UNIVERSITY REFORM

Evening Star, Issue 14532, 7 December 1910, Page 7

UNIVERSITY REFORM

PROGRESS OP THE MOVEMENT. NEXT SESSION'S INQUIRY. OPINIONS OF OUTSIDE EXPERTS. The University Reform Association, formed as the result of a public meetingheld in Wellington early in the year, have not been idle, although little has been heard of their operations of late. In order to have definite information to lay before tho public and the Educational Committee of the House of Representatives, who are to inquire into the matter next session, the Association have sent a letter to heads of universities and many other educational authorities (including the par»t and present examiners of the New Zealand University) in Great Britain, America, and Australia. INFORMATION SOIV.HT. This letter states:— - There, lias been formed in Now Zealand a " University Reform Association," with a view to stimulating public interest in university education "and promoting reforms in the New Zealand uiuversitv system. Tho president ,-ind secretary ot tho Association are now. bv direction of that bodv, writing to you in the hope that vou'will see "your way to help tho Association to solve some of the problems oi local miive.'siiy reform. We trust that the subjoined short statement of our university system will place you in possession o'f tho necrssaiy hicls. —Tho University of New Zealand.— Tho University of New Zealand is purely an examining body. Us executive powers are exercised by a Senate of twenty-four members, including a representative .lorn each of the four Professorial Boards. This Senate, which is thus a preponderantly lay body, draws up curricula and .syllabuses, and awards degrees on the • results of examinations conducted by examiners appointed in Great Britain. Except in the case of medicine, tho teachers are not consulted as to the students to whom degrees are, to bo granted, although by regulations for "keeping terms" the Professorial Boards have power to exclude, students from sitting lor the degree examinations. In practice, however, it is obviously impossible for any single, professor or board to demand a higher standard than that accepted by the university examiners, especially a"s there are attached to the alleges many students who arc exempted from attendance at lectures. —The College?.--There are four separate leaching institutions in different centres. These are controlled by Councils, on only one of which a professor can hold a seat. In two other cases the Professorial Board have one representative on a Council ot over twelve. These Councils manage the whole of the affairs of the college, determine what subjects shall be taught and who shall teach them. The principal arguments adduced for the retention of the present system oi external examination are: 1. Tho examinations are entirely uniform, impersonal, and free from any suspicion of partiality. 2. Tho standard is maintained and the teaching stimulated by the outside examination. 3. The value of the degree is greatly enhanced. It is argued on tho other hand that these supposed advantages are illusory, and that as the examining work is not in the hands of the protectors the Conn- ( cils' responsibility in tho making of ap- I pointments id decreased. Further, the | method of organisation adopted by the , university and colleges makes it impossible for" the stalls in exercise their due influence on the policy of the university. In the earnest-hop* that you will not withhold from us the advantage of your

guidance, \re venture to ask you the following questions:— (a) Ought we to endeavor to substitute for the purely "external" examination some form of'test in which tho opinion of the teachers is taken into account? (b) What general powers should be given to the professors in the organisation of the university and colleges? We attach hereto a report on our university system by Dr. Starr-Jordan, president of the Leland Stanford Jiutior University, who visited New Zealand in 1907. Anv additional information or advice that you may feel disposed to give m will be gratefully received, and our university and community will Bo indebted to you. DR STARR-JORDAN'S MEMO. In the memorandum referred to in tho foregoing i)r Stafr-Jordan urges that examination should bo a function of the professor, not of the university; each professor should certify to tho oollego work which tho student has actually accomplished in satisfactory fashion; each college to certify to tho University of Now Zealand, through a voto of its professorial board, those students entitled to degrees. Requirements of degrees should bo stated in' terms of work accomplished, not in terms of examinations required ; the examination of any class should bo controlled by its teacher. Tho chairman of tho professorial board should have as many as possible of the functions of the American university president. I)r Si.arr-Jordan emphasises this point; The colleges in New Zealand should devpto themselves primarily to the actual needs of New Zealand. The professorship should tarn' greater power and greater responsibility than now, and much of the work of tho Council should be t rantsferred to tho four professorial boards. " In general," observes Dr Starr-Jordan, " the professor as teacher has far too little initiative in Australasian universities. Tho students, with their varied interests and varied talents, should bo tho first consderatiou of tho university. Honors may be granted on the judgment of the professorial bodv."

REPLIES FROM AUSTRALIA. PROFESSOR TUCKER'S VIEWS. It is tho intention of the Reform Association to publish all the answers to its queries. To-day are published tho replies tent bv Professor T. G. Tucker, M.A., Litt. 1). (Camb.), Hon. Litt. D. (Dublin), Professor of Classical Philology in the University of Melbourne. He is especially competent to give advice on tho matters submitted to him, lor he is a classical scholar with a very wide reputation, the author of a number of works on the classics (including 'The Poetica of Aristotle,' 'Life' in Ancient Athens,' 'Life in tho Roman World of Nero and St. Paul'), and* a recognised authority on university organisation. As Professor Tucker was at one time on tho staff of Auckland University College, ho speaks with a full knowledge of our local conditions.

