UNIVERSITY REFORM

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 52, 29 August 1913, Page 11

UNIVERSITY REFORM

COURT OF CONVOCATION PROPOUNDS A SCHEME. Hie Victoria College District Court of Convocation .met last evening, Mr. T. R. Fleming presiding. There was An attendance of about twenty. The chief business of the meeting was the consideration of the question of the constitution of the University of New Zealand. The chairman read the reply of the Minister of Education to a resolution of Convocation asking for a Royal Commission to be set tip to investigate University education in New Zealand. The Hon. James Allen stated that the question was at present before the Education Committee of the House. The chairman then laid before the meeting the report of the committee set up to draft a scheme for the constitution of the University. The scheme was described as "D," and was as follows : -— (1> The Senate. — To consist of thirtytwo members in all, being the seven non-protessorial members of each of the four College Councils, with the chairman of each of the four Professorial Boards*. The Senate to ( have full control of the University. (2) The "Academic Body" described in the resolution of 29th July : — To consist of all the professors of the Univer-' sity. (The term "professor" to be hereafter defined.) Powerß of the "Academic Body" : — To make recommendations to the Senate as to degrees, diplomas, scholarships and prizes, courses of study and examinations. (3) .The College Councils, four in number, each to consist of—Four members elected by the District Court; one .member appointed by the Governor in Council ; two members elected by the Professorial Board ; and ffwo members to be co-opted by the other seven. (Each member to hold office for four years. An election to be held every year.) The College Council to* manage the affairs of the college. (4) The Professorial Boards, four in number, to reinain as a-t present,- with an organisation into faculties, which shall include every teacher of the college, and shall have power of co-optation. (5) The courts, four in number, to consist of— (a) All masters and doctors of the University of New Zealand, whether"* original or admitted ad eundem gradunt ; (b) alt bachelors of the University^of New Zealand, whether original or admitted ad eundem gradnm, of not less than three years' standing. (Note.— Any graduate that fails to enrol within six months after qualification shall not be entitled to vote till six months after enrolment.) , (c) Donors of 500 and upwards to tne university or the college; (d) such persons as the College Council may from time to time, with the approval of the Governor in Council, appoint as representative of any commercial, industrial, scientific, professional, or educational society, institution, or association within the district of the court, such members to hold office for five years. Powers of the courts : Power of election to the College Councils; power of recommendation to any of the university bodies. The Chairman stated that the report would be forwarded to the Senate and also to the Education Committee. The Court of Convocation had a certain right of recommendation. An amendment moved by Professor Hunter to clause (1), making the powers of the Senate more explicit, after the words of scheme (a), providing that no change in academic matters be made without the recommendation of the professorial body, was lost on a division An amendment moved by Professor Kirk to alter the words in the clause "the chairman" to "a representative," was lost by one vote. Clause (1) was' then adopted. In clause (2) Mr. Bakewell moved the omission of the words, " The term 'professor' to be hereafter defined." Professor Hunter stated that at present there were no professors of the university, only professors of colleges." Professor yon Zedlitz agreed that some form of selection was desirable. He quoted an, instance where a certain college received an extra subsidy from the Government, and by recommendation of the Professorial Board turned a lecturer in one subject into a professor at a big increase of salary. It was decided to omit the words. Clause 2 was adopted. Clause 3 was adopted with an amendment providing that two members of tho council should be members of the teaching staff of the college, elected by the Professorial Board, and that these should be the only members of the teaching staff, on the council. It was

decided, on the motion of Professor Hunter, to amend the clause to the effect that "elections should be held every two years, each member to retire in rotation and .be eligible for re-elec-tion." Clause 3 was adopted. Clause 4 was adopted without change. In regatd -to clause 5, it was decided to insert the words "resident in the college district" in sub-clauses 1 and 2. Mr. Bakewell moved the omission of sub-clause 3 as of no practical value. The clause was omitted unanimously. In regard to sub-clause 4, Mr. Stocker moved to substitute after the word "appoint" the words "on account of eminence in connection with education, philanthropy and sport, science and the arts, industry and commerce, national defence, the learned professions, literature or- general intellectual activity." The amendment was lost. It was decided to strike out the words "with the approval of the Governor in Council" and insert "resident in the college district," after "persons" and after "appoint," "whether as substantial benefactors of one of the colleges or of the university or whether." The clause, as so amended, was. adopted, with the addition that' "not more than twenty persons or twenty per cent, of the total number of graduates, whichever be the greater number, are to be elected under this clause." A committee, consisting of the chairman, Professor yon Zedlitz, and Mr. Stocker, was appointed to consider the scheme and report on the same.