Minutes of evidence taken by the Royal Commissioners appointed to consider the draft charter for the proposed Gresham University in London ... / presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons.
Date:
1894
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Minutes of evidence taken by the Royal Commissioners appointed to consider the draft charter for the proposed Gresham University in London ... / presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    1354/1410 (page 118)
    Appendix cumstances of medical education in London. These No. 58. apprehensions are confirmed by the official utterances Papers Nos. o f prominent promoters of the scheme ; who have not 5 and G. hesitated to purchase the co-operation of the Medical Schools by the ominous suggestion, that the mere qualification granted by the General Medical Council shall also qualify candidates {per sal turn) for the Albert M.D. degree. VII. To sum up. (1) The Albert University Draft Charter has been approved in disregard of the recom- mendations of the Royal Commission, and after an inquiry at which several of the institutions primarily interested were not represented. (2) Setting aside the scheme sketched by the Commission, it gives the practical control of the University to two colleges in which the public has not the fullest confidence. (3) Though professedly a teaching University, it can appoint no University Professors, and is dependent for its leaching on the staffs of the Colleges, over which it has no control ; (I) by perpetuating sectarian restrictions it lessens the efficiency of its university teaching; while (5) there is serious reason to fear a depreciation in the standard of its degrees, more especially in the Medical Faculty. Such a scheme ought not to be permitted to pass into law, and it is hoped that the friends of education every- where will do their utmost to secure its rejection, with a view to the introduction of a scheme founded on more comprehensive lines. Committee for opposing the Albert University Charter, 36, Outer Temple, Strand. February, 1892. PAPER No. 6. Sent to Commission after Conclusion of the Evidence. Scheme of Organisation or the New University, for London. Adopted by a General Meeting of Members of the Association for Promoting a Professorial University for London', held March 23rd, 1893. I'reauisle. [The Preamble should state the objects of the Charter to be— The organisation and improvement of the Higher Education in London; The better allocation and distribution of educa- tional means in the Metropolis: The continuance of the work of the present Uni- versity of London and of the existing higher Teaching Institutions in London; The promotion of Research, and the advancement of Scienco and Learning.] •I. Constitution of the University. The University to consist of— (a) The Chancellor. (b) Members. (c) Undergraduates. The Members of the University to be- (1) The Vice-Chancellor. (2) The Members of the University Court. (3) Professors and other Teachers appointed by the University during their term of office. (4) Examiners of the University during their term of office. (5) Graduates of the University. II. Governing Body of tiie University. 1. The Supreme Governing Body of the University to be called the University Court, and to consist of the Chancellor and 50 members, as follows :— («) The Chancellor, to be nominated by the Crown. (b) The Vice-Chancellor, to be elected annually by the Court from among its own body. (c) Twenty-five Professors of the University, each of whom shall be elected annually by the Pro- fessors of a definite group of cognate subjects in the University,—though each such group shall not. necessarily elect the same number of members. The groups of subjects to be determined from time to time ; the followirg are suggested: — 1. Philosophy (including Psychology). 2. History (including Archaeology and Econo- mics). 3. Philology. 4. Literature (English and Foreign, non- classical). 5. Literature (Classical). 6. ,, (Oriental). 7. Fine Arts. 8. Law. 9. Mathematics. 10. Physics. 11. Chemistry. 12. Biology and Geology. 13. Engineering and other applied Sciences. 14. Medicine. (d) Fourteen Members nominated by the Crown (ex- cept in the first instance, as herein-after provided, see Chap. v. 3) who shall hold office for five years, —a provision being made for the retirement of these members according to some fixed scheme of rotation. (e) Four Members, who shall hold office for five years, two being nominated by the Corporation of the City of London, and two by the London County Council. (/) Four Members, not being Teachers in the Uni- versity, to be nominated by the Court itself, and to hold office for five years. (g) The Chairman of Convocation and two other members elected by Convocation. 2. All Members of the Court to be eligible for re- election or re-nomination at the expiration of their terra of office. If any member of the Court shall fuil to attend a certain number of meetings, to be fixed by the Court, his seat shall ipso facto become vacant. The Court to have power to delegate any of its functions to committees of its own body. The Chan- cellor and Vice-Chancellor to be ex-ojficio members of every such Committee ; and of the remaining members at least one-third shall be nominated from among the professorial members of the Court. 4. The Senate to consist of all the Professors of the University. 5. Boards of Studies to bo appointed by the Senate, from among the Professors and Kxaminers. One such Board to be appointed for each group of cognate sub- jects, as may from time to time be determined. The Kxaininers lor the time being to form part of every Board of Studies which deals with those subjects in which they they examine. The Senate to have power to nominate as Member of a Board of Studies any I rniversity Teacher who is not a member of the Senate. 6. Convocation to consist of the Chancellor, the Vice- Chancellor, the Members of the Court, the Professors and Examiners of the University, the registered Doctors and Masters, and the registered Bachelors of three years' standing. All members of Convocation of the existing University of London to be membors of the Convocation of the new University. III.—Powers of the above-named Bodies. 1. The Court and its Committees to have control over ail University affairs, and on report from the Senate to appoint all Professors and Examiners, and to confirm the appointment of other Teachers. All Fees, Donations, and Bequests shall be paid to and vested in the University Court; and in case of the incorporation of existing institutions their property and funds shall become University Funds under control of th6 University Court, the conditions attaching to the use of Trust Funds being respected. 2. The Sruale and its Committees to have charge of all purely educational matters, subject to the general control of the Court; to advise the Court from time to time, and to make such recommendations to the Court as may seem to them fit. 3. Convocation to have power to elect the Member or Members of Parliament, and the representatives on the Court; and also to discuss University affaire, and to have power of appeal to the Privy Council in case of any change in the University Charter proposed by the Court.