighten us more but let us rather discuss solutions.

Chair. As the SRC, we have been in consultation with the students, especially those in the Sports and Recreation Department. We all acknowledge that we need a serious programme to assist us to keep fit. Some students must pay double for taxi fares as they occupy more space than other people. Some obese students become withdrawn from society and suffer from mental pain. We would really appreciate meaningful solutions to this killer disease.

Ms More:

Ms Lado:

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Ms Rose:

Women frequently look at models such as Naomi Campbell and feel ashamed of their own sizes. Even Oprah Winfrey has overweight challenges. You would think that a woman with so much fame, money and respect wouldn't have to care about extra centimetres around her waist, but she is just as desperate as anyone else to shed those unwanted kilos. Mr Kay, what do you suggest should be done to lessen our anxieties?

Colleagues, in our discussion with the university board, we have agreed that we need a fitness centre at the campus. A full-time physician should be appointed to be part of the programme. Lecturers and students would have to make appointment with the physician to share some of their frustrations about being overweight and advice on diet. It is recommended that those participants at the fitness centre bring a certificate from a doctor that it is safe for their health to engage in a fitness programme. However, it would be preferred that in future the doctor checks clients' health on the premises.

It looks like this will be a top of the range facility. How does the university expect students to afford that?

Well, the university intends to engage with some medical aids for any possibilities of medical aids funding affiliates for fitness training. There will also be a specific discounted registration fee for students. A medical certificate from the university clinic will also be acceptable at the fitness centre. However, we intend to conduct a survey with the lecturers and students to obtain their perceptions about the fitness centre and insights about how best it could be run.

This could also be an opportunity for students especially from the Department of Sports and Recreation to get part-time jobs as personal trainers and aerobics facilitators, I guess.

Mr Kay:

Ms Lado:

Mr Kay:

Mr Kani:

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Mr Kay:

All: Mr Kay:

Definitely, Chair. Members of the community will also benefit from the centre as constructors of the centre and later as cleaners, receptionists, and even consultants. Colleagues, I think we have exhausted this issue. Are there any objections to this initiative?

No!

Thank you very much, colleagues. I will provide feedback in our next university board meeting.