[VIS] University of Adelaide Redevelopment (Main Campus)

[floplo]

Once again, I sense this "we need another tower" mentality seeping through here...

Nothing to do with that - when the VC presented the masterplan to staff the new tower was marked as a prerequisite to the rest of the work for logistical reasons. Doesn't really bother me whether it gets built or not (other than the fact it would probably result in the change of my workplace), I would just be interested to find out what the new plan is if that's no longer required. The floating crystal palace is far more interesting than the tower...

Given the incoming VC's reputation as a builder, curious to see whether we will simply takeover the existing plan or try to put his own stamp on it. And yes, I can't really see how they could pull off the new central building (Napier ) without getting more space first. Maybe the mentioned council decision includes the tower without talking about it, as most people only care about the shiny, fancy no idea what to call it building

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[Norman]

Adelaide University’s new $250 million medical school lacks privacy, is too noisy, staff say
Tim Williams, Education Reporter, The Advertiser
32 minutes ago

STAFF at Adelaide University’s new $250 million medical school prefer to work from home because they can’t stand the excessive noise and lack of privacy in the building’s open layout, their union says.

A National Tertiary Education Union survey, that had 200 responses “within hours”, found that of the 90 per cent of respondents who lost private offices in the move to the building, 70 per cent complained of noise and 88 per cent of lacking privacy for phone calls and talking to students.

More than half who took the survey said their productivity had fallen, while 44 per cent said they now chose to spend more time working from home. A union bulletin says it has heard “anecdotally” of staff quitting, while the survey comments indicated “many others” are considering it.

Branch president Nick Warner told The Advertiser: “A lot of staff have said it’s so open that when you talk to someone you do it in a whisper, and everyone’s getting paranoid about ‘are they talking about me?’”

The university says there was wide consultation in designing the building, which has an average of four “quiet rooms” for student consultations and four meeting rooms per floor.

But surveyed staff said their complaints had fallen on deaf ears, claiming managers had labelled them “entitled whingers”.

One worker described the building as “a fishbowl” with “nowhere truly private” for “hard professional discussions … except maybe the wheelchair accessible toilet”.

Another wrote that working more from home meant being less connected to colleagues and “our team has felt more stressed and fragmented”.

“The feelings of trust, friendliness and working in a close knit team has gone … to be concise, an unhappy place”, a third worker wrote, while another said the noise created “a general pissed off vibe”.

A university spokesman said “deep” design consultation, including surveys, lasted more than two years and “an extensive change management process” helped staff transition to the new building.

“The interior design was based in part on the pre-existing SAHMRI model, which had been in place for some years with a number of University of Adelaide research teams successfully working within it,” he said.

“Workspaces in the new building are designed to encourage a much more integrated approach to teaching, learning and research ... Staff who have worked (there) over the past 12 months have reported it to be an extremely pleasant and attractive place to work, with adequate privacy and quiet working options.”

He said feedback suggested the new building was “a vast improvement” on spaces in the old Frome Rd medical school.

Does anyone here work in the building? Are the privacy concerns real or is it another beat-up?

[SRW]

From the comments there, likely more a problem of culture than design.

[Algernon]

From the comments there, likely more a problem of culture than design.

No building solves the "everyone is talking about me" attitude. Work without walls... everyone is talking about me. With walls... everyone is talking about me behind that door. Work from home.... everyone is talking about me when I'm not there.

[[Shuz]]

Similar concerns have been raised by junior staff at the new Flinders University building within the Tonsley MAB Hub. I've been in the offices myself and they follow the same open-layout design. There's barely any privacy whatsoever, except given to the executive and senior management who fought against the architect's "recommendations", and ended up getting their own way with their own offices. The building and internal spaces are all nice, modern, airy and "feels" more interactive - but the reality is, when you need to discuss confidential and private matters, they really do need to be held behind closed doors.

[phenom]

I worked there for a very short time. I think it's a combination of culture (open plan is very new for academics) and reality (the spacing is quite tight compared to some open plan offices i have worked in).

