Uni’s city rivals find voice
Public meeting puts spotlight on UTAS campus shift
group trying to stop the University of Tasmania’s campus relocation hopes the organisation’s leaders will be receptive to concerns raised at a public meeting on Wednesday night.
Save UTAS Campus group chair Pam Sharpe told the Mercury she hoped the university would change the plan to move the Sandy Bay campus to the Hobart CBD and instead, hold more consultation.
In February the group collected more than 1700 signatures on a petition calling for an independent inquiry into the move and for a public meeting to be held.
“We have a Save UTAS Campus motion that really is around stopping work and ceasing the project of moving the university until the investigations are being done,” Prof Sharpe said.
She admitted it might be tough to get the university to reconsider.
“We live in hope, but it still seems like a David and Goliath battle to me,” Prof Sharpe said.
“I doubt there’s going to be a total turn around, but you never know.”
Prof Sharpe didn’t believe the university had previously kept an open mind to the group’s concerns.
She said she had initially hoped to have regular meetings with officials.
“I did have one meeting,” Prof Sharpe said. “We did have a discussion, but there wasn’t any follow up in areas that they said they would follow up in.
“We would have welcomed meeting with Rufus (Black), a public meeting at the university.”
UTAS vice chancellor Rufus Black said it was encouraging to see community members interested in the move.
“It is a very positive thing that people care passionately about the future of the university and the city we share and we look forward to hearing di-THE rectly from members of the community,” Prof Black said.
He said he was keeping an open mind and was eager to hear feedback.
“Our focus at the public meeting is listening, taking on board the feedback, views, ideas and opinions of the community to inform the future we create together.” Prof Black said.
The meeting is 7pm Wednesday at Hobart City Hall.