In the course of its four-day meeting the 31-member Senate conned over u muss of reports and statistics almost a foot thick, enjoyed long academic wrangles over procedural points, took time out to watch the NZU rugby team trounce the Springboks, and made significant changes in University curricula and policy.

Gabfest honours

Honours for most talking at the senatorial gabfest were taken by college academic heads, Victoria's principal Williams and council chairman Stout leading by a good margin. Not far behind were Otago's vice-chancellor Soper and Auckland's principal Maidment, Canterbury's delegation conceding fourth place to NZU vice-chancellor Currie and Director of Education Beeby.

Sir David Smith ... art and the modern age

The change in name to "University" to replace the present "University College," got an initial blessing from Chancellor Sir David Smith in his opening address.

A special committee report was tabled on this subject and the replacement of NZU by some other central and co-ordinating body thrashed out. Meantime, all that will be effective is the change in name, no degree-conferring powers being yet delegated.

These will come sometime later, when the organization replacing NZU is decided on.

Entrance standards

Varsity entrance standards again came under searchlight examination. Auckland took a sharp rap on its academic knuckles for proposing tougher standards for matriculation.

After long debating on whether AUC legally had power to enforce them, Auckland's principal, K. Maidment, factfully agreed to withhold any further action or proposals tilt Senate stages a full-scale debate on a special report to be tabled next Senate meeting.

Old corpse, new baby

Administering some quick doses of senatorial medicine the Senate made a slick change from undertaker, to midwife.

The corpse neither journalists nor Varsity wanted—the time-honoured Diploma in Journalism—was speedily interred in spite of a noteworthy rearguard tight by one-time Christchurch Star-Sun Commercial editor Donald Bain, and a new pharmacy course was brought into the NZU curriculum.

The pharmacists will find a niche in or near Otago's medical school and take at least a three-year course for a degree or diploma. They will be the cream of the pharmaceutical world, the others being trained at a technical institute yet to be established.

To the Senate committee on pharmacy education which had a heavy time considering the problem, the Education Department has suggested a technical institute which would train ordinary pharmacists as well as other technicians and technologists.

This is likely to be the procedure followed, but further discussions have yet to take place.

Education Director C. E. Beeby said such an Institute could be got under way "by transforming the present Hutt Valley Technical College into a National Technical Institute. This plan has so far been discussed at departmental level only.

Technological needs

With big technological progress overseas New Zealand must not be left behind in the industrial race. Senate considered two papers on technology presented by Drs. Currie and Beeby, who discussed problems and needs of training technologists (those qualified and experienced to be members of professional institutions) and technicians (qualified by specialist technical education and practical training to work under a technologist's direction) in New Zealand.

With Universities rapidly reaching capacity rolls and their expansion budgets geared to a record low for Commonwealth countries by a Government that regards universities as educational extravagances, technological education inside their academic walls is a big question, educationally and financially.

Having probed the problem, NZU—and the organization which eventually takes over from it—will have it constantly in mind during coming decades.

Examination fees

Plans to make campus followers dig deeper by putting exam stakes up a cool 25 per cent, all round were narrowly defeated after treasurer E.C. Fussell, also currenly head of the Reserve Bank, tabled details of a general increase.

It had earlier been mooted there would be an increase in Junior Scholarships "if funds could be found." After proposals to get the £sd from the Government were rejected, the inference was it would come from the fee increase, especially after Treasurer Fussell said a 5s. increase would mean an extra £17,000 in the coffers.

Despite AUC Professor Davis's plea for harder living for students (he recalled Auckland undergrads going to 25s. balls with sprays for girls plus taxis), consideration of any increase was deferred till next year.

NZUSA's application for a seat on the Senate was again turned down but a general feeling of approval for the principle was voiced. If NZUSA has a good case ready well in advance for next Senate meeting the chances are it will get a place in the sun.

Senate meets again next February. Address to Senate

Fashions come to VUC

A novel attraction in the college this week is the fashion parade organized to raise funds for the Rowing Club. These parades are popular in n number of Australian and American universities, where women (and men) are more fashion-conscious than New Zealand students. And they're [unclear: to body the helping each week can] an excellent fund-raising stunt.

With the co-operation of professional models from the city and of the management of a leading city store, the organizers of this week's parade are starting something which should catch on. The idea, to display garments suitable for Varsity girls, is a good one in itself—and by no means all the interest in this week's event has been confined to the female section of the student public.

Salient, a student newspaper in Victoria University College, printed by Kapi-Mana News Ltd., Plimmerton, and edited and published by Richard Nicholas Turner, journalist, of 54 Central Terrace, Wellington, for the Victoria University College Students' Association (Inc.), Wellington.

Friday. September 14. 1956