The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-18 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY REFORM.

The following is the answer proposed by the
Syndicate to Lord Palmerston's letter :
"The Syndicate appointed December 23, 1853, to take
into consideration such parts of the letter addressed,
December 12, 1853, to the Chancellor of the University,
by her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home De-
partment as relate to the University, and to make such
remarks thereon as they may deem fit, for the purpose
of their being transmitted by the Vice-Chancellor to his
Royal Highness, such remarks, however, being pre-
viously submitted to the Senate for confirmation, beg
leave to report to the Senate :
"That in conformity with the terms of their appoint-
ment they have taken into consideration those points in
the letter of her Majesty's Secretary of State for the
Home Department, which concern the University, omit-
ting those which specially concern the Colleges ; and
that after careful deliberation they recommend that the
following remarks be transmitted in the name of the
Senate to the Chancellor :

"I. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY.
"The report of the Commissioners appointed by the
Queen to inquire into the state, discipline, studies, and
revenues of the University makes frequent mention of
tho Syndicate appointed to revise the Statutes of the
University. That Syndicate was appointed March 7,
1849, more than 12 months before the announcement
of the Royal Commission ; special preparation for the
work with which it was entrusted having been made
during a long time previous to its appointment by the
careful collection and arrangement of the existing laws
and customs of the University. The Syndicate pro-
ceeded, in a course of long Ind frequent sittings, not
only to revise the present body of statutes given to the
University by Queen Elizabeth in the 12th year of her
reign, but also to review the entire series of antecedent,
and subsequent Graces of the Senate, Royal Letters,
and decrees of the Heads of Colleges, with the object of
preparing a new code of academical laws.
st Among the points which engaged the attention of
the Syndicate, one of the most important was that which
her majesty's Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment mentions as the first of those with respect to
which Her
imprO Niajestys Government conceive that plans
of veraent should be entertained—viz., 'An altera-
tion of the constitution of the Universities, with a view
to the snore general and effective representation of the
several main elements which properly enter into their
composition.'
4' The constitution which is now •in force by the
statutes of 12th Elizabeth requires that every Grace or
Proposition for the administration of University affairs
should be approved by each of the two Houses of which
the Senate is composed ; but that previously to ; its
being proposed to the Houses it should be submitted to
a Council, or Caput Senatus, consisting of the Chancel-
lor or Vice-Chancellor, one Doctor in each of the three
faculties of Divinity, Law, and Physic, one Masten of
Arta of the Non-Regent-Hotise—i. e., of mere than five
years' standing, and one'Master of Arts of the Regent
House—i.re., of less than five years' standing ; each
member of the Caput;having the power of rejecting the
Grace by his sole negative voice.
"The Syndicate made a report to the Senate respect-
ing the constitution and powers of the Caput on May
28, 1822, recommending that' the Caput, constituted as
at present, but appointed by more free mode of elec-
tion, should retain its powers so far only as respects
Graces for conferring degrees, and that for the considera-
tion of all Graces relating to other academical business
a council should be formed and regulated in the follow-
ing manner f---
" i The -Beads. .of Colleges shall appoint three
members ;;,
" The bettors- in- the faculties of Divinity, Law, and
Physic, not being Heads of Colleges, shall appoint three
members ; that is to sa.y. the Doctors in Divinity one,
the Doctors in LRIV another, and the Doctors in Physic
a third.
"'The Professors, not being either Heads of Colleges
or Doctors in ally one of the said three faculties, shall
appoint three members.-
" And lastly, the Colldt§:. islystllnappoint three Non-
Regents and three Regentew -11i±
" One member of each of 'the five classes above-
mentioned shall go out in rotation every year on
November 6, being however re-eligible, and on the
same day the appointments by the Heads of Colleges,
Doctors, and Professors shall be made in the Senate
House, the Chancellor and the Head of a college
senior in degree, the two Doctors in each Faculty
senior in degree, and the two Professors senior in
degree standing in scrutiny. That they have most
votes in the first security shall be deemed to be ap-
pointed, and so, likewise if it be necessary to resort
to a second or third land scrutiny. At the same time
the names of the Non-Regent and Regent appointed
by the Colleges, the appointment of them resting
with those colleges whose turn it may be to appoint
the Scrutators, shall be certified to the Chancellor
by the Masters of those colleges or their deputies.
The names of all the persons appointed shall be
immediately published to the Senate by the Senior
Proctor,

