N.Z. UNIVERSITY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2678, 26 January 1916, Page 7

N.Z. UNIVERSITY

CHANCELLOR'S ADDRESS TO SENATE ' BOARD OF STUDIES THjEIR RECOMMENDATIONS CRITICISED local or external EXAMINERS'? In his address to tie University Senate yesterday, Sir Robert Stout, Chancellor of the University, dealt very fully with tha recommendations of the lately-constituted Board of Studies, consisting of representatives of teaching staffs, of the University colleges, and especially with the recommendation .that examinations for degrees to be granted by the New Zealand University should be conduoted by New Zealand .University teachers. Following are extracts from the address:— "The board has by a majority recommended that the Senate of the University; should cease to perform its statutory function of appointing examiners, 4iia that the duty of examining candidates'for degrees and diplomas should vest in the teachers of the affiliated institutions. The Senate cannot delegate its function in the manner suggested by the Board of Studies. The only power of delegation in this matter is shown in Section 17 of the University Act, 1908, which states: —'The Senate shall have full power from time to time to appoint ana remove all examinersj officers, and servants of the .University: " 'Provided that suoh power may • be delegated to the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor by resolution of the Senate subject to or without restriction, and such delegation may in like manner be revoked. 1 and in Sub-section 3 of Section 12 of jilie University Act, 1914, it is stated: <' r 'T3) The Senate may delegate to the boardj either generally or for any specified time, and either subject to or without restriction, such powers of drawing up courses of study, of conducting examinations, and of appointing examiners as it thinks fit; and such powers, when exercised by the board, shall be deemed to have been as validly exercised as if they had been exercised by. the Senate itself.' Part of a Propaganda?

""What the board has now. recommended the Senate cannot lawfully do. Perhaps it is therefore unnecessary to waste the time of the Senate over the recommendations of the board so far as vesting the power of examining students in the teachers, or the special Boards, or - the general board, mentioned the board's resolutions, is concerned; It is surely to be regretted that the Board of Studies should at its first meeting have spent its time in formulating and passing recommendations which the Senate has no power to-carry out. It may be, however, tli»t these recommendations are meant' for the Parliament of the Dominion, and ,ths.t they are a part of that propaganda that h&s been carried on, in Wellington and Christchuroh, to effect the abolition of external examiners. If so, it is not what I assume the; creators of the Board of Studies understood ihe function of the board would be. The proposal of the board is that there shall be two grades of examinations in, at nil events, the B.A. and B.So. degress. t\Vliat is to happen in the Law, Medical, Musical, Engineering, and other -technical degrees does not appear. iThere is to he first what is called an intermediate examination, the standard of s ,which, it has been suggested by the Canterbury College Professors, shall not be so high as the present ordinary pass standard of B.A. and B.Sc. The examinations at the pass;grade are'to be conducted by the 'professors ana lecturers' of the college. I assume this means that the professors and lecturers in a college in English, for example .will examine only in- English, and so.with other subjects. The resolution of the board is' not clear. Examinations in-subjects taken at a higher' grade than pass (I presume this means repeat subjects and also honours) shall ■be conducted by a special board consisting of all the 'responsible' teachers of the subject in affiliated colleges. A Moderator, who may or may not be a toacuer at an affiliated college, may be added to each special board, if . the Board of Studies on the recommendation of the (? responsible) teachers thinks fit. The results of examinations higher than intermediate 'as a whole' {sic) shall be determined by a General Board which is to consist of chairmen of the special boards, 'Responsible' teachers are not defined, it will be news to many that the colleges possess teachers. that are not 'responfible.' r

Speoifio Objections. In. the B.A. aiid B.Sc. degrees the candidate is bound to take only one or two subjects of a higher, grade. The teachers are therefore mainly to ex- / amine their own' students. The Special •Boards are to examine in the higher grade. This would mean, if there 'is a professor in each college, say of Latin, that the four Latin'professors are to examine all those taking Latin at the higher grade. The papers would require to be prepared by the Special iloard some time before the end of the last term. Every teacher'wodld theretore before the term expired know the questions his students would have to answer. Would it be his duty to question his class on the subjects which ho , knew would appear in the examination paper. Is the Board ol Studies aware that in connection with one University ™ 1S very question has been raised?— the College of Dundee, connected with St. Andrew's. University. It is said in °,ne, resolution of the board: 'In no case shall the work, of any student bo examined by fewer than two examiners Under conditions to be "approved" by the Board of Studies. 1 What does this mean? Whether tho decision of the Special Boards is conclusive or not is tar from clear. Resolution 7 says: 'The Special Boaixfs shall meet in Wellington on the first Tuesday in December and disquss the results of the final and honours. examinations. If • the results have' been ascertained, what is there to discuss? Then tho next day the General Board is to meet and it is to 'finally determine the results as a whole of the final and,, honours examinations for the approval Senate.' If the determination of the Special Board is not to be varied, does' it require the 'expert' Knowledge of a General Board to decide who has passed or failed? Tho members of the Senate are not credited with much ability by the Board of Studies. In brief, these are the proposals so far 86 examinations are concerned. Rules of Other Universities. "Tho principle ■ laid down is that the teachers are to bo the examiiiors of thoir own students. Is this tho rule in the other Universities of the Empire? So far as the Mother University • —Oxford—is concerned, it is not the rule. In Oxford and Cambridge the private tutorial system of teaching is in vogue, and it is rare (if it ever happens) for a private tutor to examine his own pupils. How* careful Oxford is in securing examiners who cannot bo ac-jpMo-l /*£ tiM niU a linear from toiiiQ