As per usual there is also the issue of insufficient meeting rooms and the very senior staff getting offices still... albeit much smaller than what they had before.

Edit: an example is that there is nowhere for people with out an office to put books or papers which is pretty bad if you've seen a typical academic's office. Not everything is available or useful in electronic format.

Also some people work on confidential data and yet have dozens of people constantly walking past able to look at their screens while they work.

[how good is he]

Yes another recent example is the new open plan fit-out for BUPA [health care] esp.in shopping centres. The offices have no doors. First they start by asking [nice and LOUD] your name and all your contact/confidential information and everybody in the waiting area [some 5m -10m away] can hear all of it. What is even worse is when people have to discuss their private medical issues/claims and everybody can hear it. What is laughable though is when you ring them they grill you with multiple questions to identify you and refer you to their strict privacy policy/privacy act before they will even talk to you!

[Levesque]

Artificial intelligence, big data and tearing down the fences at Adelaide University

The rapid pace of technological change is the driving force behind major curriculum changes planned for the state’s high schools and its oldest university.

The SACE Board has proposed new Year 12 subjects such as cybersecurity, space and advanced technologies where the content would be provided by emerging industries, ensuring they are always up to date.

Subjects in major technological shifts such as artificial intelligence and “big data” could become compulsory for Adelaide University undergraduates, Vice-Chancellor Peter Rathjen says.

Ahead of today’s release of the university’s strategic plan for the next decade, Prof Rathjen, pictured, also told The Advertiser he plans to tear down the fences around the North Tce campus as a sign of the institution’s desire to become a hub of community activity.

The plan proposes the creation of three “colleges of expertise”. The technology one would focus on the transformational impact of artificial intelligence and big data. The society college would explore policy development needed to accompany technological change, and the third would look at sustainability.

Researchers from across the university would have access to college expertise to inform their own work. And all students would at least have access to courses run by the colleges.

Prof Rathjen said all students should be exposed to the major “vectors of change” sweeping society.

He forecast a “dramatic” expansion of overall student numbers, subject to the uncertainties of Federal Government policy, with the proportion international students likely to grow from 30 per cent to 40-45 per cent.

After the Royal Croquet Club’s success at bringing large crowds to the university, the plan signals an intent to host a year-round calendar of arts and other events to welcome the public and keep students on campus more.

But at the same time, rapid growth in online students is also expected.

There will be two new history walks through the city campus – one on the main north-south path devoted to Kaurna heritage, while an east-west route will tell the history of the university. Prof Rathjen said the uni’s large art collection, largely hidden away at present, would be displayed around campus.

He said the uni aimed to broaden its student cohort through more scholarships and different entry methods less reliant on the ATAR.

The strategic plan will inform the uni’s next building masterplan expected later this year.

CHANGE TO VEXED RESEARCH PROJECT
A revamp of the SACE Research Project and new industry-driven Year 12 subjects in cybersecurity, the space business and advanced technologies are among key changes planned for the state’s senior secondary certificate.

The Research Project will no longer be a compulsory Year 12 subject under the SACE Board’s response to last year’s State Government-commissioned, independent review. But students will still have to complete it at some point in their senior schooling – either as a 10-credit (half-year) subject in Years 11 or 12 or as an optional full year (20-credit) version in Year 12.

The Research Project allows students to look at any topic of their choosing in depth. It has been criticised for being compulsory and limiting students’ other subject choices, and for suspicions some parents help too much. But Flinders University research has found it was a better predictor of success at uni than the ATAR.

SACE Board chief executive Martin Westwell said one issue with the current Research Project was that it was so broad some students found it hard to choose a topic. As such, the revamped version would have more defined options including entrepreneurial or community activism projects and those tied directly to vocational studies and career pathways.

“While we have received significant correspondence from schools and teachers who recognise how valuable the Research Project is for our students, we know from the findings of the SACE review that the current subject is not universally valued and needs to change,” Prof Westwell said.

