THE UNIVERSITY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1841, 29 August 1913, Page 8

THE UNIVERSITY.

—: 4 ITS CONSTITUTION. THE SCHEME BY CONVOCATION. An important- meeting of. tho Victoria College District Court of Convocation was held last.evening. Mr. T. I!. Flem- ' iug, 1jL.8., presided, and was supported 1 by Professor T. A. Hunter, M.A., - 11.,5 c., I'rolessor 11. B. Kirk, 'M.A., and ] Messrs. C. J. Cooke, li.A., 13. S. j Stacker, M.A., J. H. Bakewell, M.A.; C. E. Adams, M.Sc., 0. G. G. Watson, 8.A., I*. 0. Morgan, M.A., I'. , Teuiiant, M.A., B.Sc., I''. JT. Wolter, , 8.A., G. W. von Zedlitz, -M.A., S.. ' Eiclielbaum, M.A., LL.H., E. A. Hercus, M.Sc., A. W.-Tevchentiv.', .M.A., E. H. '' Ballachiny, 8.A., A. Gavin, 8.A., W. A. Cathie, M.A., and E. Pigott. JS.A. Tho chairman reported that he forwarded the resolution of the last meeting to the Minister for Education (tho Hon. J. Allen) this asking Parliament to set up a Royal Commission to' investigate tlie question of university education in New Zealand, and the Minister's ' reply was that the matter was now before Parliament. ■ The chairman, in submitting the report, stated that the committee which met on August 12, were bound bv rules ' already passed. They thought that it : was, desirable to limit the title of professor, as the Otapio Council had conferred that title to such a large number of men that it was necessary to have certain limitations, each College Council to define them.' Mr. Bakewcll: If this scheme is adopted, what are we going to do with it? 1 The chairman: it will be forwarded to the Senate and the Education Committee. Mr. Bakewell: Has tln'3 Court of Convocation ar.y authority to formulate a complete scheme? The chairman: Certainly; I don't know'anything in the Act which limits the right of recommendation. Features of tlie Scheme. * The scheme was then discussed clause by clause and finally was adopted as follows: — The Senate.—To consist of thirty-two members in all, being the seven nonprofessorial members of each of the four College Councils, with the chairman of each of the four Professorial Boards. The Senate to have _fnil control of, the University. ', ... Tho "Academic Body" .described in the resolution of July 29. —To consist of all 'the Professors of the University. Powers of the "Academit: Body": To 1 make recommendations to the Senate as to degrees, diplomas, scholarships, and ' prizes, courses of study, and examiila- : tions. The College Councils, four in number, : each to consist of four members elccted 1 by the District Court; one member ap--1 pointed by the fiovc'rnor-in-Couneil; two members olected by tho Professorial Board, to he the only two 1 members of the college teaching start on 1 tho Council; and two members to hi 1 co-opted -by the other seven. (Each ; member to hold office for four years. 1 An election to be held every two years, tho elected members to retire in rotation, but to be eligible for rc-eleetion). • The College Council to manage the afi fairs of the college. I The Professorial Boards,'four in num- ■ bor—To remain as at present, with an ! organisation into faculties, which- shall i include every teacher of the college, and , shall have power of.. co-optation. !Tlie Courts, four in, number —To con-, i sist of: All ma-sters and doctors of tho I University of Now Zealand resident in i tht college district, whether original or • ' admitted ad oundem gradum; all , bacheloi-3 of the University of NewZealand .resident in .the college district-, l whether original or admitted ad eujidem' l gradum, of not' le3S than three years' . standing. Noto: Any graduate that - fails to enrol within six months after 3 qualification shall not bo . entitled :to 3 vote till six months after enrolment-. 3 Such persons resident in tho college 3 district as tho College Council may from r time to timo. appoint, whether as sub- - stantial benefactors of ono of tho colleges or of tho University; as repre- - sent-ative any commercial' industrial. ii scientific. . professional, or educational e society, institution, or association wit-h----s in the district of tlie court. Such'mem.l llers to hold oflico for five years. - Powers of,tho Courts: Power of election f to the College Councils ; nower of recomy meudation to any of. tlie University bodies. . , ■ Discission on the Scheme. ~ a ' ' w An amendment was proposed by ill*, o Bakewcll that tho worcte "tho . tojm [, 'professor to bo hereafter defined" should t bo omitted, his contention boing ;that o if they cast any such reflection it would t lead to friction. Q e Professor Hunter,remarked that.tho y -title must be defined, as fhero were if "no professors of universities in New v. Zealand—only professors of colleges. Tlie amendment was 'carried 'by two [1. votes to one, and tho words wero tlierefore deleted. i- Mr. Bakewell asked if the - Courts [] would include honorary- degrees if conii ferred by the University, and remarked that 'it was d standing disgrace that if New Zealanders, whose work in science e bad been recognised at Home, should i, have no standing' in their own colony, e though youths "were being .plastered if with degrees. • , ' e Mr. Bakewell moved tho omission of i- the clause giving donors of £500 a seat n oil the Court, and this was agreed to. e. It was decided. to call the scheme e "a scheme for the roconstitiition of i- tlTc "University as adopted by»thn Victoria College District Court of Convop cation." • ,