rules published by the Registry, of Oxford _" 'No examiner shall examine viva voce any candidate who bolongs to any collego or hall in which ho is tutor or in which ho has been, tutor during tho two years prcced- v ing, or who has been his private . pupil within the two years precedins.' " 'If in voting upon tho place to be assigned to a candidate in any class list the examiners shall be equally divided, the chairman shall have a casting vote: provided that if the candidate shall be of the same college or hall as the chairman or of any collego or liall in which ho is tutor or has been tutor during the two years preceding, or shall have been privately taught by him during the two years preceding, then the i casting vote shall be with the 6enior of tho examiners w3io are not disqualified in liko manner.' "In practico an examiner'takes no part in a discussion upon a candidate who belongs to his collego or who has been his pupil. In Efcotland I understand that there is at least one assessor —an external examiner—associated with the teacher in every examination, and that this external examiner does the main part of the work. Sir Robert Stout reviewed in detail the provisions in the charters of many provincial universities in Great Britain and Ireland, and in India, to show that in these newer universities the examination of students by their teachers for university degrees is expressly provided against., Amongst the universities he mentioned were: The University of Wales, the Universities of Sheffield, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and Bristol, the National University of Ireland, Dublin University, and the five Universities of India. What of Other Examinations? "The University experts in the United Kingdom and in India have not adopted the principle laid'down the our Board of Studies, viz., that the teachers should be the examiners of their students,'' Sir Robert Stout continued. "If this principle is to be adopted, it cannot be confined to University examinations. There.: aro other 'responsible' teachers ■who can examine their students. We have' just as able and upright men and women on tho staffs of our primary and secondary schools as we have on the staffs of our affiliated colleges. Why, then, do we have a large number of Inspectors of Schools? They are Hot teachers. Some of them have done very, little teaching. For what purpose aro they maintained in their present position? Is it not that the State may ascertain how our educational administration is carried on ? Further, we have entrance examinations in this University. Would not the- certificate of any teacher be sufficient to certify the ability of his pupils to enter the halls of learning in our University? Aro external examinations to bo denounced? If so, what is to become of the Civil Service examinations, both junior, and senior, and scholarship examinations, accountancy", medical, degree, etc.? Must not they all be abolished? Teachers are examined, and are awarded certificates on their examination. If this principle of externa] examination is not approved, the teachers' certificates, I presume, will be granted by the officials of the Normal • Schools; This will make a saving in the Education Department expenditure.

Another Suggestion. "There is a more important question, however, to be considered. If the teachers are to be examiners, and if the Board of Studies is to frame programmes of studies, there* is little left for the Senate of the New Zealand University to do. The cost of administration of the New Zealand University with its Senate, its Board of Studies, its exaaiiiiers, etc., is large. We are in troublous times, and shall sooner or. later feel the great financial pressure that follows every war. No war has been so colossal as the one in which our Empire is now engaged. It is our duty to husband our resources, and it is criminal to waste money unnecessarily. If, then, the New Zealand University is not necessary as an' examining and a degree-granting University, it is the duty of our Parliament to abolish it. If the teachers of colleges are to he responsible for the granting of degrees and diplomas, let the university colleges be constituted four independent universities, with power to grant degrees, and to perform other university functions. Partisans and a "Shibboleth." "There are several persons still alive who took some part in the constituting of the university, and they will regret that such a national institution should ceasq to exist. About fifty years ago, when tho question of making provision for university education first arose in Otago, many thought that it would be for the benefit, of the life of our coming, nation, that the intellectually-gifted of our sons and daughters should belong to, and be educated at a university, and that sectional or district prejudices, which often arise, should not dfvide us in the pursuit of the highest educational development of our people, rhey may have dreamed dreams; and persons who were not then born when such subject's were discussed may ba right in now assuming that our early settlors knew nothing about university matters, though many of these had had a university education. It was hoped that no political or partisan feeling should ever enter our halls of learning. They did not foresee the future. Such •partisanship has invaded one college, in fact it is said it is found in two, 60 that.no one who cannot pronounce the 'shibboleth' of a so-called University Reform Association has muoh chance of having his services utilised in the administration of a college. _ We have for a few years had a persistent demand from some of the professors of our colleges that the professoriate should control our university education. Some of these who made this demand have now left New Zealand, and I notice that one of them lias found in his present place of residence that its primary and secondary, as well as university education* require a complete alteration. Was it not one of our ablest English philosophers who said' 'The eye sees that which the eye is prepared to see' ? "Reform" May Save Money. ■ "Those who have stood by the cradle of the New Zealand University may regret to have to take part in its obsequies ; but if it is not required, it must bo abolished. Our resources are wasted if there is a useless institution maintained in our midst. Monetarily there will be a great gain by its abolition. We can save the cost of the Senate, of the University Office, of the Board of Studies, of our Calendar, of all the examinations, entrance, dcgree ( diploma, etc., etc. If it is the function of tho teacher to examino his students, he needs no extra salary for performing this duty. This is, in fact, the rule in universities where the teachers aid in examining. For example, in the University of Adelaide, which ban ' tho method of joint examinations—that is, by teachers and by external examiners —there is this regulation on tho subject " 'The professors and lecturers shall take such part in the university examinations as tho council shall direct, but no professor or lecturer shall be required to examine in any subject which it is not his duty to teach.' The primary and secondary schools teachers can examine pupils who desire to enter- the university, and can give them necessary certificates. Further, there, arc 45 inspectors of schools that can be dispensed with if the teachers are the proper persons to examine their pupils, and the staff of the Central Education Department could be much rei duced, y*v. tjwJW thnuawds a yeai

