FOUR OR ONE?

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18439, 21 July 1925, Page 13

FOUR OR ONE?

A UNIVERSITY QUESTION. COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY. (PRBSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, July 20. The University Commission this morning heard Professor A. G. Strong, Dean of the Homo Science Faculty. She stated that a better high school preparation was necessary. Matriculation did not carry girls to the standard at which students normally began work for a degree, so that tho home science course had to include elementary teaching, properly belonging to the secondary school. In order to provide for development of extension teaching one fulltime lecturer was required, assisted by a part-timo expert. The staff also required supplementing for teacher-train-ing, by an assistant for tho supervision of the practice of teaching. A new hostel was needed with individual tooms for 75 or 100 students. A woman should be appointed to attend to tho wolfarc of all w6men students. The first aim of the school was to train teachers. At present they were unable to supply those required.

In reply to Mr F. Tate, witness said that most of the students who had gone through tho course had had bursaries.

Mr Tato .suggested that instead of moro money being asked for bursaries it should be spent in providing mOro teachers and the development of the faculty.

Professorial Board's Views. Dr. Benham submitted a lengthy statement on behalf of tho Professorial Board. Ho Btated that a fairly comprehensive course "was provided, in each of the four colleges in the subjects included in the curricula for degrees iu arts and science up to tho honours stage, nevertheless in all Faculties thcro was need for further development. Dr. Benham referred to tho following matters which required attention:—An improvement in tho general equipment of tho departments, an increase iu the teaching staff, additional and improved facilities for research and an extension of the library. Tho Professorial Board was of tho opinion that tho training of secondary teachers should be directly associated with tho University Colleges, in each of which tliero should be a "School of Education" under the control of tho Professor of Education as its Dean.

In rogafd to the working of the present organisation of tho university of New Zealand, Dr. Benham submitted that in their opinion the relative powers of the Senate and tho Board of Studies should bo redefined so that duo weight should be given in the Senato to the decisions of the Board of Studies on purely academic questions. The Senate, it was considered, should remain the supreme governing and executive body having tho entire management of the affairs of the University and of finance, with power to make statutes, but this latter power should only bo exercised ■after .receiving a report from the Board of Studies. The power of the Senate might be, in practice, limited to accepting and rejecting proposed changes in the statutes sent up by the Board, but should not be exercised in making alterations in such statutes of its own initiative.

Causes of Dissatisfaction. Among the causes -of dissatisfaction with the present University system was the present cumbrous procedure. The inevitable infrcquency of meetings of the Senate and Board of Studies and the consequent delay caused much loss of time in effecting changes. Other causes were the congestion of the business in the Wellington office, the purely external examination at the advanced and .honours stage for arts and science degrees, the Variation of the standard adopted by tho external examiners, the insufficient latitude in teaching to a syllabus accommodated to the four individual colleges and the insufficient value attached to practical work and training. The Faculties of arts and seienca in each centre should be as autonomous as the special schools were at present. For courses and for external examiners, the

Board of Studies, as at present constituted, should be made legislative, and called the Senate.

W.E.A. Defended. Dr. Benliam said that tlio University was well satisfied with the work of the AV.E.A. Ho had seen the criticism of a Christehurch Professor regarding the work of the Association, but he did not think that ho was well acquainted with the work either in Christehurch or in any of the other centreß. It was true that one of the classes was really of a popular nature. Student Representation. Three mombers of the Students' Association of Otago University P. S. Cnbot, C. B. Barraclough, and J. A. Macdonald —submitted, a statement in support of student representation on the j Otago University Council. It was j stated that the utmost good feeling and cordiality existed between the Students' Association and the Council. It had been unanimously decided that student representation on tho University Council was highly desirable, and that a reproßehtative or representatives should be selected by the executive of the, Students' Association. In support of this, claim, the statement referred to the appointment of four representatives by the Court of Convocation, and stated i that it was evident that owing to force ! of circumstances and other interests, I the graduates who wore elected representatives were people whose direct | personal interest in student affairs must necessarily be negligible, j Sir Harry Reichel commented on the ; fact that tho-statement was a very | straightforward one, and would carry a j great deal of weight with the ComI mission. ! Mr T».te: Do they give representation on tho High Schools' Board to pupils attending tho High School? Mr Barraclough said that lie thought ■that the position was very dift'eront so far as students were concerned. The Students' Association was not recognised iu the University Statutes. Otago University Finance. Mr L. D. Ritchie. treasurer of the University of Otago, submitted estimates of tho normal income and expenditure for tho current year as follows:—Incomo £55,750, expenditure £56,558. There would be a definite increase in the expenditure next year in upkeep and assistance and on certain new appointments in contemplation. Last year £5547 was transferred from tho arts and general account for the deficit on the Dental, Medical and Mining Schools and Museum. Very heavy transfers in the same direction were required annually. There was a falling off in entrants to the Medical School, which would mean a marked decrease in revenue, but no material saving in expenditure. Financial aid was required in respect of the Mining School, which was founded in 1577 at the direct invitation of the Government and which had won a world-wide reputation. Tho question of salaries of assistants and provision for research ' was in serious need of attention. Understaffins

