71

8.—7 a,

of the University in the following manner : Eight members should first be elected by the whole of the professorial staff of the University, and, when such election has taken place, the remaining twelve members should be elected by the several Professorial Boards of the constituent colleges, three members being elected by each Board. Such a procedure will enable each Board to make its choice, knowing the personnel of a considerable section of the Academic Board. It will thus be possible to secure representation for any special subject, or Faculty, which the Board desires to include in its representation. We consider that a good basis of representation for an Academic Board is representation by Faculties, but the difficulties in the way of such ace too great. Presuming that a fairly adequate balance of representation of Faculties can be secured, the ideal Academic Board would be made up by the inclusion of the strongest element of the professoriate, of men who in academic qualification and teaching power stand high in the regard of their fellows. They should be able to take a broad and liberal view of questions as affecting the welfare of the University as a whole, and not as affecting the real or supposed interests of their own College. We feel, however, that provincial feeling is so strong in the Colleges that at present the only course practicable is that the Colleges should be guaranteed, up to a point, equality of representation on the Academic Board. We have made no provision for a definite representation of the Special Schools. The Colleges concerned with such schools may, however, be looked to to provide for such representation by electing suitable representatives, and it certainly is their interest to do so. If the senior teachers of the University are animated by good will to" the University as a whole, they have the opportunity to appoint an Academic Board representative of the strongest elements of the teaching staff, and adequate in its composition to carry out the delicate and difficult work entrusted to it. The Academic Board should work as far as possible through the college Faculties, and through special committees called together by the Board for special occasions. On such special committees the Board should have power to include persons not on the teaching staff, and should use this power. The number and variety of subjects nowadays included in university courses, and the intimate touch which many of these have with practical affairs, afford excellent reasons why this practice should be followed. The Academic Board should advise the Council on all academic matters, but it should also have the right, on its own initiative, to discuss, and forward to the Council an opinion on any matter whatsoever relating to the University. The Council must have the right to the final decision on all matters of University concern, but it should, as a matter of administrative economy, delegate from time to time duties to the Academic Board, and, as a matter of principle, should give the greatest weight to academic opinion on purely administrative matters, or, as the London University Commission Report happily puts it, the action of the governing body in matters reported upon by the Academic Board " should be judicial rather than executive." Ihe governing body of the University should, we recommend, be called the Council. Its main duty will be to lay down and maintain a policy for the University. In this it will be guided by the Academic Board. It is of the greatest importance that the Council should be composed of men who are likely to take a broad, national view of University development, and who are keenly interested in the progress of higher education. They should be, essentially, men who can deal with a question judicially, and who have a good knowledge of administration, especially of such administration as is carried on largelv by delegation of powers. University administration rests upon this principle. The opinion of the London University Commission is in favour of a Council differing very greatly in constitution from that of the present Senate. It will not hear ] of the representation of special interests or of special institutions. " The Senate ' should not be in the main a representative body, and should not, as to any large part, consist of teachers. The teachers who have seats upon it should not be so elected as to represent particular studies or particular institutions, but merely to ensure a mutual understanding between the men of affairs and the men of learning. It is of the utmost importance that the Senate should be so constituted as to be able

Difficulties in way of ideal representation.

Academic Board and Faculties.

Council in relation to Academic Board judicial, not executive.

Governing body of University.

Basis not representation of localities or interests.