At the beginning of the year a U Tas veteran told CMM that the first six months would be a shocker for management. How right they were
shocker the first: the university’s new teaching model, which mainly replaces the lecture with small-group classes went over ok-ish when announced last year (CMM November 12 and 19 ’21). But members of the Hobart legal community were not impressed by this, or by the university intending to outsource the grad dip of legal practice. Nor are those students, who are upset about loss of lecturers and lectures under the new model. There were complaints last week that management is not responding to concerns, with suggestions, that management is relying on, “ student expectations lowering to the current standard of education than that standard rising to meet expectations.”
Shocker number two: There are claims that departing staff without access to the hot IP report are being asked to sign non-disclosure agreements. Independent MLC Meg Webb has asked the education minister if the university is asking people leaving to sign, “deeds of settlement containing confidentiality and/or non-disparagement clauses” and if so how many. “”If this practice has become standard, it would be unfortunate if it were to create a sense of suppressed freedom of public discussion in relation to the university,” Ms Webb says.
The third is the worst: It’s continuing opposition to management’s plan to move most university operations from Sandy Bay to the CBD. Despite years of consultation, opponents of the move are still making the social media running – reflected in continuing coverage in the Mercury newspaper and local ABC. Federal MP Andrew Wilkie’s public position demonstrates the state of the debate. “I support the UTAS relocation so long as all reasonable community concerns are addressed. So far they have not been, as evidenced by the widespread community concern with the project, especially regarding the future use of the Sandy Bay site.”
The U Tas development is the biggest game in town and as such all but automatically attracts attention to everything involved. The ABC has just won a three-year argument with the university over releasing refurb costs of city hotels for now not needed student accommodation – the state ombudsman ordered the information be made public. That COVID ended student demand for beds was hardly the university’s fault, back in 2018 housing was tight and the university needed to act on accommodation (CMM May 23 2018). But now critics can claim it is another example of the university getting things wrong.
One way or another, the city move seems likely to occur, if not as expansively as now intended – the university is in too deep financially to sell-up in the city and stay at Sandy Bay. But the criticism will continue.