FOUR UNIVERSITIES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 89, 14 April 1923, Page 8

FOUR UNIVERSITIES

ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR

CASE FOR DECENTRALISATION

INDEPENDENCE OF SENATE

CONTROL.

Last Wednesday's "Post" contained a summary of the arguments used by Mr. J. O'Shea in the recent Victoria College debate on the proposal to establish each of the four colleges in New Zealand as an independent University. The following is a condensation of the case presented for the other aide by Mr. F. H. Haigh. This; side, it will be recalled, was defeated in the trial debate at Victoria College, but won the inter-college debate held at Otago University College at Eastor. The motion debated: was to tlie effect that in the interests of University education the University of New Zealand should cease to exist, and the status «f separate and independent universities be given to each of the four colleges, at present affiliated thereto.

Mr. Haigh said it had been stated that their ideas were quite new and revolutionary, that there was no demand for a change other than on the part of certain professors, and that decentralisation was merely a latter-day catchword. As a matter of fact the proposals were older than the University of New Zealand, and had been advocated'by numerous laymen in addition to many professors, several of whom were graduates of the New Zealand University. -

In 1868 Otago University was founded in spite of determined opposition. Professor Thompson in. "The History of Otago University" says: "Others were confident that a University would prove a failure, that it was absurd, that it was entirely impracticable, that colonial degrees would be of no value." ,It was successfully carrying' out its functions when in 1870 it agreed to the creation of a New Zealand University, and it had ever since regretted its disastrous decision. There were numerous attempts by the Otago authorities to regain their independence, and in. 1887 Mr. Macandrew carried through the Otago University Council the following resolution:— "(1) That, in the opinion of this council,- the affiliation of the Otago University to the University of New Zealand was a mistake, one of the results of which has been to discourage well-to-do settlers from granting endowments; (2) that, in the interests of higher education it is expedient that the Otago University should resume its position. as embodied in the statute under which it was originallyi constituted."

SIR ROBERT STOUT QUOTED. Sir "Robert .Stout was a very competent authority on the subject under discussion, and the speaker held, he was in favour of their proposals. In April, 1879, in the course of his presidential address to the Otago Educational Institute he said : —"I confess I do not see so much objection to the proposal as some see. Why should there not be more than one University in New Zealand? If we had, say, four Universities for New Zealand, they would have to. specialise their work. We could not hope to have four complete institutions doing full University work, but if each had its specialty, I do not know if there would not be a healthy rivalry that would be productive of much good." This statement he had confirmed before the 1913 Commission on University education.

: They had becm informed that their proposals would result in four paper Universities, each endeavouring to teach the subjects for the many degrees now granted .by the University of New Zealand. The reply was that each Uniyer- | aity would have granted to it a limited charter requiring specialisation" in certain degrees, and thus there would be a complete absence of the idea of four weak Universities. There was nothing extraordinary in limiting' the charters, as the present charter of the New Zealand University was limited in the same way. Then they were met by the argument that the colleges were too small to consitute four separate Universities, but one could not measure a University by its size or the number of its students. ... THE EXAMINATION ISSUE. Because they had attacked the examination system as at present existing, they had been accused of the desire to abolish all examinations and make, education easier. This was obviously absurd. What they did desire was that examinations should occupy a subordinate position in University eduaation, and this would be achieved by the abolition of the University of New Zealand. The course for any given degree would be arranged by the faculty of the local University, and would be Buch as to enable the professors to develop their individuality and set their own ideas before the students. The present system produced deadening uniformity in respect to the teaching at the four Colleges (for any given degree). What they wanted was the removal of ail' restrictions on the manner in which the professors should teach their subjects. This was impossible under the existing system, with a despotic Senate fixing the course for each degree, in many cases without consulting the' professors, or deliberately disregarding their advice. Local degrees,' it was said, would be quite valueless and not worth seeking.. First, said Mr. Haigh, he would refer to the emphasis laid by their opponents on degrees. One would think that the sole aim of a university was to distribute degrees to its students and count its success according to the number of degrees conferred. Their opponents' statements as to the cheapness of the degrees under decentralisation were very old and had been effectively answered on numerous occasions. The suggestion was, firstly, that the professors were not competent to examine their own students and could not be trusted. Professor Maclaurin, one of the most brilliant graduates of the Now Zealand University, had answered this objection as follows:—'•' I see little hope of a satisfactory solution of your problems unless a radical change is made in the constitution of your University. The colleges should be given degreegranting power . . . You need not fear a lowering of standards; the college that tends in this direction will pay the penalty, as it does if all other parts of the world." This was a complete aiisw-ar. The idea that the conduct of examinations and the conferring of degrees was sufficient to constitute a University was wholly false, and in support of this contention the speaker quoted the opinion of the Eev. G. C. Headlam,- principal of King's College, London, and member of the Senate of London University, who was asked to express an opinion on University education in New Zealand:—"The four constituent Colleges become independent Universities: the reasons for that are: — (1) The whole idea of a University means the creation of a certain type of life and atmosphere, and that is quite impossible _it you have four Colleges dreds of miles. (2) A Federal University is never a success. (3) There \rili ue :u\ advantage in the Universities being in- ! dfocndmit, as they will «nch develop mi diii'ercnt lines. Any sort of unreal uni-

formity or fictitious uniformity of standard is harmful to any University." OBJECT OF THE MOVEMENT. What they desired to see was a University in each of the four centres having local autonomy, and working out its own destiny in accord with local conditions. It must be obvious that with each University in receipt of a limited charter, specialising in certain branches of knowledge, they would be on the way to achieve the type of life and atmosphere referred to by the Rev. Mr. Headlam. Then '.hey will have true learning developed, and could look forward to the future without misgiving. Summarising the position, Mr. Haigh said the chief objections to the present system were: — (1) The undue importance given to examinations by the New Zealand" University authorities, with the result that education is reduced to a dead level of uniformity; (2) the existing system is obsolete, the New Zealand University not being a teaching body as is the case in all other parts of the world. They contended' that the creation of four separate Universities would enable the professors to assert their individuality, and would relegate examinations to a subordinate position. Finally each University would adapt itself to local conditions, and a. type of life and atmosphere, which is impossible under the existing system at present, would arise afc each centre.