UNIVERSITY SENATE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2714, 20 January 1910, Page 5

UNIVERSITY SENATE.

SIR ROBERT STOUT'S ADDRESS

rPr.it Pitr.ss Association.|

DUNEDIN, Jan. 19. Sir Robert Stout’s address to the University Senate is not so long as usual. He urged that if mathematics were insisted on at matriculation, students should be permitted to obtain a B.A. degree Avithout further mathematics, but be would insist on either botany, zoology, chemistry, of physics being compulsory if this concession were granted. There was no need to approach Parliament for poAvers to grant a Bachelor of Literature degree. Our requirements in mathematics for a B.A. degree wore more exacting than those of Cambridge. Referring to the discussion on university reform, he remarks: ‘‘The issues raised are large and complicated. To dispose of them in a hurried manner might be productive of serious mischief. Neither at Cambridge nor Oxford has there been any demand by colleges for mower to grant degrees, or a demand for further increased powers to the uniA’ersity. There is in New Zealand the special question of disposal of accumulated funds. -Who is to administer these ? Hoav are they to bo supplied ? If they are to be divided between affiliated colleges it Avill be difficult to arrive at a principle of division. Everywhere in the Homeland I found a desire for the furtherance of higher education. The principal sources of last wear’s reA'enue were: State grant £3OOO, fees £6302, interest £IOO9. The expenditure included office salaries £1035. English examiners £llO6, colonial do £IB2O, scholarships £1915; balance in hand, £l2-50.

BUSINESS OF THE MEETING. At the meeting of the University Senate to-day discussion arose over the confirmation of the minutes. It appears that last April a special meeting of the Senate passed a Bill which had been read a second time by the Senate a ; its previous ordinary meeting, and the question of whether this Avas ultra vires was raised by the Rev. A. Cameron. who moved that legislation adopted at the special meeting be ratified. To this it AA-as proposed to add by wav of amendment, but the Senate are of opinion that the action taken by this special meeting was irregular. The voting on the amendment was 7 for and 7 against, but it Avas carried on the chairman’s casting vote. The year’s account showed a credit balance sheet of £1250 11s 4d. The Scholarship Committee was instructed to report on the proposal by the Recess Committee “that it was not desirable to amalgamate the matriculation and junior national scholarship examinations, but that the programmes of work for these examinations be assimilated as far as possible.” The Committee were also instructed to report on the letter from the Education Department requesting the Senate to define' more clearly the/ conditions on which the Senior National Scholarships Avere held, particularly in regard to the reasonable limitation of classes on which fees were to be refunded. A petition from 50 doctors in New Zealand praying that there should be a special curriculum and annual examination for the degree of Master of Surgery, legislatNe authority for the granting of which now exists, was referred to the Medical Committee. The question of military training and its bearing upon students and the suggested inclusion of military subjects as part of the course in the arts degree were referred to a special military education committee for report. Recommendations from the examiner in music (matriculation) that harmony should be declared essential for a pass, and a communication from the UniVersity of Melbourne on matters relating to the co-operation of the Universities of Australia and New Zealand in conducting music examinations Avere referred to the Music Committee. A report was received from the University Agent in England advising that steps be taken in regard to the appointment of examiners. A committee was appointed to consider the question of appointing examiners. At the University Senate meeting today a discussion took plpoe on the question of delays and inaccuracies in transmission of results of examinations from England, the matter being brought up by the receipt, through the respective Professional Boards, with their commendation and approval, of complaints from Students’ Associations of Otago University and Victoria College. The complaint of Otago students Avas that inaccuracies sometimes crept into cabled results, that delay Avas at- times experienced in the diffusion _ of detailed particulars after their arrival in Wellington, and that results of examinations Avere sometimes not known till after the commencement of classes and lectures in the uoav year, this occasioning much vexation and inconvenience to students. The main complaint of Victoria College students Avas in respect to delays caused by 11011-receipt of results till after the commencement of ucav lectures. The Registrar (Mr J. W. Joynt) made a statement which indicated that careful steps were being taken to ensure accuracy this year. The practice up to the present had been for passes in high, er examinations to be cabled and in lesser examinations) for failures to be cabled, the object being to reduce the expense of cabling. This places a disadvantage on students ivho took more than absolutely necessary to secure passes. This year, to obviate 0113’ error, he had asked the Home agent to cable passes and not failures in everything, while in case of students/ about whom a slight difficulty' occasionally happened before, the agreement was to name' the subject of failure immediately after code name of candidate. This course, if correctly folloAved, would absolutely relieve all candidates of all incr nvenionce which they had been suffering under. With reference to the complaints of delay in Wellington, the Registrar said experience showed results could not be got out more quickly than- at present. After further discussion the matter was referred to the November Examinations Committee for consideration.