Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Salient: An organ of student opinion at Victoria University, Wellington. Vol. 23, No. 3. Monday, April 11, 1960

Proposed Winter Seminar

page 10

Proposed Winter Seminar

Recently at a meeting of the Resident Executive of NZUSA a proposal was made that there be an annual seminar held, say, at Massey College on Queen's Birthday weekend to discuss problems and topics of student interest—hostels, bursaries, race relations and so on. Students could be nominated by their respective executive committees, say ten or fifteen from each.

Interesting Proposal

The proposal is an interesting one. It would be an extension of a number of traditional and worthwhile activities which already take place regularly in the student world in New Zealand. We have Congress at Curious Cove every year, and two sports tournaments comprising all the usual sporting activities of two seasons. On a more serious side we have the full council meetings of N.Z.U.S.A., held concurrently with tournaments, where the general policy of the Association is decided scene dominated by these activities, but the local scene is tremendously enlivened by the numerous sporting, social and intellectual clubs which form the basis of extra-curricular activity under the aegis of the autonomous local associations.

Airing Serious Problems

But with few of these activities do serious problems and topics receive the airing some of us think they should receive. Some of the clubs and societies have federated, such as the university radical clubs and international and law societies, for example, and they form opinion. The administrative bodies are, of course, strictly "utilitarian." Perhaps nowhere else than in the Congresses at Curious Cove are wider and more significant issues discussed in the best possible environment and atmosphere The proposed seminar at Queen's Birthday weekend would be a winter supplement, so to speak, of Congress, though none the less independent.

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of such a winter gathering would stem from the shortness of the a mere three days, although this could be to some extent overcome by full preparation and by maximum utilization of the time available— and remember that in the coolnees of winter our brains will probably be ticking over somewhat more effectively than in the lazy heat of summer—and by a strict limitation of the number of topics to be discussed in the programme. There may be a few difficulties on the organising side, for example, who decides what is to be discussed, whether there should be prepared papers—in which as a siminar session would be much like a Congress session. But difficulties aside we could begin to look upon this proposed seminar as a warranted extension of national student activities, helping towards a fuller knowledge of each other as students and as an instrument for greater co-operation and mutual understanding. I do realise, and the reader will no doubt think too, that such terms as these are all too often bandied about and seem to have little meaning in the face of events. But if this seminar were established it would go some little way to give such statements more meaning—in the student world at least.

Many Overseas Seminars

In the sphere of international student co-operation a number of seminars such as the proposed one take place annually in various countries. An Asian Regional Cooperation Seminar at which New Zealand is being represented by three students is at the present time being held in Malaya. This seminar is however more concerned with student politics. Our proposed seminar would be concerned not with student politics as these are adequately discussed at the Council meetings twice a year, but with serious intellectual and educational topics which bear on us as students and citizens. Take bursaries for instance. Should we regard them as a right which it is the duty of the government to provide, or as a privilege, to be distributed on merit only—in other words how far should the welfare intrude into university education? Or take race relations. In recent months this subject has become most controversial because of the decision made by the Rugby Union on selection of All Blacks, and we have become even more aware that racial problems exist right here at home. These and many other subjects, controversial or otherwise, could be profitably discussed at the seminar.

The Student Press

I should have mentioned earlier one other medium of communication and contact between students—the student newspapers. Controversial subjects are often given much space in these pages and can give student opinion a direction. But a seminar brings in the personal element and rejoinder and comment can flow freely.

—D.G.J.