UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 43, 19 January 1938, Page 10

UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE.

CHANGES TO BE CONSIDERED

Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Jan. 18,

The University Senate concluded its session this morning. It passed a resolution : “That, with the object of giving post-primary schools greater freedom in forming their courses of work, the senate set up a committee to consider (a) the report of the New Zealand Council of Educational Research on the University entrance examination, (b) the advisability of abolishing the University entrance examination and substituting for it some other qualification for entrance to the University.” Another resolution passed was: “That the senate affirms the right of University teachers to fully exercise their functions and privileges as citizens, excepting that there is a special responsibility on them to weigh their public utterances.” During the debate Mr L. Deans Ritchie said he was at a loss to know why the motion was before the senate. If and when there was a request from the professors to consider the matter he would willingly do so, hut he saw no reason why it should be brought up at the present time. The motion reaffirmed their belief in the freedom of speech, but it was unnecessary to rearm one’s belief in axioms. The senate had never said that teachers had not freedom of speech, and, personally, the speaker had a high regard for the good sense, honour, and experience of professors and was willing to leave the matter in their hands.