DEVOLUTION IN UNIVERSITY

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28053, 22 August 1956, Page 8

DEVOLUTION IN UNIVERSITY

Change In Status Of Colleges EARLY ACTION LIKELY "The Press' Special Service WELLINGTON. August 21. The early creation of four universities from the present constituent colleges was forecast by the Chancellor of the University of New Zealand (Sir David Smith) in his address to the Senate this morning. He said the report of a special committee on this scheme would be presented to the meeting. It favoured an immediate change in title from “College” to “university,” but recommended further consideration of the devolution of powers and of the need for a central co-ordinating authority to replace the Senate. Comparison with other universities showed that there would be no breach of academic standards in relation to the number of students and the courses offered if the New Zealand colleges became universities, said the Chancellor. Sir David Smith said he did not expect any difficulty in the changes of name as Otago, Canterbury, and Auckland would simply preserve the name of their province, but objections had already been expressed to Victoria University College becoming known as the University of Wellington, because of the old traditions. Authority to confer degrees was another question which would have to be decided, he said. The quality of each degree awarded by the University of New Zealand today depended almost entirely on the teaching and research in the graduate’s own college. Sir David Smith said his own view was that this justified the right to confer degrees when the college became a university. A universities’ council could be formed on the lines of the present Senate, to co-ordinate academic and financial requirements, Sir David Smith said. The Senate would thus be replaced and the office of Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor would be transferred to each of the new universities. The central council could award certain national scholarships and prizes, and others could be distributed among the new universities.