STUDENTS’ FORUM

Evening Star, Issue 26138, 27 June 1947, Page 9

STUDENTS’ FORUM

UNIVERSITY VACANCIES LARGE NUMBER OF LECTURESHIPS Vacancies on the staff of the University of Otago now amount to a considerable ■ number and, although the majority are in the lectureships, some notable appointments will be made before the end of the year. Considerable changes in the size and personnel of the staff took place during 194 b, and the 1947 additions will largely complete the post-war readjustment. The most interesting vacancy is that of the Vice-Chancellorship, wliicli will soon be advertised. The appointment will cause a considerable change in the administration of the University. The resignation of the Registrar (air H. Chapman) is also in the hands ot the council, but it will not take eficet until the Vice-Chancellor is firmly

established. . Two important chairs will become vacant at the end of the year. Dr R. Jack is resigning as professor ot physios, and Dr R. J. T. Bell is retiring from his position as professor ot mathematics. Dr Jack is the semoi professor in length of service, having been appointed in 1914, and Dr Bell lias occupied the chair of pure and applied mathematics since 1920. I’.nch has taken a live interest in administration and Dr Jack is dean of the Faculty of Science and Dr Bell is chairman of the Professorial Board. . ■ Other important positions that will have to bo filled this year are those of senior lecturer in mathematical physics, senior lecturer in physics, senior lecturer in economics, senior

lecturer' in psychology, senior lecturer in geology, lecturer m political science, lecturer in botany, lecturer ill geography, lecturer in zoology, lecturer in chemistry, asssitant lecturer in mathematics, assistant lecturer in English, and assistant lecturer in economies Library Guide. Mr John Harris, librarian to the University, has issued another edition of the valuable, ‘ Guide to New Zealand Reference Material and Other Sources of Information.’ The whole range of knowledge, so far as it ap- . plies to New Zealand, is covered, and where printed material is lacking some .source of information is usually indicated. The base of the schedules is general reference, bibliographies, and libraries philosophy, the pure sciences, the social sciences, applied aits, fine arts, languages and literature. Each of these is subdivided into sources. The work took two years.

Capping Post Mortem. Thisyear’s capping carnival is a tiling of, the past so \ far as undergraduates are concerned. It was once again a profitable venture, and the Crippled Children Society has benefited financially. Verbal opinions of the procession, the concert, and tho hook ' varied considerahl.y, but the student executive has received written compliments on the high standard achieved by the procession in particular, including a letter from the University Council.

Oscars were presented at an after-the-show gathering on the last night of the concert to Dan Druff and Silver Grin. The concert director forecasts changes again next year in the style of the presentation, the most likely one being a reversion to the old form of variety show. No one has yetsuggested, lie states, least of all the cast, that women be again relegated to back-stage duties. Many people were a little dismayed at the almost complete break with tradition made in the concert, states the director in an article in ‘ Critic,’ tlie student newspaper. He adds : “Those who remembered many years, of the old variety concert with female impersonation and burlesque were presented with an ambitious ‘ Revue,’ with real women, a disguised, but fortunately, unsubdued sextette, and straight ballets. One of the few things that remained was the apathetic audience of graduates, sitting smugly in their borrowed finery full of the sense of intellectual superiority.” Canterbury Plans. Canterbury College has aligned itself with Otago in deciding that extensions on the existing site are preferable to the* establishment of a new centre altogether in an outer suburb. “ If a university is not an integral part of the city in which it lives, then its purpose can never be properly fulfilled: and to achieve that purpose the institution should he as near as possible to the centre of the city’s interests,” Comments the ‘ Star-Sun.’ The council, the Government, and the public must hear in mind that higher education in New Zealand is predominantly a part-time occupation and that for a long time to come only a minority of students can hope to follow a'full-time university course. Bearing this in mind it is essential that university facilities shall he available within easy reach of occupational centres and domiciled in such a place as to cause difficulties over travel to and from lectures.” .