Save UTAS calls on uni chief Black to resign from $1.1m a year job over city move backdown
Vocal opponents of the university’s move into Hobart’s CBD have urged the UTAS chief Rufus Black to resign from his $1.1m-a-year job after the university had a change of heart.
Tasmania
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Save UTAS activists have called on University of Tasmania Vice Chancellor Rufus Black to resign from his $1.1m-a-year job as the university walked back its controversial city move plan.
The University has announced it wanted to sell off land above Churchill Ave for housing to help the federal government pay for a $500m science, technology, engineering, and mathematics centre at it’s Sandy Bay Campus.
The planned move to the Hobart CBD has morphed into a plan to maintain four local campuses: at Sandy Bay, on the Hobart waterfront, on the Domain and another split between Salamanca Place and Taroona.
Save UTAS co-convener Angela Bird said the news was a welcome but incomplete victory for those opposing the move.
“It’s not a backdown on relocating, because they are still relocating two very important faculties of business and humanities, and in doing so they’re isolating those students and staff from the main campus,” she said.
“In the process of uncertainty they’ve certainly damaged their reputation and they’ve also in the process of this move undermined their staff’s wishes.
“When Rufus Black was employed one of his KPIs, we understand, was to support the move.
“Now that he has backed down on that and hasn’t achieved it, and he is responsible for a huge waste of time and money — we believe he should resign.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars have been wasted over the years on plans, consultancies, staff employed specifically for this purpose.
“Millions of dollars have been wasted and for what end?”
Commitment to new generation of STEM facilities: UTAS
Professor Black did not front the media on Wednesday, but Pro Vice Chancellor for Southern Tasmania Nicholas Farrelly said it was “an exciting day for the university”.
“We’re announcing that we’re committing to a new generation of STEM facilities here at Sandy Bay,” he said.
“This will require us to receive support from all levels of government, local, state and federal, ensuring that the next generation of Tasmanian scientists and innovators have a chance to do world class work in fit for purpose facilities.
“The university has listened to the community. The university will continue to engage widely. “Our internal and external constellation of stakeholders requires us to have a very large number of touch points.
“We’re communicating regularly with all of these stakeholders, seeking to ensure that together, we can get the outcome that the next generation of Tasmanian students, staff, scientists, innovators, policy makers, journalists and others absolutely.”
The University will sell the former K&D hardware site it bought for $30m in 2019. It recently also sold the Fountainside and Midcity Hotels, which has been purchased for student accommodation.
The university is looking into which parts of its 105 hectare Sandy Bay site can now be sold off for residential and mixed-use development, although returning some of it to the Aboriginal community is also being considered
“That is a pattern that has been articulated over years now, which would allow for us to draw some value from the University’s land assets, while also contributing to a range of the opportunities called out by other community stakeholders,” Professor Farrelly said.
Legislation to block Sandy Bay campus sales still on: Government
Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Madeleine Ogilvie said the government would still push ahead with its plans for legislation to block land sales at the University’s Sandy Bay campus without parliamentary approval.
“With this future direction announcement, Tasmanians can be assured our government will support UTAS in their endeavours to make a STEM-led future at UTAS Sandy Bay a reality,” she said.
“I have been working closely with stakeholders to support the university’s important vision for STEM renewal at Sandy Bay. I am certain there will be broad support for this announcement.
“We understand that our important science and ICT sectors offer great potential for economic growth, together with global work opportunities, and that ICT leadership is essential to bridge the digital divide for all Tasmanians. I believe this is what the STEM future at UTAS Sandy Bay will help to achieve.
“We intend to strongly advocate to the Commonwealth to invest in Tasmanian’s STEM-led future.”
Labor’s Dean Winter backed the university and said the government's legislation was unnecessary.
“We’ve got a government which is taking an unprecedented step to freeze the assets of the University of Tasmania and stand in the way of more than 2000 homes and a brand new STEM facility for young Tasmanians.
“The biggest economic challenge in Tasmania at the moment is we have a plane load of young Tasmanians leaving the state every four days, and they’re leaving for universities on the mainland and for better opportunities. We need to stop that.
TCCI CEO Michael Bailey said that it was vital southern Tasmania had the best possible university facilities.
“By selling off some assets, looking to make better use of the existing land above Churchill Ave and seeking Government support, there is a clear pathway to deliver for southern Tasmanians.
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