Sydney University's controversial decision to shut down its art school at Callan Park will not happen for at least two years, with students set to continue studying at the historic Kirkbride campus until 2018.
Sydney University revealed plans to close its Sydney College of the Arts in 2015, and later tried and failed to merge the art school with the University of NSW.
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Students fight for SCA
Sydney College of the Arts students, staff and friends protest in July about University of Sydney plans to relocate and downsize the SCA.
The university's latest proposal is to move the art school to the Old Teacher's College, located on its Camperdown campus, and utilise nearby buildings if required. The relocation would not be complete until early 2019.
No art students will be taught at Sydney University's main campus this year. And no students were accepted to commence the bachelor of visual arts course in 2017.
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A university spokeswoman said staff were still being consulted about the proposed changes to the art school, which has been located at Callan Park for the last two decades.
"As such SCA and its facilities are still operating at the Rozelle Campus in 2017," she said. "As staff and students are aware, all SCA students who commenced their enrolment prior to 2017 will undertake the majority, or all, of their studies at the Rozelle Campus until the end of 2018."
More than 350 students are enrolled in Sydney University's visual arts programs, including 206 undergraduates.
"One of the guiding principles will be to ensure that the design of SCA's new facilities supports the studio-based pedagogical needs of visual art teaching," the spokeswoman said. "As a result of the staff and student consultation process to date and the current proposal, facilities for glassmaking, ceramics and jewellery will be retained."
National Tertiary Education Union branch president Kurt Iveson said the proposed new site of the art school was inadequate and a fraction of the size of the existing Kirkbride campus at Callan Park.
The union also opposes what Iveson described as the university's plan to "spill and fill" new teaching positions.
"Based on the last 12 months of shenanigans about the SCA's future, we don't really have much faith in senior management at Sydney University to make that call," Iveson said.
The NTEU has expressed concerns that not taking in new students in 2017 could affect the financial viability of the art school and its reputation.
The university is also entangled in legal cases brought by art students that may take years to resolve.
Tim Heiderich is the first student to launch proceedings against the university in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal seeking a refund and compensation for breaches of contract and consumer laws.
Thandiwe Bethune, who will embark on the second year of a Bachelor of Visual Arts in 2017, said uncertainty about the future of the art school had affected her studies.
"It's super-stressful," she said. "I don't remember the last time I just sat down and made art."
She added: "The teachers are obviously terrified about losing their jobs. I think it's also hard for them to focus on class work."
Fellow art student Suzy Faiz expressed doubts about the proposed new site of the art school.
"There are currently no facilities there and very little room, so permanent studio spaces which are offered at Callan Park and are extremely important to making of work are unlikely to exist," she said.
"I imagine it will be a classroom-like situation where students are expected to make work at home. The student enrolments will surely have to be vastly reduced, as well as the teaching positions."