! in the arts and science faculties placed unduly heavy burdens on the staff regarding teaching', and research was practically out o£ the question. The provision limiting superannuation of professors to £3OO appeared to bo a blot on tho honesty or common sense of the Legislature. The in j salaries under the Public Expenditure i Adjustment Act should cease to operate. ! The scholarships made available by the I Government were not of sufficient value to retain suitable students. Fewer Medical Students. Referring to the decrease in the number of medical students, Mr Ritchie said he thought there was a feeling that the number of doctors turned out was more, or would, bo more, than the countrv needed. Possibly it van partly duo to tlie fact that the course had been extended from live years to six years. In some cases that really meant a course of seven years. If they had to live within their income, he Thought at would lead to closing down. There would certainly be no progress. Low Standards. Dr Inflis "ave evidence with reference'to the B.A. and B.Sc. degrees. He stated that the standard in certain subifets was lower than it should be, owing chiefly to the waut of homogeneity in the calibre of the students, many of whom on entering the University had fulfilled the bare requirements of the matriculation examination. The _ better students were retarded in their progress by the presence of so many relatively weak members. Students exempted from attendance at lectures also tended to lower the standard. Thiß, however, was not of vital importances, as the number of such students was Tela* tivcly small. A more serious defect was that many students, the majority in somo classes, were attempting to carry on a course of study for degroe examinations along with & full time training college course. The standard under any purely external system tended to be low because examiners were reluctant to fail a candidate on the evidence of ono examination. Defects of External System. The presont system of examination for tho advanced and honours grades was purely external. The pass degree examinations also were still largely ' external. From both the teachers' and students' point of view, the external system had serious defocts, as under it tho student and tho public were apt to regard the University teacher as a mere coach and to judgo his efficiency by examination results. It should be recognised that a University teacher should bo freo to develop his subject, as his experience aud study suggested. This was impossible under a purely or mainly external systom, liocause the teacher had to keep in view the interpretation which the external examiner might: set on tho syllabus. Under this system the student often was at a disadvantage becauso tho work Of his whole course was assessed oil the result of a single examination. It was peculiarly unfair in case of honours students. Another drawback of tho present system was that tho highest awards in modern languages and experimental science was made on the result of an examination which did not include an oral or practical test. The best system of degree examining was one in which each University teacher shared with the external examiner the preparation of all degree examination papers, both "pafis aoid honours, and assessing the merits of the candidates. Professor Jack said that the Professorial Board was unanimously of the opinion that there were grave causes of dissatisfaction with tho present University system. Tho Board of Studies should consist of all teachers, but under the present system suoli an arrangement was impossible. Thorc was very grave objection to the delay caused ■by the Senate having; tq> refer business hack. Tlicro liad been serious cases of trouble recently owing to lack of proper supervision in regard to examinations. Delay in tho publication of results, tho miscarriage of examination papers, and errors in tho results wero frequently tho cause of trouble. Insufficient value was attached to practical work and training. A system of education which left out the kind of practical work done was very defective. Cleavage of Opinion. There -was a distinct cleavage here on the question of four Separate Universities. Tho Medical and Dental Faculties were almost wholly against, and the Arte and Science Faculty and the Homo Science Faculty almost wholly in favour of it. There was a division of opinion 011 the other Faculties. In Otago tho students in tho various Faculties were:—Arts and Science 423, Mining 24, Agriculture 2, Medical 267, Dentistry 113, Homo Science 75, Law 76, Commerce 116. Next year there would ibe a larger lead in Arts and Science, owing to a smaller number entering somo of the other Faculties. It had been said that if there were four separate Universities the cost of examinations and general administration Would bo much greater. Tho cost lasfi year was £23,000, but surely the cost with four Universities would not be more than £5750 each. With four separate Universities there would bo no difficulties in regard to distance, cost, or time for consultation. There would be continuous opportunities tho discussion of improvements.- With four Universities there would be healthy rivalry between the centres, but each would develop its own character. There were four Universities in Scotland long before its population was equal to that | of New Zealand, and that at a time I when tho percentage of attendance at the University was niuch smaller. It was felt by all the Faculties that tho | number of special schools must ,be I limited, as the country could not support special schools of all kinds in the ] j four centres. i Need for Radical Changes. There was a great need for radical changes in tho constitution of the Council of the Universities, so as to utilise the services of men of high academic standing who wero at present excluded. The powers of tho Court of Governors should be restricted to general policy, finance, and _ responsibility to the public and Parliament for efficiency. Tho Professorial Board would become the Senate if the change were effect<><'. T t<- powers would be as t present in addition to the following: All purely academic questions, the appointment of examiners, the approval of the svllabus, and control of the standard and conduct- of the examinations. It was suggested that there should be freedom to appoint a principal, if desired. Freedom from Government control in academic matters, and a more assured basis of finance wero greatly stressed. It could safely be said that tho .staffing in the Arts faculty was worse than in any other Arts Faculty in any University in the British Empire. and the result was that the standard of work was lower than the Professors desired. I.hero was a rapidly growing number of students capable of doing good research work. Additional fellowships and scholarships would enable good students to remain at tho University. The establishment of a. research fund was highly desir- > able. There was no provision for leave of absence, but- it was essential to aliow professors and lecturers to vifit Great Britain and America from time to time.