Salient

This issue of Salient marks the foundation of a new era in Student Publications throughout New Zealand. With an increasing student roll and an expanding intellectual tradition, students have come to expect more of their campus newspaper. Thus at a time when new literary ventures are continually facing the scythe of mental barrenness and monetary hardships, solidity and continuity are essential in something as necessarily transient as a campus newspaper.

All the other Universities in the country are facing the same problems of high costs and editors who are unwilling to give up time and usually units to maintain the literary standard expected. Subsidies from general funds are reaching astronomic levels as they endeavour to offset a reasonable selling price against the increasing cost of production. Lack of experience among editors has often in the last few years involved Students' Associations in costly legal actions with resultant loss of faith among students.

During 1964 Otago University made its first move towards a more solid financial footing by increasing the revenue from advertising to offset and replace much of their general subsidy. While this was a good move it still throws a considerable responsibility on the Advertising Manager and his ability to sell space. They also proposed to distribute the paper free to all students in 1965.

Over the past 5 years the Publications Committee at Victoria have made some very intensive studies into the working and future of Salient. This culminated in two very fine reports which were presented in 1964. The present system is a result of this work and other suggestions will be brought into action when the development of the paper warrants the need.

The first problem was that of continuity among editors. With 7 editors in 3 years matters were rapidly reaching panic and standards suffered accordingly. To solve this a Scholarship of £200 was set up to give the editor or editors some financial security and also enable the Association to have more control over the organisation of the paper. This will in no way infringe the rights of the responsible editor to print controversial material.

With a general subsidy last year of £750 to Salient we were faced with the possibility of as much as £1200 being needed this year. At a Special General Meeting late in 1964 it was decided that a flat amount of 10/ - per student should be paid towards Salient. The paper would then be available to every student at no further cost. This has enabled Salient to budget for larger issues and will probably help to increase advertising as the circulation is now covering the whole student group.

As students you can contribute greatly to the success or failure of a campus newspaper. If you have suggestions or complaints please write in about them and don't mumble in the background. Active criticism is always welcomed as part and parcel of a live newspaper. We now have a solidly backed and securely organised newspaper and we can only hope that with your support bigger and brighter things may be seen in the future.

C. J. R. Robertson,

V.U.W.S.A. Publications Officer.

The notion of academic freedom is difficult to clarify briefly: one's understanding of the idea will depend on a whole philosophy of what a university is and what it should aim at. In popular language, the university is "school" and the student is a peculiarly retarded, irresponsible sort of person who is taking too long to grow up and is likely to be rash, unruly, and expensive to keep.—Canta, University of Canterbury.

American-Released statistics indicate that you can expect half of what you are now learning to be obsolete in five years If you are studying physics, in 10 years if you are studying engineering, and in 15 years if you are studying law. In some of the physical sciences, half of what you will need to know in the next 10 years hasn't even been discovered yet.