UNIVERSITY PROGRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 42, 19 February 1927, Page 11

UNIVERSITY PROGRESS.

CREATION OF NEW OFFICE. DUTIES or A PH.IN CIP AX>. APPLICATIONS TO BE CALLED. One .of the steps of progress proposed by tlie council of the University of Xew Zealand, under the new Act, is the crea--1 tion of a new office to be filled by a principal, whose appointment was first I considered at to-day's session. The council adopted a definition of the duties to be attached to the position, after receiving a committee s report, which proposed i that the principal should, as required by ! t ' le -^ ct - preside over the AcademicBoard, and, in the absence of tin- Chancellor, should preside as vice-chancellor at meetings of the council. The committee recommended that the principal should (1) have charge of the Cniversity office and officials; (2) have the duty of giving decisions on academic matters not involving questions of principal hitherto undecided by the council, subject to the ultimate review by the chancellor or council as the University Acts prescribe: and (3) generally offer advice to the council on matters relating to University education. Presenting tlie report. Mr. T. K. Sidey. convener of the committee, explained I | that the definition of duties was not necessarily exhaustive. The full scope of the work that would have to be done by the principal could not be determined until the office was filled and it was decided whether the principal should have any administrative control over the colleges. The constitution of the university colleges would, possibly, be the subject of legislation at the approaching session of Parliament. If a good selection were made the principal appointed to the new position could be of great service to the university. Question of Salary. Mr. H. D. Ac-land moved that no reference should be made to the amount of the salary. Objections were raised to Mr. Ac-land's motion on the ground that the appointment should be made with the least possible delay. The motion was lost, and a motion l>y Mr. T. U. Wells that the salary be not !o<s than £1500. was carried. The coun-

.•il then resolved tlit, as there was no power given in the Act to appoint a salaried or paid"" principal, application -hould he made liy the council to the Minister of Education for an amendment :>f tlie Act so as to enable the council to pay tlie principal a salary, the amount to he offered not to be less than £1500 a year. Regarding tlis steps to he taken in naking the appointment the committee recommended that, in the event of the Act being amended as recommended, the position be advertised in Great Britain. Australia and New Zealand, and that steps he also taken to bring the proposed appointment under the notice of the universities of the empire through the Universities Bureau. Tt was decided that the position be offered for a term of live years.