THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE COUNCIL AND THE PRO. FESSORIAL BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 90, 18 April 1893, Page 8

THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE COUNCIL AND THE PRO. FESSORIAL BOARD .

STRAINED RELATIONS.

At the meeting of the Auckland University College Council held yesterday the report of the special committeo appointed to consider the statements and claims of the Professorial Board with regard to the extent of bheir jurisdiction in College matters wasj presented. The reporb which dealfe with the letters received from the Board by the Council was considered by the latber body in commibtee and we are consequently unablo to publish the details of ib. Ie will no doubt becomo public property later on, when the members of the Council have made themselves thoroughly conversant with its contents and have decided whab line of action they will adopt. The consideration of the matter was re-, served for a meeting to be held on May Ist The dispute between bhe Council and tbe | Professorial Board, which threabeus to lead j to somewhat unpleasant relations between \ bhese bodies, had its origin some time ago. Ib arose lasb term through the professor of mathematics curtailing by four the number of hours he waa supposed ' by the syllabus to devote to his lectures in the University. This curtailment was affected withoubthe Council being consulted and when the attention of chat body was called to bhe change they immediately took steps in the mabter, and in this year's syllabus the time to be devoted to mathematical tuition was set down as it had been in the original timetable. The Professorial Board at once took objection to this action on the parb of bhe Council, contending thab under Bection 22, of the University College Act, they, the professors, had the sole rights of initiation in all matters concerning the' internal regulations of the collego and that the only power the Council had was one of dissent from the conclusions of the Board. In short, the Board deny the Council's righb bo interfere in educational matters, and regard the body as merely there to administer the finances of tho Collego. The Council, on their side, point oub bhab if the professors have the power to reduce the teaching hours at their own free will,'they may devote only one hour a week to their classes in the Univetsity College without anyone being able to object to their conduct. They might do this, and if the Council objected to such unusually short hours of duty there would benoaibernabive, if both parties remain firm, to dropping the syllabus altogether.