Uni quiet on shift to city

Course cuts cast cloud over proposed relocation to CBD

THE University of Tasmania yesterday failed to answer questions about how the CBD move impacted on its decision to overhaul its course structure.

Concerns about the move have been raised by politicians, a former employee and the business community.

UTAS Vice Chancellor Rufus Black said that the university was not the right size to be sustainable, even in the short-term.

DOUBTS have been cast over how the University of Tasmania plans to sustain its CBD shift following the announcement UTAS will cut more than three-quarters of its course offerings.

Former UTAS dean of Economics and Commerce John Livermore said the university’s CBD move would further divide an institution which this week announced that 76 per cent of its 514 courses and an unspecified number of staff would be cut.

The course cuts follow admissions by university Vice Chancellor Rufus Black that UTAS — Tasmania’s biggest employer — had developed an over-reliance on China leaving it susceptible to external situations such as a pandemic.

In announcing the course restructure to staff, Prof Black said “we are not making enough progress to be the right size to be sustainable even in the short-term”.

This is despite UTAS’s end of calendar year 2018 annual report showing that it was more than $59 million in profit.

Prof Black also said “our school-aged population is shrinking and … that is leading to consistent decline in applications from Tasmanian school-leavers”.

He yesterday told the Mercury “the enormous complexity” in UTAS’s course structure was a barrier to students accessing education and a “blocker” to efforts to attract mainland students. He did not address a question about the university’s CBD move.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said UTAS’s city shift was a “really interesting opportunity” saying it would bring “more life and public institutions to the city centre”.

But Mr Livermore said a move to the city shouldn’t be a solution to the institution’s troubles.

“If you’ve got financial problems, the last thing you should do is go around buying expensive real estate,” Mr Livermore said. “It doesn’t seem to be very sensible with the university’s declining students.

“The locals don’t seem to be buying into the university. Yet in both Hobart and Launceston UTAS has decided to move into more central locations.”

Tasmanian Small Business Council chief executive Robert Mallett said the CBD trade would take a hit from the university’s move.

“Hobart CBD is not a school, it’s a place for business,” he said. “To take over prime CBD properties and turn them into student dormitories is nonsensical.”

Clarence councillor Richard James said he felt last year’s university CBD shift announcement “was a mistake”.

“Myself and a lot of UTAS alumni are saying, well look, the move to the CBD is probably not a reality now,” he said.

“Therefore the buildings in Sandy Bay should be maintained and upgraded.”

UTAS last year signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese company Chambroad to “investigate a collaboration” around a multimillion-dollar hospitality training school for Kangaroo Bay.

Cr James cast doubts over the proposed development’s future following the coronavirus outbreak and the university’s latest course cuts.

“I think the whole process is in jeopardy,” he said.

“I think the Chinese government and also Chambroad would feel that in these circumstances it wouldn’t be appropriate to proceed.”