Course concern
AS A biomedical science student and staff member at UTAS Newnham, I am yet to observe consultation of the university body on the Inveresk move.
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Indeed, if any attempt had been made to gauge my peers’ opinion, a cautious response would be found. The Inveresk campus is awkwardly placed to cope with the significant increase in traffic and parking requirements. The proposed answer; offer classes online and encourage a cycling culture. This will reduce the quality of practical-based degrees, and limits access for isolated students. And the prospect of cycling to a 9 am lecture during Tassie’s colder months. Recall the 2016 floods.
Inveresk campus shutdown, while Newnham not only continued classes, it functioned as an evacuation centre. The campus is Mowbray and Newnham’s hub, with students living, working and shopping in these suburbs.
Consider using the funds for the proposed move to instead develop the current rundown site? Dreams of ‘reinvigorating the city centre’ are ludicrous. Students have no interest in wasting what little time and money they have on some fabricated-Melbourne lifestyle. That is not the UTAS culture. The quality of education will be affected, with classes already quietly being moved to Hobart or online. Which full degree will be the first to go? I have always found UTAS to provide high-quality teaching, however, I am beginning to recommend prospective Northern students continue travelling North.
Laura King-Grey, Campbell Town.
UTAS move
WILL it ever happen? The controversial move of the University from Newnham to the flood-prone Inveresk in the Zone of Transition (not CBD) seemed almost imminent a couple of years ago but nothing seems to have happened while great progress is taking place in Hobart.
The driving force behind the move to Inveresk was the then Vice Chancellor Peter Rathjen, who has since moved to Adelaide. While Launceston waits for progress costs are rapidly increasing and could see a massive blow out, beyond the original amount allocated. In the meantime, our ancient sewerage system rots. There is still considerable feeling in the community that the University should remain on its very spacious site at Newnham, and not move to cramped Inveresk. One very good reason not to move is that according to a very serious article (The Examiner, May 23) is that within 83 years the whole area will be underwater due to sea level rise.
Malcolm Scott, Newstead.