" 'The day after (Sunday not being reckoned in
either case) all the five persons so appointed shall be
separately proposed to the Senate for election by Grace
for three years ; and fifteen persons so elected shall,
with the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of the pre-
ceding year, constitute the said Council.
"' In case of a vacancy by death, or by any other
cause which shall be deemed sufficient by the Chan-
cellor and two senior Doctors present in the University,
the class or college which appointed before may appoint
again within a time to be prescribed by the Chancel-
lor ; every person so appointed may hold the place
of a member on the council for the same period as
that during which the person, whose substitute he is,
would have held it. But if the cause of vacancy
be not deemed sufficient, iar if any appointment,
whether of an original member or of a substitute, be
not duly made or certified, or if the person appointed
not elected by the Sunate, dolt the election shall be
male in the Manner* prescribed in chapter v., section
9, of the draught of the revisal statues.
" On every occasion, when any member of the coun-
cil intends to absent himself from the University for a
limited period of time, not exceeding one term, he shall
be at liberty to appoint a deputy during such absence,
who shall be offered to the Senate for election by Grace.
" ' If any member shall have been absent from all the
meetings of the council during two successive terms his
place shall be ipso facto void.
" The place of a member of the council shall not he
rendered void either by his resuming his Regency, if a
Non-Regent, or by his promotion to Non-Regency, if a
Regent.

The duty of the Council shall be to consider and
prepare all Graces to be offered to the Senate, except-
ing those for conferring degrees, whether proceeding
from individual members of the Senate or from Syndi-
cates ; nor shall any Grace, except for conferring a
degree, be offered to the Senate without the previous
sanction of the major-part of those voting upon it in the
council. ,
" No business shall be transacted in the council
unless five members, at the least, be present, of whom
the Chancellor alien always be one ; and he shall have
the casting vote when the votes are equally divided. In
case of a difference of opinion between the Chancellor
and a majority of the council shall be valid without the
approval of a majority of the whole number as to the
Chancellor may seem fit.'
" Meetings of the council shall be held at least in
every alternate week during term time, and also at such
other times as to the Chancellor may seem fit.'
" The scheme thus recommended by, the Syndicate
was intended, to accomplish the Abject mentioned in the
letter of her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home
Department—viz., to secure the more general and effec-
tive representation of the several main elements which
properly enter the composition of the University, 'and it
has received the approbation of the University Commis-
sioners in the following terms. (Report, p. 15.)
" We cannot hesitate to express our pleasure to find
such a proposal emanating from the University itself.
It has evidently been framed with- careful deliberation,
and with an especial view as well to preserve a balance
of power among the several colleges as also to prevent
the excitements and rivalries of a more popular and un•
limited mode of appointment. The suggested scheme
has received the unanimous approval of the Syndicate ;
and we hope it may in due time receive the sanction of
the Senate.'
" A Grace was passed by the Senate Feb. 15, 1853,
for the introduction of the above scheme into the pro-
posed new body of statutes ; and the sanction of the
Crown only is now required to give the form of law to
the amended constitution.
" II: UNIVERSITY EXTENSION.
" The question of reducing the expenses of residence'
in the University within the narrowest limits, and
thereby extending the benefits of academical education
to as large a number of students as possible, has long
engaged the anxious attention of the authorities of the
University and colleges ; and it is gratifying to find that
the University Commissioners declare the result of their
inquiries upon this subject in the following terms (Re-
port, p. 18) We have great satisfaction in expressing
our opinion that the expenses of the great majority
of
the students are moderate. The fact reflects credit both
on themselves and on the authorities of the University
and the several colleges. By reference to the evidence,
it will be seen that the necessary expense of residence is
small; and that the actual expense does not exceed a
reasonable limit.'
" The Syndicate , believe that it is the desire of the
authorities of the University and of the several colleges
to take advantage of every opportunity to reduce, as far
as is practicable, the expenses of students.
" The Syndicate have taken into consideration sever
ral schemes which have been proposed foi altering the
conditions of academical residence, with the view of di-
minishing the expenses of students ; but they are of opi-
nion that, while such schemes are in many respects more
or lees objectionable, they do not present equal advan-
tages in point of economy with the present system of re-
sidence in connexion with colleges ; and they wish to
draw especial attention to the fact, that deserving stn-
dents, more particularly those of limited pecuniary
means, derive great advantages and assistance from the
colleges to which they belong, by the enjoyment of
scholarships, sizarships, exhibitions, and other contribu-
tion from collegiate endowments:
" The Syndicate have considered in particular the
scheme which has been proposed of allowing students to
reside and graduate in the University without being
connected with any college, and they are of opinion that
that scheme cannot be adopted without seriously weaken-
ing the proper securities for discipline, and depriving
the students who might be so admitted of much that is
of great value in the present be so admitted of much
that is of great value in the present system of academical

* The 'node of electfon referred to is that the Senate
Rhould sleet one of two persons nominated by the Vice-
almeellor and Heads of Collegee.