ACADEMIC PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 229, 27 September 1930, Page 13

ACADEMIC PROBLEM.

A BIFURCATED UNIVERSITY. WHAT THE REPORT MEANS. DEPARTMENTAL CONTROL. (By PROFESSOR W. ANDERSON.) The proposal embodied in the Atmore Report on education to abolish the University of New Zealand and eet up a separate university in each Isla'nd has met with a varied reception. By some commentators it has "been esteemed an advance in the direction of local autonomy, and by some even it is held that it gives the local centres as much power as they could possess as independent universities. This view may well commend itself to those who are especially interested in improving the material resources of the local colleges, and obtaining facilities for such developments as special schools and chairs. Conditional Freedom. In these circumstances it is well that careful scrutiny should be made both of tlie nature of the freedom offered by the State in this report, and of the price that lias to be paid for it. The committee recommends:— 13 (c) "That the governing body of each university be composed of representatives elected by each of tlie constituent institutions ; and that each institution should contribute a proportionate share of the expenses incurred by such a governing body." Further, 13 (h) "That provisions similar to those contained in the present New Zealand University Act he made for the purpose of safeguarding the national interests -with respect to the establishment of new schools or the expansion of existing schools within university colleges." It is clear from this that the form of autonomy offered to the local colleges is to be bought by tlio complete acceptance of the educational ideas of Wellington, both those .pf the Education Department and the similar views of the University reform movement centred in Victoria College, which are largely embodied in the second section of the report. For, while it is recommended that tlie colleges should have complete freedom in setting up the desired form of control for these Universities, it is likewise specified that the administrative cost of these institutions "tliey will be required to divide among themselves." But the present terms examinations of the colleges are recommended for acceptance for degree purposes, and any external collaboration in the work of examining, it is indicated, may be obtained in each case through the unpaid services of the profeesors in the other University. Hence, it is argued, the administrative expenditure of each University should be small, "and there will moreover be every incentive to economy." The Financial Side. Such a University in the North Island would have the power to prescribe syllabuses, and to recognise work done iu the various institutions as qualifying for degrees, for example, the Auckland School "of Engineering. On the other hand, every penny that the University spent on organising examinations would be taken from funds supplied by the colleges (unless obtained by imposing fees to cover which the State will no longer supply bursaries), and such expenditure would constitute a drain on the resources now to be allotted to the colleges for the increase of their staffs •and library facilities. Tlie sources from which these additions to the revenue of the colleges are to come are clearly specified by the committee. They propose to finance from two sources, the income and accumulated funds of the present University of New Zealand, and the annual income of the Opaku Reserve endowment (about £2000 per annum). The report says that through the present university bursaries j the State is paying only about £1000 ! more than the receipts of the present university for examination fees. With the abolition of the degree examinations, the committee recognise that tlie new system of bursaries they propose to allot (awarded by Departmental ofiicials on their own personal estimate) will save the amount that now goes in the way of income to the university as examination fees, and this will be made available to the colleges.

Departmental Control. Thus the proposed new universities will be controlled by just those parties who will have a strong and direct financial interest in abolishing external examinations and competitive scholarships. There is not the smallest of chances that these systems will be considered on their educational merits. Let us suppose, for instance, that one of the new universities proposed to continue to enjoy the advantages of having even its more advanced examinations conducted with the assistance of examiners in Britain. The expense would have to be met either by the institution of new examination fees, by a levy upon the resources of the constituent colleges, or by a combination of the two. If in the circumstances the colleges were to approach the Government for assistance they would be told that the policy of the Department was to discourage such examinations, for the reasons set forth in the report. It is impossible here to argue the question of the merits of the external element in examinations. But it is in order to say that, if there is any case for it at all, such as the committee admits may still appeal to the university authorities, the restriction of the choice of examiner to another New Zealand professor, bound to undertake the work without payment, is an absolute travesty of external examination. The whole value of the services of an external examiner lies in his independence. He should be in a position to decline to act or to resign if he finds that conditions are seriously repugnant to his conception of academic standards. Otherwise his authority is a farce. In all the circumstances it must be seriously considered by all friends of higher education in New Zealand if the advantages of the twofold university scheme bear any proportion to its de-, fects. So far as educational ideas anr | ideals .are concerned, we in Auckland are to have thrust upon us the alien conceptions of Victoria College, Wellington The same ideas obtain forcible sanction through the financial pressure of the State Department. Again, it is clear that any local developments beyond staffing and libraries remain subject to the consent of the Minister, with nothing whatever to mitigate the influence 0 of inter-Island jealousies. Can there be any doubt that the net result is simply more power to the Department? i