There is no need for alarm at UCOL's review of its arts and design courses, chief executive Paul McElroy says.
He was in Wanganui yesterday to talk to fine arts students, and said UCOL wanted to strengthen and grow arts and design in the city, not weaken it.
However, the UCOL review has prompted the revival of the former Friends of the Whanganui Polytechnic group.
The group would like to see the Wanganui Regional Advisory Committee reinstated. It suggested bringing ceramic courses back to the polytechnic and moving a furniture course from Palmerston North to Wanganui.
Group spokeswoman Deb Frederikse is urging people to support the arts and design courses.
Mr McElroy said there was no need to fear the review.
Arts and design courses in Wanganui were performing really well, "but we have got to have the courage to take a fresh look".
On Saturday, UCOL held the first of two symposia, in Marton because that was halfway between Wanganui and Palmerston North. The meetings are to start a discussion about future possibilities.
There was also consultation in Wanganui, including a meeting with Wanganui District Council representatives last week.
But UCOL would not be moving the arts courses at its Palmerston North campus to Wanganui, Mr McElroy said. The arts courses are a diploma in furniture design and making, a bachelor in applied visual imaging and a diploma in interior design.
"Both communities want access to arts programmes and we will deliver for both of them. There's no need to bring them together. It would be a foolish thing to do," Mr McElroy said.
As for bringing ceramics back to Wanganui, he said ceramics was gone before the merger with UCOL, and he would want to know the reason for its demise.
UCOL was still "very much in accord" with the charter it signed with Wanganui at the time of the merger, he said. It promised to enhance the special nature of the arts school and build it up.
UCOL had to move fine arts students out of the unreinforced masonry buildings in Taupo Quay because they were unsafe. The students would eventually have to move back to the quay.
There was a 30 per cent chance the buildings could be strengthened if new methods were available, but a 70 per cent chance they would have to be demolished and rebuilt.
UCOL had $13 million in reserves to spend on them.
Mr McElroy confirmed The Summer School of the Arts was not taking place this year.
UCOL STUDENT NUMBERS
6000 students in total - 3500 full-time equivalents
At Palmerston North campus: 2300 full-time equivalents
At Whanganui campus: 900 full-time equivalents
At Wairarapa campus: 300 full-time equivalents