ANNUAL REPORT Report of the Proceedings of the University For

ANNUAL REPORT Report of the Proceedings of the University for the year ended Slst December, 1962 To His Excellency, Major-General Sir Rohan Delacombe, K.B.E., C.B:, D.S.O. Governor of Victoria. May it please Your Excellency, I have the honour, in accordance with Section 43 of the University Act 1958, to submit to Your Excellency the following report of the Proceedings of the University during 1962. 1. Introduction • The year 1962 is the mid-year of the 1961-3 triennium of the Aus tralian Universities Commission. With some *2}A million pounds' worth of new buildings going up during this period, thanks largely to funds granted to us in; conformity with the recommendations of the A.U.C., the grounds of this University have long since lost any resemblance to the quiet place of refuge and contemplation that we would all like them to be. > But, although one might sigh for peace and quiet, it is most cheering and invigorating to see the walls rearing high in every direction. After the builders' debris is cleaned up, and often even before the blessing of some opening ceremony, each new building represents ultimate peace and quiet for some previously inadequately-housed department. While our sister University of Monash is building a new university on a virgin site, we are undergoing a steady and virtually complete re building programme within our existing and limited site, the beneficial effects of which will be felt in every corner of the grounds before many more years have passed. The State and Commonwealth financial assistance granted over the last five years is now showing long-term improvement. One striking benefit to all the; Australian universities is in the field of post-graduate research, from whence we must increasingly draw our own academic staff in future decades. As the following figures show, the numbers of researchers working for Masters' and Doctors' degrees have increased considerably in recent years, while the quality of their work is constantly delighting the examiners: No. of Degrees Conferred— 1952 1957 1962 Masters 77 64 80 Ph.D. 8 15 26 Total enrolled for higher degree studies .. 201 215 479 (The sharp increase in 1962 of total enrolled compared with the relatively slight increase in the number of degrees conferred, is explained 666 ANNUAL BEPORT by the fact that many post-graduate students go straight on through to Ph.D. without taking a Master's degree, and it takes an average of 5 to 6 years to achieve the Ph.D. after graduation as Bachelor. 1963 and 1964 should produce a significantly large output of graduates with higher degrees.) Nevertheless, it is of great concern to the University that funds are inadequate to support the researches of these post-graduate students, and of the members of the academic staff. This is, perhaps, our out standing deficiency. 2. The Council I was re-elected as Chancellor in March, 1962, for the tenth con secutive year. I am very appreciative of this honour. Sir William Upjohn, who was first elected to the Council in 1957, was elected as Deputy Chancellor. Dr. C. M. Gilray, who has been a member of Council since 1939, and served as Deputy Chancellor for all but one year since 1954, had previously indicated that he did not wish to be re-elected. High tribute is paid to the great zeal and devotion that Dr. Gilray has always brought to affairs of Council and the Univer sity. The Pro-Vice-Chancellors elected for 1962 were Professor E. S. Hills, immediate past Chairman of the Professorial Board, and Professor W. Prest, the Board's present Chairman. It is with regret that I record the death of Sir William Johnston during 1962. He had been elected to the Council in the previous year. Tributes have been paid to him elsewhere, and he is sadly missed at the University. The casual vacancy that occurred was filled by the election of the Warden of Convocation, Dr. R. Fowler, who had been a member of the Standing Committee of Convocation since 1935. Another death which must be recorded is that of Sir John Medley, Vice-Chancellor of the University from 1938 to 1951. A simple but very moving Memorial Service was held in Wilson Hall in the presence of Lady Medley. Full tributes to the great services by Sir John to the University were made at the time of his retirement. The problem of rapid expansion of the University was first his to cope with, and he blazed a sure trail for others to follow. In lighter vein, it is sad to know that he is no longer with us to delight, and goad, us with those little verses he used to compose. During the year, Sir Ian Potter, a member of the Council, was honoured with a knighthood by Her Majesty the Queen. Upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Applied Science and of the Pro fessorial Board, the honorary degree of Doctor of Applied Science was conferred on Mr. P. G. Law, a member of the Council and the first recipient of a doctorate of this Faculty. 3. Deputy Vice-Chancellor The most important single development of the year in the structure and the administration of the University was the decision to create the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor. The need to reduce the intolerable load borne by the Vice-Chancellor has long been apparent, but it needed much reflection and discussion before the most suitable development 667 UNIVERSITY CALENDAR could be agreed upon. Professor E. S. Hills, F.R.S.. Professor of Geology and Mineralogy since 1944, who in the previous three years had been Chairman of the Professorial Board, was appointed Deputy Vice- Chancellor for a period of one year, during which the arrangement was considered as being on trial. Present indications are that it has been a most successful development and will be made permanent. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor has accepted responsibility for virtually all staffing matters, and also takes the place of the Vice-Chancellor at many meetings both inside the University and without. Obviously, the duties of the incumbent must be adjusted to reflect his personal interests and to complement those of the Vice-Chancellor, and the future of the office depends on there being a succession of senior academics who are prepared to change over very largely to full-time administrative duties, while retaining at least a foothold in their own academic field; but it is hoped that changes will not be frequent. 4. Convocation and the Standing Committee of Convocation Dr. R. Fowler was re-elected Warden of Convocation for 1962, which office he held until he was subsequently elected to fill the casual vacancy on the Council, caused by the death of Sir William Johnston in August. His Honour Judge J. G. Norris, a representative of graduates of the Faculty of Law on the Standing Committee for 10 years, was elected as Warden. A consequential election to fill Judge Norris's place on the Standing Committee resulted in the election of Mr. W. O. Harris, LL.M. The Annual Meeting of Convocation was held on 9th March, with a buffet dinner in the Union preceding the meeting in the Public Lecture Theatre. In recent years it had been the special concern of the Warden, Dr. Fowler, to stimulate greater interest among graduates in the affairs of Convocation, and this was rewarded by a good attendance at this meeting. Dr. J. R. Darling, Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and a member of the University Council for 30 years, was the speaker. A matter which has been of special concern to members of the Standing Committee in recent years has been the system of counting votes of graduates for elections to the Council. For many years the University statute provided for use of the Baldwin-Nanson system of preferential representation. Devised by these two former members of the University, the system was acknowledged by all to be mathematic ally the most perfect and sensitive system of recording preferences in an election yet devised. However, it was cumbersome and required very considerable clerical labour to effect the counting. In 1959 its use was discontinued in favour of a simple majority or "first past the post" system of counting. But this change aroused the concern of the Standing Committee and, after several discussions, and unforeseen delays, it was finally established this year that the Baldwin-Nanson system appeared to be capable of continued operation through the use of the mechanical assistance of the University's computing machine, CSIRAC. A report to this effect was sent to the Council, which has, for the moment, deferred a decision to revert to the Baldwin-Nanson system. 668 ANNUAL REPORT 5. Professors Professor W. Prest and Professor D. P. Derham were elected as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively of the Professorial Board for 1962. The Board placed on record its warm appreciation of the outstanding contribution rendered by Professor E. S. Hills as Chairman during the preceding three years. Chairs in Law (the fourth chair, to be named the Hearn Chair of Law), English (the second chair, to be named thei Robert Wallace Chair of English), Biochemistry (second chair), Agricultural Chemistry and Veterinary Pathology were created by the Council on the advice of the Professorial Board. All chairs on the Board's priority list for the 1961-63 triennium having been approved, the Board has asked its Executive Committee to prepare a new priority list for the next triennium. The following professors assumed office, during the year: Professor G. C.

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