Other formats

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

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Salient: Victoria University Students' Newspaper. Vol. 24, No. 9. 1961

Our Objections

Our Objections

We object to the change for three reasons: "Wellington University" would not be formally correct; because, on the precedent of Canterbury and Otago universities, the names refer to the province, not the city. But Wellington province already contains another university, at Palmerston North. Misrepresentation, sir! Discourtesy to Palmerston North.

Secondly, the present name in its various forms sound pleasant: "Victoria University of Wellington"—impressive and sonorous. "Victoria University," " Victoria," " Vic.". " V.U.W."—handy, pleasant, and distinctive. But, "Wellington University" is an ugly, awkward mouthful. "The University of Wellington" is more a description than a proper name, and needs the continual use of the article. "Wellington" is far too easily confused with the City. "U.W." is nasty and "W.U." is impossible.

Thirdly, the name has been "Victoria" for 50 years. Why change it, just to gratify the whims and egos of petty businessmen and city councillors. Who can sanely doubt that the loss of its old name would damage the tenuous sense of identity of this old grange? The change from "Victoria University College" to V.U.W., a few years ago, was a good one, and did no damage. With the transformation of Vic. in the last few years, with big new buildings reluctantly popring up all over the place and new projects in the future, it will soon be quite remarkably different from itself 30 years ago. A sense of continuity with the past is too precious to throw away. It is something that can be used to unite the student body, especially as based around the solemnity of the capping ceremony. Why risk losing it, by discarding a name that is essential to the character of the place, to the link with Vic's beginnings? Senses of identity and continuity are things you realise the importance of when you don't have them. Then again, isn't this deletion disrespectful to British royalty? See how the South Africans are taking down the royal portraits and changing their packs of playing cards. The name is far more important to the students and staff of the university, who have to live with it, than to the public administrators. With the suggested change, for the sake of clerical convenience and the flattering of the egos of a few senseless businessmen, these people stand to gain nothing, and lose something rather valuable. They have (at least) a right to be consulted. At the best, the students and staff should be the actual makers of the decision, by referendum.