Subject to extra funding, which would be needed for all planned changes to the SACE, a pilot of the new Research Project would be run in 2020 with a view to a full rollout in 2022.

The SACE Board also wants to introduce new “industry framework subjects” at Year 12.

The content would be largely determined by emerging industries, the idea being that in rapidly evolving areas, it would cut the lag time for curriculum to catch up with industry needs. Subjects could include cybersecurity, the space industry, ‘industry 4.0’ - the fourth industrial revolution covering artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and the internet of things - and healthy ageing technology. Prof Westwell said “two or three” could be offered in any given year.

“I don’t know anybody else in the world who’s doing anything quite like this,” he said.

The SACE Board aims to embed, in assessable ways, “capabilities” such as entrepreneurial, critical and creative thinking, personal and social communication, ethical and intercultural understanding, literacy and numeracy, and ITC across all SACE subjects.

Prof Westwell wants to tackle the review’s recommendation of “fewer but deeper” tasks. He said Year 12 students were “definitely over-assessed”.

[Levesque]

Artificial intelligence, big data and tearing down the fences at Adelaide University

The rapid pace of technological change is the driving force behind major curriculum changes planned for the state’s high schools and its oldest university.

The SACE Board has proposed new Year 12 subjects such as cybersecurity, space and advanced technologies where the content would be provided by emerging industries, ensuring they are always up to date.

Subjects in major technological shifts such as artificial intelligence and “big data” could become compulsory for Adelaide University undergraduates, Vice-Chancellor Peter Rathjen says.

Ahead of today’s release of the university’s strategic plan for the next decade, Prof Rathjen, pictured, also told The Advertiser he plans to tear down the fences around the North Tce campus as a sign of the institution’s desire to become a hub of community activity.

The plan proposes the creation of three “colleges of expertise”. The technology one would focus on the transformational impact of artificial intelligence and big data. The society college would explore policy development needed to accompany technological change, and the third would look at sustainability.

Researchers from across the university would have access to college expertise to inform their own work. And all students would at least have access to courses run by the colleges.

Prof Rathjen said all students should be exposed to the major “vectors of change” sweeping society.

He forecast a “dramatic” expansion of overall student numbers, subject to the uncertainties of Federal Government policy, with the proportion international students likely to grow from 30 per cent to 40-45 per cent.

After the Royal Croquet Club’s success at bringing large crowds to the university, the plan signals an intent to host a year-round calendar of arts and other events to welcome the public and keep students on campus more.

But at the same time, rapid growth in online students is also expected.

There will be two new history walks through the city campus – one on the main north-south path devoted to Kaurna heritage, while an east-west route will tell the history of the university. Prof Rathjen said the uni’s large art collection, largely hidden away at present, would be displayed around campus.

He said the uni aimed to broaden its student cohort through more scholarships and different entry methods less reliant on the ATAR.

The strategic plan will inform the uni’s next building masterplan expected later this year.

CHANGE TO VEXED RESEARCH PROJECT
A revamp of the SACE Research Project and new industry-driven Year 12 subjects in cybersecurity, the space business and advanced technologies are among key changes planned for the state’s senior secondary certificate.

The Research Project will no longer be a compulsory Year 12 subject under the SACE Board’s response to last year’s State Government-commissioned, independent review. But students will still have to complete it at some point in their senior schooling – either as a 10-credit (half-year) subject in Years 11 or 12 or as an optional full year (20-credit) version in Year 12.

The Research Project allows students to look at any topic of their choosing in depth. It has been criticised for being compulsory and limiting students’ other subject choices, and for suspicions some parents help too much. But Flinders University research has found it was a better predictor of success at uni than the ATAR.

SACE Board chief executive Martin Westwell said one issue with the current Research Project was that it was so broad some students found it hard to choose a topic. As such, the revamped version would have more defined options including entrepreneurial or community activism projects and those tied directly to vocational studies and career pathways.

“While we have received significant correspondence from schools and teachers who recognise how valuable the Research Project is for our students, we know from the findings of the SACE review that the current subject is not universally valued and needs to change,” Prof Westwell said.

