ADMINISTRATION BY COLLEGE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24910, 25 June 1946, Page 4

ADMINISTRATION BY COLLEGE

NARROWING OF WORK SUGGESTED PROFESSORIAL BOARD’S VIEWS A suggestion that the Canterbury University College Council should administer University "affairs alone and not such institutions as the Canterbury Museum, Public Library, and high schools, as at present, was made yesterday afternoon at the meeting of the College Council. Elaborating a request from the Professorial Board that a joint committee should be appointed to consider the variety of institutions administered, the rector (Professor A. H. Tocker) said that this work was not all directly related to the academic life of the college. The doubling of the college roll in recent years had considerably increased staffing arid accommodation difficulties. The administration work was heavy. The council controlled, in addition to the college, the Canterbury Museum, Public Library, and certain postprimary schools. Supposing 60 per cent, of administration was now devoted to the affairs of the college and 40 per cent, to those of the other institutions, the direction of the full effort to college matters, by making other arrangements for the outside institutions. would go a long way toward meeting the growing needs of the college. In other centres, the university colleges’ administration was solely allied to the life of the university. Professor Tocker said. When the matter was raised in the report of the college committee, Mr T. H. McCombs, M.P., asked: “Does the Professorial Board not think our administration competent?” Professor Tocker said the suggestion was not put forward ih criticism of the present administration. He then elaborated on the proposals. “I hate to say this, but I do not think that waS entirely what the. Professorial Board had in view,” said Professor R. S. Allan. The Professorial Board of Victoria University College had raised the question of whether professorial boards should not have increased representation on university councils. Members of college councils were appointed in various ways—by the Governor-General, by members of Parliament, and other sections of the community. The question had been asked whether it was not time the proportion of seats was reviewed. Mr McCombs said the first version might properly be considered by' a joint committee, but in the matter mentioned by Professor Allan, if the constitution of the council was in question., the council should merely receive representations. The chairman (Mr J. H. E. Schroder) suggested that the joint committee should find out what was involved, and this course was approved.