New Committee To Plan University Building Needs

Press, Volume C, Issue 29701, 20 December 1961, Page 18

New Committee To Plan University Building Needs

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 19. The Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) today announced that the Government had agreed to a new procedure for planning university buildings. The decision had been taken to assist the universities to obtain teaching accommodation for the large number of students who will shortly be seeking admission.

“Within the next few years university enrolments are expected to increase considerably. This year there were 15.283 students, but by 1955 there are expected to be 20.000 and by 1969 the number will increase to 25,000." Mr Tennent said.

“This rapid rise in rolls will make very heavy demands on the universities and agricultural colleges and will mean that they will need a great increase in accommodation. However, university buildings take time to plan and erect.” Mr Tennent said. "With these needs in mind, the Government has agreed to the establishment of a University Works Committee under the chairmanship of Dr. F. J. Llewellyn, the chairman of the University Grants Committee, and including representatives of the departments concerned in the planning and financing of university buildings—Education, Ministry of Works and Treasury. Expert Body “The University Works Committee will act as an expert body to advise the University Grants Committee, to scrutinise building proposals referred to it by the University Grants Committee, and to document and present to the Government recommendations concerning buildings. It will also provide a channel through which architectural and other advice from departments of state can be made available to the University Grants Committee." Mr Tennent said the Uni- 1

versity Grants Committee had been authorised to prepare a building programme for the universities and agricultural colleges for the five years from April 1. 1962, which it would submit, through the University Works Committee, to the Government.

5 "The programme will cover ’ the planning, erection, fur- ■ nishing and initial equipping 1 of new buildings, the pur--1 chase of land and properties ; and the conversion and alteration of buildings. The 1 building programme will be reviewed each year by the • Grants Committee and the ’ Works Committee and will be extended by adding one J further year to it. "This will have the effect ; of producing a rolling build- ; ing programme adjusted each year to cover the following five years,” Mr Tennent ■ said. "Each project on the programme will be reviewed and modified where necessary in the light of progress each year so that items which appear as estimates in the later years of the programme can be adjusted as planning proceeds and the time for erection of the building draws nearer.” “After approval by the Government of the building programme each year, the Grants Committee will advise the universities and agricultural colleges of the details of their individual programmes and each institution will be responsible for the preliminary planning of each project land generally for the impleI mentation of its programme.

] "The objective of the new procedure is to set out the requirements of the universities for buildings within the finance that the Government can make available for the purpose from year to year so that those buildings which are most urgently needed can be erected as expeditiously as possible. "The Government is aware that New Zealand needs university graduates in increasing numbers for the professions and other occupations and it is determined to do everything it can to ensure that adequate facilities for higher education are available,” Mr Tennent added.