A survey, conducted by the Tasmania University Union, studied student perceptions about the university’s move from Newnham.

Of the 218 responses, 62 per cent indicated some form of disagreement to the move, with 31 per cent strongly against.

The survey found business students were more supportive of the move while education, health, and science students expressed the largest opposition.

Some felt uninformed and uncertain about the move, yet, those who understood it were strongly in favour.

Students believed the purpose-built buildings would attract new staff and students, but did not connect this to personal benefit or justification for the move.

Union postgraduate president Joey Crawford said the student body would take the results to the university.

“I’m hoping the transformation team is open to using some of our ideas and techniques,” he said. 

“The broader student cohort hasn’t been widely engaged with, aside from bulk emails.”

Community, Partnerships and Regional Development pro vice-chancellor David Adams said the university had consulted widely.

“The results from the survey show that as students become fully informed about the project, they strongly support the vision of a university city,” he said.

“We have engaged with the Tasmanian University Union as the student representative body, as well as with prospective future students who will be studying in the new precinct.”

Mr Crawford said students wanted community meetings, town hall events, video updates on social media, and quick visual updates on campus about the project.

“The underlying sentiment is that students just want to be heard, and heard more often,” he said.

It also found students wanted better parking options and were interested in an outdoor cinema, entertainment, food trucks and indigenous recognition.