346 



NA TURE 



[May 20, 1909 



:Some tradition on my office forbids that I sliould in 



■ any way prejudice or anticipate any opinion to whicii 

 the University, or any part or parts of our body, may 

 give expression formally or informally during what 

 may be called years of grace. But I think I may 

 hazard one observation. 1 believe that there is hardly 

 a single suggested change which could not be efl'ected 



■by existing statutory powers, by internal reorganisa- 

 tion, and by cooperation of colleges. The opportunity 



.is a unique one; shall we miss it? " 



Since this address a considerable number of the 

 members of the Senate who take an interest in the 

 affairs of the University have been periodically 

 meeting to consider how far a common basis can be 

 arrived at for reform in the Constitution and Govern- 

 ment of the University. 



Cambridge has thus proceeded on different lines 

 from O.xford. Within the last si.x months the Hebdo- 



:madal Council has from time to time brought forward 

 Graces suggesting alterations in the Constitution of 

 Oxford University. These have in almost all cases 



:been thrown out. Now they are confronted with a 



■ comprehensive scheme, due to the energy and 

 statesmanlike thought of a single mind, that of their 

 'Chancellor. The Council has accepted nine-tenths of 

 his suggestions, and it now rests with Convocation 

 and Congregation to see how many of these will be 



xarried into effect. 



Cambridge, on the other hand, has sought to find a 

 ■point of reform which would be accepted by what we 

 might term the moderate conservative. The leaders 

 of both parties are agreed on certain questions, and 

 :lt may be that, as the Times of May 10 says, " We 

 are much mistaken nevertheless if at the present time 

 the Carrbridge method has not made more real and 

 more substantial progress than that " of Oxford. 

 Some reforms which Lord Curzon's " scarlet letter " 

 suggests were long ago effected at the sister Uni- 

 versity, but in many of the most important 

 features there is still a large margin for change at 

 Cambridge, and we cannot but regret that the sug- 

 gestions now put forward, however likely to be 

 • carried into effect, do not go a little farther. 



The first of the three committees which has had 

 these matters under consideration had as its duty the 

 consideration of the Constitution and the Government 

 of the University, and it has limited its report to 

 two questions, (i) the reconstruction of the Elec- 

 toral Roll, and (2) the functions of the Senate and of 

 the Electoral Roll as reconstituted. Its object was 

 to suggest a scheme which would give to the body of 

 residents engaged in teaching, research, and adminis- 

 tration a larger share than it at present nossesses in 

 the legislative action of the University. It is proposed 

 that two houses should be established, one a body of 

 residents, the other the Senate as at present con- 

 stituted. E.xcepting in certain formal matters, and 

 matters of wide and great importance, all kinds of 

 business would come, in the first instance, before the 

 residents ; but in every case an appeal would He to 

 the Senate as a whole, provided that a sufficient 

 number of the opponents of the proposal submitted 

 were prepared to take the necesisary steps. Should 

 this reconstruction of the Electoral Roll be carried 

 into effect, it is suggested that the smaller body 

 should be termed " Congregation," and its decisions 

 should be entitled " Graces," whereas the decisions of 

 the larger body, the Senate, should be ' termed 

 " Decrees." 



Elaborate and careful regulations have been drawn 

 up for the suggested alterations. They are full of 

 detail, and need not be considered here. The main 

 feature of the proposal is entrusting much greater 

 ipowers to the resident members of the University 

 NO. 2064, VOL. 80] 



actually engaged in teaching than his hitherto been 

 the case. 



The second committee dealt with the question of 

 scholarships, both of the colleges and the University. 

 But as, at the present time, the question of college 

 scholarships is under consideration by an inter- 

 collegiate body in conference with the Oxford 

 colleges, Committee No. 2 confined itself to the ques- 

 tion of university scholarships, and its resolutions are 

 now being considered by the Special Board for 

 Classics. 



The third committee was appointed to consider the 

 relation of the colleges to the University and to one 

 another. It has dealt with the following ques- 

 tions : — (A) The teaching for honours examinations. 

 On this subject its suggestions involve (i) The 

 reconstitution of the Special Boards of Studies so as 

 to make them more fully representative of the 

 teachers. (2) More detailed and careful consideration 

 of the list of lectures in order to prevent overlapping. 

 (3) An attempt to grade lectures so as to adapt them 

 to students of different ability and attainment. (4) 

 Some closer agreement than at present obtains as to 

 the date of the students' return at the beginning of 

 each term and the commencement of lectures. 



Although at the present there is much cooperation 

 between certain groups of colleges, the committee feels 

 that this might be rendered more effective without 

 interfering with the legitimate freedom of the colleges 

 in arranging their own teaching. It also suggests 

 that combination between colleges might be rendered 

 more effective if the governing bodies informally con- 

 sulted each other in making elections to fellowships 

 or lectureships. In this way the needs of the different 

 subjects might be more frequently and more fully 

 taken into account. 



In the last twenty years the number of professors in 

 the University has risen from thirty-nine to forty- 

 seven, of readers from six to twelve, of university 

 lecturers from thirty-two to fifty-six. The number of 

 demonstrators and teachers has also largely increased. 

 In spite of this several wants remain unsatisfied, and 

 others will certainly arise, and the committee refers to 

 methods which it has discussed of raising money 

 for further end'^wment. 



The same committee has also (B) before it the 

 question relating to the contribution of colleges to the 

 common University fund. It is of opinion that col- 

 leges which contribute money for university purposes 

 should be entitled to deduct from their taxable income 

 any sum voluntarily so paid. It also holds that 

 colleges in which fellowships are held by professors 

 who are not professorial fellows, or by ex-professors, 

 or b\' readers, or by certain university lecturers, 

 should be entitled to deduct from their taxable income 

 the sum of 200!. in respect of the fellowship held by 

 each of such officers ; and it makes other sugges- 

 tions which would lighten the tax on colleges which 

 are directly supporting University work. The com- 

 mittee is further of opinion that it is desirable that 

 colleges should have power under their statutes to 

 attach conditions to fellowships, such conditions to be 

 defined within a specified time from the date of 

 election ; that in general a fellow should in the first 

 instance be elected for a term of three years, and 

 should be eligible for re-election for a further term of 

 three years. 



The same committee has also considered the neces- 

 sary expense incurred by a student at Cambridge, 

 and, after prolonged investigation, is of the opinion 

 that the expenses of a careful student need not exceed 

 i2nZ. for the acndemic vear. This, of course, does not 

 include expenses incurred in the vacation, for 

 travelling, or for clothes. If this calculation errs, it 



