Swamped University of Tasmania tells applicants to look online for accommodation

The University of Tasmania has encouraged people living in its Hobart student accommodation to look online for housing after it received more applications than it could provide.

The University of Tasmania doesn’t have enough accommodation for all the Hobart students who applied.

THE University of Tasmania has encouraged people living in its Hobart student accommodation to browse Facebook, Gumtree and real estate websites for housing after it received more applications than it could provide for next year.

Student living director Paul Bloomfield on Monday wrote to students already living in the university’s 1100 Hobart rooms to advise that first-year students and people travelling from other parts of Tasmania would receive priority for accommodation next year.

“The university has been monitoring the community challenge the housing market presents and has been working to deliver a range of measures in response,” Mr Bloomfield said. “However, the housing market continues to be tight and we would encourage you to start exploring a range of options for next year.”

The letter went on to recommend people examine Hobart’s “diverse and vibrant private student accommodation market” and offered links to two real estate websites, Gumtree, the UTAS Housing Forum on Facebook and the Tasmanian Chinese Network website.

The Tasmania University Union immediately released an online petition calling on UTAS to “end the uncertainty of … student living arrangements”.

The petition received more than 1200 signatures within two hours.

TUU president Sharifah Syed Rohan said many students could be forced to discontinue their studies if they were unable to find housing and, while acknowledging no one had been guaranteed placement in 2019, said people already renting through UTAS had not been given enough time to make alternative arrangements.

“Students have been left in limbo, and this is unacceptable,” Ms Rohan said.

TasCOSS CEO Kym Goodes. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Greens Senator Nick McKim. Picture: KYM SMITH

UTAS student experience director Steph Taylor said the institution prioritised accommodation for people moving from regional areas and commencing students. First-year students from outside “our community and city” would be given priority, Ms Taylor said.

Tasmanian Council of Social Service chief executive Kym Goodes said low-income students should be top of the list.

“This is an equity issue and an inclusive growth issue — student accommodation needs to be prioritised for low income students, particularly those travelling from rural and regional parts of our state,” Ms Goodes said.

“We know how hard it is for a low income student to enrol at university and it’s even harder for them to stay because of the financial strain including the expense of accommodation.”

UTAS has the nation’s worst dropout rates with about one-third of enrolments failing to finish their degree.

Tasmanian Greens Senator Nick McKim wrote to Tasmania’s Housing Minister Roger Jaensch calling for action.

“Can you please urgently seek advice to consider how Housing Tasmania may be able to assist to ensure that students are able to study in secure and safe accommodation,” Senator McKim said in the letter.