As part of its cost-cutting exercise, the University of Trinidad and Tobago is now looking at shutting down some of its 13 existing campuses. Photo Internet Source

The plan is part of the university’s massive restructuring exercise which started on May 11 with the retrenchment of over 50 academic staff. In line with this, the university will be giving up all campuses deemed surplus to its operations

“The plan was to keep six teaching locations. There is a report but they keep changing it,” a UTT source who did not want to be identified told the T&T Guardian.

It is expected that UTT will give up the Chaguanas (Agora) campus once the main university campus in Tamana is opened.

“They have already met with staff there and indicated this,” the UTT source added.

Agora, which is the only building owned by UTT, will either be rented or leased. It is also suspected that one of the Teachers’ Colleges—Valsayn or Corinth will be closed.

“But this is the fallout if they close Valsayn, the people may gravitate to another institution close by and if they closed down Corinth, people in the south may look to go to the University of the West Indies Campus in Debe,” the source said.

“UTT O’meara may be either sub-rented or given up altogether and Corinth most likely to be given back to the Ministry of Education. Discussions are still underway.”

When contacted for comment on this move, a UTT official who wished not to be identified, declined to speak on the future status of the campuses, but said there are three independent teams “working on the same campus project…Quality Assurance, Capital Projects and the Consultants.”

In January this year, UTT’s Campus at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) in San Fernando was closed down.

Chairman of the Board of Governors, Professor Ken Julien, had previously issued a release confirming that the main university campus at Tamana will be fully utilised to consolidate several programmes now being offered at its 13 campuses and any newly-approved programmes.