Our comprehensive survey of 182 University of Tasmania staff has revealed overwhelming support for maintaining the Sandy Bay campus as a key university location, with significant concerns about workspace quality in CBD locations.
Key findings include:
- 74% of Sandy Bay staff report their workspace meets their needs, compared to only 38% in the CBD
- 72% of staff disagree with moving the university entirely to the CBD
- 51% believe the Southern Transformation Distributed Campus concept is "fatally flawed"
- 33% of staff currently working in the CBD would prefer to work at Sandy Bay
The survey received detailed feedback about open plan CBD workspaces, with staff reporting:
- Difficulty concentrating in shared spaces
- Challenges with confidentiality and privacy
- Problems conducting online meetings
- Reduced productivity due to noise and distractions
Concerningly, staff also highlighted the negative impact on student experience, with one respondent noting: "Students are sad; staff are sad - it's a sad, lonely space. My heart bleeds for the students that plead with me every semester saying this is not what they wanted from a university experience."
Dr Ruth Barton, NTEU Tasmania Division Secretary, emphasised the importance of these findings: "This data provides clear evidence that university management's approach to workspace design and campus planning is at odds with the needs of both staff and students."
The NTEU will be releasing detailed findings from this survey over coming weeks and calls on UTAS management to pause further campus transformation plans until proper consultation with staff can be undertaken.
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