Canadian Universities Short Of Staff

Press, Volume C, Issue 29517, 19 May 1961, Page 14

Canadian Universities Short Of Staff

Evan after a 50 per cent, increase in salaries, Canadian universities are desperately short of staff and will face a crisis next year, in the opinion of Professor R. O. Earl, professor of botany and dean of the faculty of arts at Queen’s University, Ontario, until his recent retirement. Four years ago it was agreed that the 50 per cent, increase in salaries should be spread over three years—2o per cent, in the first year, 20 in the next, and 10 in the third. With the total rise now fully effective, a Ph.D. in science could now earn 7000 to 7500 dollars and a professor received 10.000 to 14.000 dollars. Professor Earl said. Allowing about 2.8 Canadian dollars to the New Zealand pound, it would be seen that the inducements were attractive for even the ordinary run of positions. Yet the Canadian universities still could not get sufficient staff and. as universities the world over were facing a similar shortage, there was no obvious source

of relief, Professor Earl said. Canada was trying to stop the gap from within by offering more generous fellowships and scholarships to take graduates through the honours schools and thus raise at home a new crop of universiy teachers. Fellowships and research facilities were often a means of swinging highly-skilled men away from industry. No Grants Committee Canada had no university grants committee as in New Zealand, Australia, and Britain. There was a federal grant based on population and the rest was provided mostly by the provincial governments. Private endowments were encouraged by allowing them as a deduction for income tax purposes. But students still had to pay about 500 dollars a year in fees. “Few of us like the fees idea,” said Professor Earl, "It gives preference to the wealthy or, to put it the other way, it makes university study more difficult for those in modest circumstances. But

I do believe that scholarships are available to ensure that the really able student gets through, nd matter what his circumstances." Canadian universities next year would feel the full impact of the "population plateau.” This was the steep rise in student numbers resulting from the increased birth rate immediately after the war. The term “plateau" was used because, after the rise, it seemed that numbers would remain fairly constantly high for some years. All universities were putting up new buildings to cope with the situation and fighting hard for special capital grants. Invitation Professor Earl has personal evidence of the emergency in an invitation to return to Queen’s University as a special lecturer even though, two years ago, he was told that he must retire arbitrarily because he had reached the age of 65 years. So when he ends his present Commonwealth tour, which has included England, the Middle East, India, Ceylon, Singapore. Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand, he will go back to virtually his old job. In New Zealand he has found more personal and academic satisfaction than in any other part of his tour. He has been through the forests and botanic gardens of the North Island. and through the bush and lakes districts of the South Island following his own bent of ecology and plant geography. He thinks New Zealand a gem for the botanist.