Lincoln College Roll Problems

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31923, 26 February 1969, Page 13

Lincoln College Roll Problems

Enrolments of between 1020 and 1030 for the 1969 academic year were considerably beyond expectations, the principal (Dr M. M. Burns) told a meeting of the Lincoln College Council yesterday.

The number was several hundreds above the estimate for the final year of the fiveyear period, he said, and would raise problems of accommodation and transport, as fewer than 40 per cent of students were residential. Dr Burns said that the allocation of lecture rooms and laboratories would present problems. Lectures would start at 8 a.m. and with classes continuing through the lunch-hour and some for the late afternoons, it would be possible to meet requirements.

Students and some of the staff would have problems with bus services, but these should ease after the first few weeks when pool transport arrangements were worked out. Dr Burns said that the number of women students continued to rise, and some applicants for the diploma of farm valuation and management course were not accepted because they had not reached the required standard. Indictations were that there would- be another sharp increase in rolls for 1970, and unless two new lecture rooms were ready before March 1, 1976, the diploma one intake would have to be revised.

The 250 1 students accepted for this course in 1969 was the absolute maximum, said Dr Burns. It was going to be a difficult year, for the students because of the deficiencies of their teaching quarters. It was hoped to send plans for the new lecture rooms for University Grants Committee approval 'within a month or so, and if there was no delay up to the letting of a contract, the rooms should be ready in time. Approval was received from the grants committee for a grant of $23,500 (yr

agricultural engineering workshop extensions, and of $lO,OOO for the completion of Hilgendorf wing site development.

The council accepted modified University of Waikato plans for a residential hall at Lincoln for Department of Agriculture meat inspection course students, Dr Burns saying their adoption would' avoid delay, and that as the department would have first call, the accommodation would not benefit the college except indirectly.