The University of Waikato began in 1956 after Hamilton locals launched a petition for a university to serve the needs of the South Auckland region. The group was led by Douglas Seymour, a barrister, and subsequently Anthony "Rufus" Rogers, a Hamilton GP and brother to long-time Mayor of Hamilton, Denis Rogers. Their campaign coincided with a shortage of teachers in the 1950s that prompted the New Zealand government to consider plans for a teachers’ college in the region. In 1960, the newly established Hamilton Teachers’ College opened its doors, and combined with the fledgling university (then a branch of Auckland University), began a joint campus on farmland at Hillcrest, on the city's outskirts.