PROFESSORIAL APPOINT* BENTS

Evening Star, Issue 18048, 16 August 1922, Page 5

PROFESSORIAL APPOINT* BENTS

.» - , VIEWS AND RECOMMENDATION® DISCUSSED BY UNIVERSITY COUNCIL. Certain views, which were embodied iKi a report, urging the desirability of adopting a uniform system of selection from amongst candidates for professorial chains were submitted by the.. Professorial Board to yesterday’s meeting of the Otago University Council. The report was as follows

In the case of candidates who make application from the United Kingdom, when appointments are advertised there, the letters of application and testimonials are submitted to a Selection Board of acknowledged experts in the subject to be proposed. This board does not appoint, but merely recommends the candidate wbo appears most eligible to experts on academic grounds.’ In'the case of candidates who apply from Australasia ho such courea is pursued, the-letters and testimonials only being submitted to the University Council, who do not consult expert advisers. The Professorial Board is strongly of opinion that the documents of local candidates should he submitted to some scrutiny comparable to that prescribed to those from Home. Testimonials are always so written as to make the best case for the individual candidate, who will, of course, submit no others, and the value of the testimonial has largely to be estimated by what it omits. No one can form a correct estimate except an expert the subject concerned. The council Laa already accepted the principle of procuring expert advice before making appointments in certain cases —0.g., it is understood that it is the prerogative secured by agreement of tire directors of the Schools of Mines and of Dentistry to advise the council upon proposed appointments to tho teaching staff of these schools, and that the advice is habitually sought from arid given by these directors. It Js also understood that-it has always been tho practice of the council to take tire advice of the councils of - the Law Society and of the Society of. Accountants upon proposed appointments in the Schools of Law and Commerce respectively. The Professorial Board therefore respectfully suggests to the University Council that the principle ao accepted should he of general application, and that the documents of file candidates for professorial chairs, whether from Australasia or else where, shall bo submitted to experts in the subjects concerned ; they do not desire that tho experts shall 'select, but merely recommend. The Professorial _ Board would suggest that when applications are received from Australasian candidates for any academic chair that a local advisory committee of not less than three person? be set up, which shall be neither a committee of the University Council nor _of tho Professorial Board, but on which members of either shall bo eligible to sit. 'The advisory committee shall consider the documents of the local candidates, and also those of any candidate recommended by a selection board at Homo. A further point which impresses the Professorial Board is the fact that many chairs in Otago University are tho only ones of their kind in tho country; the whole dominion therefore appears to bo interested, and it might on any occasion be desirable to invito the greatest experts m the country, irrespective of their connection with Otago University, to sit on the Advisory Committee! such experts should be co-opted by the local, committee. The Professorial Board desires to submit that the system of appointment should in ell cases provide for expert opinion. Mr Wallace moved that tho communication he received. He was of the opinion that thoy were on dangerous ground when they allowed employees to think that they had a chance of recommending appoint* ments. He thought tho easiest way, was to receive tho letter and say no mate about it. Dr Bonham said he did not think the council would be justified In merely receiving the letter. Ho did not think any professor should take any share in the appointment of any one of his colleagues. They took a good deal of trouble to tell the council that they did not want to have anything to do with it. He proceeded to relate at length what the custom, had been, and said that thoy wanted to set up an advisory board ■ k> i which these cases mi.ciht bo sent, and give people a corresponding chance. They said that there should be some committee to decide the qualifications of the' applicants. It was no now thing. There had been a committee. Experts should he asked to recommend. Ho moved that the principle of the report bo approved. There was no seconder to the amendment. Dr W. M. Macdonald said it was a very harmless-looking document, hut they had to take file thing in the light of the past. They knew that the professors did not want to get more control over appointments. The principle did not exist in a Home university. The governing bodies made the appointments, and he submitted that file council -had provided a body to make appointments. They did not need to know about the classical scholars _o! Europe. The professors had never raised any objection before, and he thought it was dangerous to hand over _any more power. Ho supported the motion. Mr Stephens said Oie intended to vote for the motion, but he did not want to be misunderstood ns supporting the present system. He had considerable sympathy with the statement made in the circular, resolution, or statement adopted by the Professorial Board, but a suggestion was made that there were very obvious and real dangers. He was not satisfied that they had an ideal system of appointment at present, and in consideration of applicants for chairs, from Australia, in any case, they did not make sufficient inquiries. He thought inquiry should bo made by a committee of the council. Ho hoped that suggestion would not be allowed to die, but would bo taken into consideration,' and that they would set up a committee of the council to consider applications for any chair, and that tho committee would make any Inquiries necessary. The Chairman (Mr W. IT. Morrell) (said he felt that there were matters set forth in the letter from the Professorial Board which did deserve consideration by the council in any future •appointments. This advisory committee proposed was constituted to advise upon purely academic terms. If it was to consider purely academic points it was not in a position to recommend. It was for file council to consider the personality of applicants, and he thought the council would do wisely to consult officially a committee of its own, or consult experts. He did not see how it could do any harm to got good advice, no matter where it came from. Dr Fitzgerald said tho whole matter could he left to the council. If the council wanted an expert opinion it would ask for it. He did not think they should abrogate their right to any outside body. Tho motion proposed by Mr Wallace was carried.