Save UTAS
From protests in the past that saved much of the Tasmanian old native forests, issues closer to home are tending to take up our attention these days. In this case Hobartians have a legitimate concern to save the historic Sandy Bay campus of the University of Tasmania.
The very definition of a "uni-versity" is that students and faculty from a wide range of professional backgrounds can intermingle, share ideas and learn from each other on the ONE campus. But the postmodern de-unified varsity is a very different beast. Most courses are now taught online. Students are actively discouraged from attending on campus (the pandemic was a good excuse to make this happen). The plan from the UTAS hierarchy is to move all the various faculties into the Hobart CBD in buildings spread all over the city and to sell off the rich Sandy Bay site for housing developments (as Gomer Pyle would have said, "Surprise, surprise!"). A similar plan is taking place at the Launceston campus as well.
Like most things these days we are not so much seeing the birth of great ideas as much as the death of old ones that have forged the very foundations of our civilization.
Save UTAS
From protests in the past that saved much of the Tasmanian old native forests, issues closer to home are tending to take up our attention these days. In this case Hobartians have a legitimate concern to save the historic Sandy Bay campus of the University of Tasmania.
The very definition of a "uni-versity" is that students and faculty from a wide range of professional backgrounds can intermingle, share ideas and learn from each other on the ONE campus. But the postmodern de-unified varsity is a very different beast. Most courses are now taught online. Students are actively discouraged from attending on campus (the pandemic was a good excuse to make this happen). The plan from the UTAS hierarchy is to move all the various faculties into the Hobart CBD in buildings spread all over the city and to sell off the rich Sandy Bay site for housing developments (as Gomer Pyle would have said, "Surprise, surprise!"). A similar plan is taking place at the Launceston campus as well.
Like most things these days we are not so much seeing the birth of great ideas as much as the death of old ones that have forged the very foundations of our civilization.