UNIVERSITY REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1103, 17 April 1911, Page 6

UNIVERSITY REFORM.

GOVERNMENT AND EXAMINA" TIONS. A COMMISSIONER'S VIEWS. Writing to the local University Reform Association on the subject of University government, appointments, and examinations, J'roff-SEoi Alex. Hill, M.A., M.1)., F.K.C.S., makes certain points which, in view of tho recont statements by the Chancellor of tho New Zealand University (Sir Robert Stout) concerning tho University of Wales aucl tho English provincial universities, will bo read with interest. Professor Hill, it may be noted, has had exceptional opportunities of getting au intimate knowledge of university organisation and administration. He has filled the positions of Hunterian Professor at the lloyal College of Surgeons, and president of tho iVemological Society. He has twice acted as Commissioner for the English Government to report on the Emdish Universities, and as late as 1907-WOB acted on a small committee thai reported on the University of AVales. As lie was also Master of Downing College, Cambridge, for lime years, and Vice-Chancellor of that University for two years, it would bo difficult to find anyone better qualified to speak on the question of University reform. Ho says:— "In 1901 and again in 1006 I was appcintod one of two commissioners to renort to Parliament upon the universities'and university colleges in England which receive grants from the Treasury. In 1907-8 I served on a small committee which examined and reported on the University—and its three constituent colleges—of AValcs. In the Bluebecks whicli we prepared aro contained complete but succinct account* of the organisation of teaching and examining adopted by all tho newer universities—viz., Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham, Bristol (Londou, in part), and the AVeish University. With variations in detail tho scheme of government and management is the sunvt in all. "(a) A very largo and representative Court of Governors, which ib convened at least once a year. "(b) A council partly appointed by the court, partly representative. "(c) A senate consisting of the Pria« cipal, Deans of Faculties, and Professors of the University. "Subject to review by the council, tho senate has tho government, management, and carrying out of the curriculum, instruction and education afforded by tho university; it prescribes and arranges the examinations held by tho university,; it recommends for degrees, scholarships, etc., etc. "Appointments to teaching posts nro nade by the. council in consultation with the senate. In all the newer universities examinations are conducted by two examiners in each subject, one a member of the staff of tho university (i.e., the professor of the subject as a rule), the other selected by the court from outside. "In several of the universities, but not in all, students aro not allowed to sit for ah examination unless they aro qualified by their teachers' terminal reports ; or the teachers' terminal reports .ore considered conjointly with tho examiners', and a candidate is credited with a proportion of the marks which in either report are in excess of the pass number, e.g., if his teacher has awarded sixty marks in the total of thii periodical examinations and the pass mark is fifty, five of the teachers' marks will bo allowed to make good the deficit of not more than five marks in the examiner's report. ''J'hc fact that all the universities which .'have been free to devise their own statutes, unfettered by Act of Parliament or by traditions too firmly established ,to bo ignored, have adopted similar schemes which throw the whole responsibility for teaching and examining upon the heads of their teaching staff is, as it appears to me, of more importance than any individual opinion."