The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1912. THE UNIVERSITY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1608, 27 November 1912, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1912. THE UNIVERSITY.

From the official report published yesterday of tho conference of University professors, which concluded its deliberations last week, it will bo noticbd that the personnel of . this acadoinic. assembly was thoroughly representative of the affiliated institutions of-tho. Now Zealand University. Its conclusions, therefore, must be regarded as of considerable importance. Although the roport itself gives no indication _ of the general trend of the discussions, we may assume, on the whole, that the resolutions, adopted by'the conference fairly represent its mombors,. -that ultra-radical and ultra-con-servative views haW been fairly balanced. Tho principal matters dealt with were tho proposed, new . eup'i-' culum for the pass degrees' in arts: and science, ana the methods of; conducting the examinations for these degrees. These questions—tho latter in particular—are intimately connected with the University Reform movoment,' and this method of approaching the ideals sought to . bp attained by tho University Reform Association in Wellington, through tho medium of-a Royal Commission, is perfectly constitutional, and eminently safe. We are in entire agreement with those who say that the University must reform itself from within, by a process of' evolution which from the nature of its constitution and origin must necessarily be slow, gradual,, and Well defined: not experimental. The decisions of the conference are, of course, in' the : nature of recommendations to tho University Senato. It is hardly to bb expected that this legislative body will bo prepared to_ follow the pace set by the professoriate in questions of reform, and the recommendations of the latter, if adopted, will'' no doubt be oarefully sifted before being incorporated in the statutes of the University. The corrective influence of the conservative elfement in the professorial conference is clearly discernible in the series of resolutions adopted with regard to tho abolition of tne "external examination.'', ,In the first place ; the conference affirmed the question that the external system of examination should be' abolished, but it fixed a, period of five years for the consummation of that object. ' This affords ample time fpr reflection, and should reassure those who havo opposed the idea on the grounds, mainly, that it was based on the hastily-formulated proposals of an ardent few. In'framing a substitute for the "external" system,' the conference lias_ merely affirmed- the principles which, in its opinion, should govern a local examination system. It is considered essential, for example, that each responsible teacher should have the opportunity of seeing the complete examination papers in his subject before they are printed, the reason, we presume, being that the opportunity thus afforded would enable the teacher to indicate where, in his opinion, the examination papers did not fairly reflect the syllabus. With a local board of examiners, however, it seems to us that the relationship between the examiner and the teacher would be sufficiently intimate to rendor such protection unnecessary, especially in, view of the further recommendation that the written examination in any subject of the B.A. degree shall be "conducted by a board consisting of all the' responsible University teachers of that subject." The conduct of tho senior scholarship, M.A. degree, and honours _ examinations is provided for in similar recommendations. Provided that satisfactory precautions are taken to ensure that the examination test shall be such as to exact from candidates a standard of academic proficiency that will safeguard the prestige of the University—and this is the chief anxiety of those opposed to the abolition of the present system—the recommendations seem to us to be a reasonable step towards a more intelligent association of_ the teaching and examining functions of the University than can ever be possible under the present system, The New Zealand University must ultimately and inevitably. undertake its own examinations, but whether this independence can safely be consummated in five years will depend upon the degree of confklencc which the professoriate can inspire in- the Senate. Wo should imagine that the conference just closod should assist materially, in forwarding the refore movement.