could thus be saved, and it will not ho denied that it is the duty of the Gov-, eminent to see, especially in this crisis of our history, that none of our resources arc wasted. No doubt a decree granted by olio of the colleges will not ,J>e considered b.v the public equal to ouo granted by . the university. The degroes to bo granted under the now proposals, even if tho University bo maintained, will be only college degrees, for tho main part of the examination for the primary degrees is to be conducted by the teacher of the student alone. It will bo only correct to tell tho public that tho degrees granted have been granted by the college,, that they are not truly university 'degrees. "In tho days of long ago tho idea was that with a New Zealand University, controlling and granting degrees, etc., provision could be made for new schools, or colleges, in other parts of the Dominion, but this will be difficult to realise, if we establish four separate universities. The Pass Degrees. 'Over three years ago, namely in November, 1912, there was a representative gatherings of professors held in Wellington. There wero thirty professors present. They reoommended a change in our programme of studies for the primary degrees. Wo do not know whether their recommendations .were unanimous or carried only by a small majority. The full minutes of their meetings were not published. It may bo useful'to compare the recommendations then made with those that are suggested by the Board of Studies. Tho 1912 recommendations appear at Page 11 of tho Minutes of the - Senate for 1918. In 1912 it was proposed to abolish the Bachelor of Science Degree. It is now proposed to retain it. The grouping or the subjects for tho degree has been altered. Thsre was provision for one or two subjects being repeated and a candidate could get his primary degree if ho sat in four subjects, and two of these wero repeated. He was not bound, however, to repeat in two subjects, he could have taken 6ix subjects. The present proposal is to compel a repetition. Is this wise ? There seems to be a tendency, amongst some educationists to compel specialisation at, what appears to me, a too early age. Many of our _ students will becomo teachers. Is it wise to confine their attention to a few special subjects instead of giving them- a broad culture ? I do not think so. The resolutions of the Board of Studies bind the freedom of the students in their choice of subjects. Little or no initiative or judgment is left to them and tliey are deemed unable to control their own educational career; they must consult their professors and are bouud by their advice. In many of the most successful universities the teachers have not this power. I thought a university was a place 'where the wind of freedom Dlows.'

"It is not necessary that I should at present discuss the various proposals for amending our programme'of studies for our degrees. Our professors seem to spend much of tkoir time in making suggestions for amending the requirements for our university degrees. One proposal of the Board of Studies is to cancel one amendment made in the First Division of subjects for the degree of Bachelor of Laws, at the last amiual meeting of the Senate. The amendment made tlio ( two subjects 'International Law' and 'Conflict of Laws' <pie subject. This amendment was suggested by the teachers of law in the affiliated colleges, and is to come into force in 191.7. It is now proposed to revert to the former position of having two separate subjects in 'International Law' and 'Conflict of Laws.' It is not stated whet'hor the teachers of law have been consulted. Thero is only one teacher of law on the Board of Studies. I would suggest that before any alterations are made in <» syllabus wo should consult the professors of each subject. I make this suggestion because I have received a letter from Professors Dunlop and Salmond protesting against the amendment made last year in our mental science course, and asking that it be cancelled. I havo pointed out- to them that,- unless the Senate should consider the question one of urgency, we cannot accede to their suggestion without consulting the Board of Studies. ' There is no professor of mental science on the Board of Studies, and perhaps few, if any, members of the board know anything of the subject."