University of Tasmania

Infobox University
name=University of Tasmania
motto="Ingeniis Patuit Campus" ("The Field is Open to Talent")
established=1890
type=Public
chancellor= Damian Bugg
vice_chancellor= Prof Daryl Le Grew
city=Hobart, Launceston, Burnie
state=Tas
country=Australia
undergrad=12,974
postgrad=2,076
postgrad_label=post-graduate
faculty=1,800 (includes general staff)
campus=Urban
free_label=
free=
affiliations=ASAIHL
website= [http://www.utas.edu.au www.utas.edu.au]

The University of Tasmania (also abbreviated as UTAS, UTas or Tas Uni) is an Australian university, with three campuses in Tasmania. A 'sandstone university', it is the fourth-oldest university in Australia. It was founded on 1 January 1890, and is a member of the international Association of Commonwealth Universities. The university works with overseas universities to offer students an international experience, with exchange arrangements in place with over 40 institutions throughout Europe, Asia and North America.

Its two main campuses are the Sandy Bay Campus, about 5 minutes from the centre of the city of Hobart, and the Newnham Campus, about 10 minutes from the city of Launceston. The third is the Cradle Coast Campus (formerly called the North-West Study Centre), located in the city of Burnie, offers a small number of full degrees, and also offers first year studies in a number of subjects to attract students from that area of the state, and to facilitate rural/regional studies in particular areas.

The university, Australian Maritime College and TAFE Tasmania are the only institutions of higher education in Tasmania and, in 2008, the AMC and UTAS integrated into a single organisation.

History

The University of Tasmania was officially opened on 1 January 1890. Richard Deodatus Poulett Harris had long advocated the establishment of the University and became its first warden of the senate. The first degrees to graduates admitted ad eundem gradum and diplomas were awarded in June 1890. Referred to as one of the original sandstone universities, it was the fourth university to be established in Australia, and today maintains a strong reputation as a small to medium-sized university. The first campus location was in the Queen's Domain near Hobart, but as enrollment numbers grew and study interests expanded, the new campus at Sandy Bay was developed in the early 1940s.

In the 1950's, the Orr case involving his alleged sexual relations with a student made headlines around Australia. Prof Orr denied these claims until his death.

The university was reorganised in 1991 when it merged with the Tasmanian State Institute of Technology, which became the Newnham Campus. The centre at Burnie was opened in 1995.

There is a sizeable international student population, and Professor Daryl Le Grew, the current vice-chancellor announced in 2004 that the university would not increase HECS (Higher Education Contribution Scheme) fees for the 2005 and subsequent academic years. Fact|date=May 2008. However, the university has recently announced HECS fees will rise by as much as 25% for the 2009 Academic year for most subjects excluding education, nursing and mathematics. Fact|date=July 2008

Faculty Organisation

Faculty of Arts

*Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music
*Riawunna (a centre for Aboriginal studies)
*School of Asian Languages & Studies
*School of English, Journalism & European Languages
*School of Government
*School of History & Classics
*School of Philosophy
*School of Sociology & Social Work
*School of Visual & Performing Arts
*Tasmanian School of Art

Faculty of Business

* [http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/business/accg/ School of Accounting and Corporate Governance]
* [http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/business/ecofin/ School of Economics and Finance]
*School of Management

Faculty of Education

*School of Education

The school of Education is located at the Newnham campus with an additional location in Burnie. In 2008, the full degree will be offered in Burnie for the first time.

Faculty of Health Science

*School of Human Life Sciences
*School of Medicine
*School of Nursing & Midwifery
*Tasmanian School of Pharmacy
*Rural Clinical School
*Department of Rural Health

Faculty of Law

*Centre for Legal Studies
* Law School
* Tasmanian Law Reform Institute

[http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/scieng/scieng/ Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology]

* School of Agricultural Science
* School of Aquaculture
* School of Architecture
* School of Chemistry
* [http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/scieng/cis/ School of Computing & Information Systems]
* School of Earth Sciences
* School of Engineering
* School of Geography and Environmental Studies
* School of Mathematics and Physics
* [http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/scieng/iasos/ - Institute of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Studies (IASOS)]
* School of Plant Science
* School of Psychology
* School of Zoology
* Marine Research Laboratories

As well as the faculties listed above, the University has six theme areas through which multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaborations in research and research training, learning and teaching, and community engagement are fostered. The theme areas are: Antarctic and Marine Science; Community, Place and Change; Environment; Frontier Technologies; Population and Health; and Sustainable Primary Production.

Teaching and Research

While the University of Tasmania retains a strong liberal arts focus Fact|date=May 2008, it is a comprehensive university covering most subjects in the arts and sciences.

The Faculty of Law has a number of senior academic staff in that faculty are leading researchers in the areas of medical and bio-technological law and ethics, Freedom of Information, legal ethics and equity. The Faculty, with the Tasmanian state government, also operates the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute. [ [http://www.law.utas.edu.au/ Untitled Document ] ]

The university has a particularly notable and long-standing reputation in examining the practical and theoretical challenges involved in addressing social and environmental concerns. Fact|date=May 2008

Antarctic Research

The University currently holds the secretariat role of the International Antarctic Institute established in 2006 in partnership with 19 institutions in 12 countries. [ [http://www.iai.utas.edu.au/about/?en IAI information: Background, staff, partners ] ]

University Library

The [http://www.utas.edu.au/library/ University Library] supports the teaching and research of the University of Tasmania. It provides access to and assistance with information resources, and leadership in information literacy. The Library operates across campuses through seven libraries and an Information Resources Area at the Cradle Coast Campus, and delivers a wide range of online resources and services both on-campus and off-campus.

tudent life

Until 2008, there were two separate student unions the Tasmania University Union (TUU) in Hobart and the Student Association (SA) in Launceston. Due to the abolition of compulsory student unionism in 2007, the SA and the TUU amalgamated into one Statewide Organisation representing all UTAS students. [http://www.electoral.tas.gov.au/pages/OtherElections/TUU/PDF/TUU%20notice%20of%20election.pdf] Fact|date=March 2008.

The President of the TUU is elected to represent all UTAS students on all campuses, and both Hobart and Launceston have their own Vice-President and Student Representative Councils. Both the TUU State President and TUU State Postgraduate sit on University Council, which is the governing body of the University of Tasmania. In 2008, a Students Complaints website (www.utas.ws) was created and received support from the TUU.

The TUU is responsible for the overseeing of all the university’s many sports clubs and socieites. Some of these include faculty-based societies, such as the Law Students, Medical Students, Engineering students societies; societies related to various interests, such as TUMS (Tasmanian University Musical Society [ [http://www.tuu.com.au/club_homepage.asp?clubid=4309 TUU | Musical Society Homepage ] ] ), PLoT (Produces Lots of Theatre), The Anime Society; and various sporting clubs, including white water rafting, soccer, hockey, Touch Football [http://www.utastouch.com] , Australian Rules football, Rugby Union.Fact|date=May 2008

tudent residences

Sandy Bay Campus
*Christ College, Tasmania
*St John Fisher College
*University Apartments
*Jane Franklin Hall
*Mt Nelson Villas

Newnham Campus
*Kerslake Hall
*Leprena
* Clarence House
*Investigator Hall

Notable alumni

* Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark [" [http://www.kongehuset.dk/publish.php?dogtag=k_en_fam_mary HRH the Crown Princess] ." "Government of Denmark". Accessed September 28, 2008.]

References

External links

* [http://www.utas.edu.au University of Tasmania website]