THE TEST FORM. A.—Ought we to endeavor to substitute, for the purely "external" examination some form of test in which tho opinion of the teachers is taken into account? Professor Tucker's reply : —Of course. 1 should regard the present stale of things in New Zealand as intolerable. It- is cumbrous; it is humiliating;' and it is educationally a drag. It would bo interesting to know what- opinion the external examiners' are driven to form of tho status of a New Zealand professor, and consequently of tho New Zealand University and its colleges. It is only liigher authorities who should test educational work, as they should testt any other work. Why confess (what is not true) that tho New Zealand staffs are inferior to some outside agency—i.t>., that they are what a school is to a "university''? POWERS OF PROFESSORS. P>.—What general powers should be given t6 tho professors in the organisation of the umversity and colleges? Professor Tucker's reply : —Tho question is vague. I would rather specify the particular powers. But (1) the professors should alone decide all purely educational matters. So far as any other body intervenes, it should be only by veto in some extreme case or by suggestions to the body of professors. Educational government includes all arrangements for degrees, examinational or non-examinational. (2) Each professorial body should have direct representatives upon/ the Council of its college to the number of at least one-fourth of such Council, and on the Council of the. University tho professors (an equal proportion from each college) should amount to at least one-half. 1 regard the colleges as having relatively more financial business than the university. Three other Australian educationalists have so far answered the questions submitted to them by tho Reform Association. Professor Mttirgo MacCallum, M.A., LL.D., is a graduate of the University of Glasgow; was for seven years piofe:sor of English literature in University College, Aberystwyth. Wales; has been since 1887 professor of modern languages in the University of Sydney, and is now dean of the Faculty of Arts in that university, and a. member of the University Senate. Al the special request, of the- Commission held in Western Australia, Professor MaeCailum made recommendations on. the organisation of the university that is to be e.-tab lished there. Professor G. Arnold Wood, M.A., has held the position of CliaJlis Professor of History in tlm University of Sydney since 1891. " Professor J. P.. Peden, P..A., LL.B., is Professor of Law and Dean of the Faculty of Law in the University of Sydney. A.—Ought we to endeavor to substitute for "tho puiely "external" examination some form of test- in which the opinion

of the teachers is taken into account? "I think tluu't! can bo no doubt that llie existing'arrangement is a inor.t, objectionable one. It follows the experience tried at first, by llie l,ondon University an-l imitated by the Koyal University of ireland, but it never wuf attempted in Scotland. It is ridiculed on the Continents of Kurope and America., a.nd even the University of London lias found it unsatisfactory, anil liar. gi\en it i\f> for its 'internal stii-dents'-ne., the (.Undents of the afliliuted colleges. Moreover, llie urnntiiig of charters 10 the tinv provincial ot Kngland and Wales was rendcu-d necetsary chietly because !|ia univeisily colleges. Get of which they grew, rebelled against the tyranny of the eld London system. 'Thus the whole tiend of university development runs counter to the Xcw Zealand methods. f li:«l expoii' nee oi lliem when for seven vears I was piofcfl>or in .-„ university college of Wale*, and can-speak from experience when 1 state, as my linn conviction, that on this plan not only is there little room for the original and inspiring elements in academic teaching, but that the work of the teacher is apt to bo degraded to a handicraft. It would take too long to give all the grounds for my belief, which, however, will" be found in my lecture (Sydnev University Union Book, 1902, of which "i forward a ropy); but the. eum of the matter is that in a, proper university the leaching should rule the examinations, not the examinations the teaching." M. W. -MacCaixttm. B.—What general power;; should be given to the professors in the organisation of the university and colleges? "I think it is highly desirable that the professors 6hould have a certain proportion of seats—say, from 16 per cent, to 20 per cent. —on the governing board. Their more intimate knowledge ot the internal working of the various institutions makes their advice valuable, and in such numbers there is no risk that they will have undue induence. I think, however, that they should ait as representatives, not of tho professorial boards, but of the faculties, for in the former it may happen that particular groups of departments may have excessive nnmerii al predominance. "The professorial boards should have I large disciplinary powers, and should

have the right of initation in interfacuity' roatlJers; in regard'to matters that concern a single faculty, - that particular faculty is tho best judge. Boards and faculties may bo entrusted with tho administration and interpretation of tho bylaws and regulations. If they consider any change advisable they should send up recommendations to "the governing Board." M.' W. MacCaixum. A.—Ought we to endeavor to substitute for the purely "external" examination some form of test in which tho opinion of tho teachers is takeu into account ?

"I think that tho opinion of the teachers ought to bo taken into account. I consider it a very great advantago if the teacher can be allowed to determine tho course of study; for he will thus (in History) tench that subject or that period of which ho has most knowledge, and his teaching will have its greatest value. In such circumstances )ie is, I think, likely to be jus competent an examiner on work dope a 6 an Englishman. Even if lie cannot bo allowed to determine the courso of study, his personal knowledge of tho students and the conditions of their work give him a right to ask that his opinion be considered. " I have, however, felt that it would be a very great advantage* could I have the Jielp and advice of an outside examiner without personal knowledgo of the students. I find that one's judgment is apt to bo too much affected by one's personal relations with the students.' I think that tho best plan is that adopted-at English universities, like that, e.g., of Manchester, where, I believe, the professors co-oper-ate with an outside examiner in determining tho examination results." G. A. Wood. A.—Ought we to endeavor to substitute for the purely " external " examination some form of test in which tho opinion of the teachers is taken into account ?

" I think the answer to this question should be unhesitatingly iti the affirmative" J. B. Pedes. B.—What general powers should be given to the professors in the organisation of the university and colleges? "As a partial though not a full answer to this question, I think that some such system as that of Sydney University might be found to be a desirable and practical arrangement. That system is to have the four faculties (Arts, Law, Medicine, and Science) represented on the Senate by the Deans of tho Faculties—the Senate consisting of sixteen elective fellows and tho Deans as ex officio fellows." „ , J. B. Pedes.