UNIVERSITY'S PROGRESS

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 171, 22 July 1930, Page 9

UNIVERSITY'S PROGRESS

IMPROVEMENT-IN METHODS.

CHAIRS AND LECTURESHIPS.

INSUFFICIENT STATE AID.

In reviewing the progress made by the Auckland University College during the past ten years; Sir George Fowlds paid a tribute to the registrar, Mr. M. Pi. O'Shea, for the comprehensive record he had prepared.

It was stated in the registrar's report that the number of students had increased by CO per cent in the decade. In 1919 there were 821, as compared with 1321 for 1929, while there were 87 graduates, or more than four times the previous number now attending the university. This meant that a greater proportion of students-were going on to the master's degree than formerly, said Sir George. Some time ago lie had urged that graduates should bo induced to retain their connection with the college and to carry on their education by means of post-graduate discussion groups. A beginning had been made in this direction by some of the departments, and the results had been most gratifying to both teacher and graduate.

Pass grade clashes had largely increased in size, and here the system of tutoring by advanced students had made a beginning—small, but very satisfactory indeed. By such means as these they would progress, even if very slowly, toward that true university education which could come only in the future with trebled staffs, and which should combine teaching and research in much more even proportions than was possible to-day."

New Chairs Established. Since 1919 the following new chairs had been established:-—Chair of philosophy, leaving a joint chair of history and economics (1921); chair of education (1924); lectureship in journalism (1924); chair of architecture (1925); chair of agriculture (1925), since transferred to Massey Agricultural College; chair, of forestry (1925); division of chair of history and economics into two chairs of history and economics (1927); chair of engineering in of lectureship (1927), following on the three-year- recogniton of the school; chair of geology in place of lectureship (1927).

Teaching staff additions were:— Classics, two part-time lecturers; modern languages, lecturer; mathematics, lecturer; chemistry, lecturer; physics, lecturer; history, lecturer; economics, lecturer; law, live part-time lecturers; philosophy, lecturer; engineering, Avorkshop instructor, assistant-lecturer; library, assistant-librarian; student demonstrators and correctors; student tutorships. (

Financial Position. * T * ie total receipts, said the chairman, had increased from £18,390 in 1919 to £36,039 in 1929, the payments for the same years being £15,907 and £37,181. Tho Government statutory grant had increased from £9000 to £12,500, with additions of £1250, £850 and £1000 for tho chairs of architecture, education and forestry.

Though the income showed an increase of about 100 per cent, the relativo proportions of its several parts had been considerably altered, and altered in a way which could not be considered as progress.

Paucity of State Aid. The statutory grant in 1019 was 49 per cent of the income; to-day, in actual comparison, it made up only 40 per cent of the total—a drop of one-fifth in relative importance. As a result it had been found necessary to raise the students' fees, which now totalled £13,711, or 38 per cent of the income, as compared with £4607, or 25 per cent, in 1919. Thus, while the percentage for statutory grants had dropped by onefifth, that for students' fees "had increased by one-half.

The contribution from the State in respect of statutory grants had not kept pace with the expansion of the university. New Zealand had a long way to go befoVo its university education would have tho financial status accorded in practically all other parts of tho world by government and local*authorities.

The expenditure on staffing was now £30,985, or 83 per ccnt of the total, as compared with 80 per cent in 1919. It was extension in this direction which was mainly responsible for the present position of a small annual deficit, but ho felt that they could not possibly set tho staffing level at less than the present irreducible minimum. He hoped that as each year went by some addition would be possible.