Subject to extra funding, which would be needed for all planned changes to the SACE, a pilot of the new Research Project would be run in 2020 with a view to a full rollout in 2022.

The SACE Board also wants to introduce new “industry framework subjects” at Year 12.

The content would be largely determined by emerging industries, the idea being that in rapidly evolving areas, it would cut the lag time for curriculum to catch up with industry needs. Subjects could include cybersecurity, the space industry, ‘industry 4.0’ - the fourth industrial revolution covering artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and the internet of things - and healthy ageing technology. Prof Westwell said “two or three” could be offered in any given year.

“I don’t know anybody else in the world who’s doing anything quite like this,” he said.

The SACE Board aims to embed, in assessable ways, “capabilities” such as entrepreneurial, critical and creative thinking, personal and social communication, ethical and intercultural understanding, literacy and numeracy, and ITC across all SACE subjects.

Prof Westwell wants to tackle the review’s recommendation of “fewer but deeper” tasks. He said Year 12 students were “definitely over-assessed”.

I thought I would post this article in the advertiser from this morning which was behind a paywall. I have bolded bits I thought might be interesting to some. I also left the rest of the article in case anyone else was interested in reading

[SRW]

Thanks Levesque, I think we're all pretty keen to see Napier/Ligertwood/&Plaza redeveloped especially.

Prof Rathjen, pictured, also told The Advertiser he plans to tear down the fences around the North Tce campus

I hope he's being figurative because the campus is already fairly open and most of the remaining fencing is character or heritage.

[Levesque]

Im not sure what he meant by that either, im really hoping it doesn't mean that either. I dont know if its urban myth or not, but I do campus tours at the university, and was told that when the Napier was built it had a pond out front, which the designers intended to reflect the 'beauty' of the Napier building... Needless to say that every time I do campus tours I am not very forgiving about the building, but so too are most of the students.

[Patrick_27]

Ironically, they've just finished painting a big mural on the side wall of a portion of the Napier building...

With regards to the RCC, there has been a lot of warranted backlash from students, the student union and staff over the venue being set up on campus. Sure, it might bring more people onto the campus, but it's making it virtually impossible for students to access the campus out of hours to study; not to mention incidents of vandalism, public urination and noise issues. I'm all for bringing people onto our uni campuses. Laneway Festival at City West for one day a year was great, until it outgrew the area. The gathering of light for Adelaide Festival previously held on the Uni Adelaide campus was also great, as was the various History festival events held on that campus also. But completely taking over a functioning campus with zero consultation with students and staff is bullshit and goes against the very reason for having the campus...

[rhino]

... completely taking over a functioning campus with zero consultation with students and staff is bullshit and goes against the very reason for having the campus...

This.

[Llessur2002]

I dont know if its urban myth or not, but I do campus tours at the university, and was told that when the Napier was built it had a pond out front, which the designers intended to reflect the 'beauty' of the Napier building... Needless to say that every time I do campus tours I am not very forgiving about the building, but so too are most of the students.

It definitely did. Here are a few photos of it taken from those 70s albums which were recently posted in the pictures thread:

Washer in Pool at Adelaide Uni Prosh Day aug 76 1 by Tom Ashton, on Flickr

Washer in Pool at Adelaide Uni Prosh Day aug 76 2 by Tom Ashton, on Flickr

Wine Whiskey Bottles in Adelaide Uni Pool Prosh Day aug 76 1 by Tom Ashton, on Flickr

Pool at Adelaide University aug 76 1 by Tom Ashton, on Flickr

[Llessur2002]

Significant changes planned for the northern edge of the University of Adelaide North Terrace campus - the heritage fences and gate on Victoria Drive are being removed (the gate being located to the Frome Street entrance just east of the Barr Smith Library) with various landscaping work to be undertaken to open up this edge of the campus.

Works due to start Q4 2019.

https://www.adelaide.edu.au/infrastruct ... tation.pdf