UNIVERSITY SENATE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14888, 30 January 1914, Page 4

UNIVERSITY SENATE.

- » — i CHIEF POINTS IN THE SESSION'S BUSINESS: INTERVIEW WITH DR. HIGHT. Dr. J. Bight, of .Canterbury College, who returned yesterday from attending the session of the N,ew Zealand University at Dunedin, in an interview, went over tho principal matters dealt with by the Senate. MATRICULATION AND SCHOLARSHIPS. "The matriculation and scholarships examinations, which are tho only roads leading into the University, necessarily have considerable influence on the courses of work and the general character of the secondai-y schools, and every year there is a demand either from the schools or parents for a modification of their conditions," said Dr. Hight. "This year a few noteworthy steps were" taken. A Board of Moderators was set up to supervise the papers of the examiners lor the matriculation examination, so as to minimise in the future risk of great differences in the -standards of the papers in the various subjects in any given year, and to ensure continuity of standard over the wholeexamination f.oni year to year. Tho subject of geography was clearly defined in accordance with modern ideas. The fee for the re-examination of those candidates who have gained partial passes was lowered from two guineas to one guinea; but a motion to allow all such candidates to sit again for examination in March was defeated, as it was thought "such a concession would hamper tho work of the schools at a very inconvenient time of the year, encourage cramming, and tend to reduce tho average time spent at school, which is now not as long as it should be. In futuro an official list of the passes at all the entrance examinations will, be available in January, and also soon after as possible a complete list of candidates, indicated by numbers instead of names in the case of failures, with their marks in every subject. "The desire to encourage the vocational side of school life is seen in the resolution •to - ask the heads of the secondary schools to consider whether, the principles of agriculture should be included in tho subjects for entrance scholarships examination, nhd if so, to recommend a syllabus. The entrance scholarships course was amended in English to make it quite clear that it includes a knowledge of English • phonetics. "The report of tho committee charged with tho investigation of the precise nature and extent of the present entrance examinations system upon the secondary schools is to be made " ex * year at the Christchurch meeting, and is bound to raise some vital questions in which the general public ought to bo keenly interested, such, for example, as the ono debated at the recent meeting—whether it would noE be better to allow entrance to the University to all those wlio had pursued a full course at nn approved secondary school. This question was not fully discussed by members this year, as some felt that it would bo bettor to wait for the data which the above-mentioned will furnish the Senate with next year. T>EGREE COURSES. "The chief work done in connexion with the B.A. and B.Sc. courses was tho amendment of the statute which now allows students to repeat two subjects after their first section. It is believed that this will do a great deal to deepen the studies of those students who are above the average, and will have a very beneficial influence on tho character of the work done in tho honours and M.A. courses, and on the number attempting them. Students should note that this provision conies into forco at once. In fact, nearly atl the changes made at tho recent session take effect from the date of meeting. Separate syllabuses of workhavo been provided for 'repeat' in tlie different subjects, and the senior scholarships are in future to bo awarded on tho repeat papers. Alterations vera made m some of the cycles of books and periods for pass and honours, notably in French and German, and military science is no longer to be a subject for the B.A. or B.Sc. degree. Education has been included in the subjects for B.Sc. One of tho most important series of amendments was ono intended to differentiate as much as possible tho courses for B.A. and B.Sc.; so ns to prevent the duplication of degrees for work that is much tho same. A motion to subr stitute a mixed form of internal and external examination for the present system of external examination for decrees in arts and science was lost, and tho Senate further decided to suspend the motion passed last year asking for Professors' reports on students for the information of the Home examiners; so that in the meantime the Professorial Boards may come to some common agreement about the method of reporting. But some relief to students was made possible by tho change which now allows a College to hold its annual examination any time after August Ist, instead of October Ist, as hitherto. "Some important changes were made in the medical course, notably in , allowing students' clinical work at \ certain hosoitals other than at Dunedin to count as part of their course; and in Law it was decided to institute a form of moderation of the local papers for the LL.B., and to request the teachers of Law to overhaul the whole of the Law course during this year, information is also to bo got as to a course for the degree of Master of Commerce "Tho Christchurch committee has been instructed to collect information as to the practicability of establishing: a University Press. Such an institution is now recognised as an essential part of a University, and in New Zealand it would find plenty of scope in tho pub- | Heation of results of research by the Professors and graduates, and in the preparation of and I others—in the various subjects of thought specially adapted to the needs of the Dominion." Dr. Hight said that, one noteworthy feature of the recent meeting was the conferring of the first degrees awarded in Australia in Home Science upon two Dunedin ladies—Miss Helen Cameron and Miss Annie Stevenson. The course for the degree of B.Sc. in Home Science ! was carefully revised in tho light of the experience of the last three years.