Old news from Armidale and New England

Monday 29 June 1953, The Sydney Morning Herald

LETTERS TO EDITOR

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND

Sir, ― All members of the New England University College will be gratified that the Acting Premier has determined to bring down during the next Parliamentary session the necessary legislation to establish the University of New England.

It is necessary, however, to clarify one or two points which might, as they were conveyed in your news story of June 26, convey a wrong impression of New England’s present standing and the advisory council’s views on its future development.

When the New England University College was established fifteen years ago it was recognised that a truly liberal university should be founded upon the study of the humanities and the theoretical sciences.

The advisory council has always taken the view that foundation studies in the humanities and theoretical sciences must be secured before any attempt could be made to establish other faculties or to enter the field of applied science.

The council is convinced that if and when autonomy is granted and the new university comes into being, the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science must remain the core of a vigorous and expanding university.

It will be in these faculties, and as soon as possible, that the first chairs will be established and professors appointed.

The council also holds the view that the university must be identified with the “area which it will primarily serve, viz., the northern part of the State. It has therefore affirmed its support of the plan which envisages early development in the fields of rural science and agricultural economics.

An earnest of this intention has been given in the lead which the New England University College has taken in New South Wales in extension work among farmers and graziers through the series of highly successful schools of animal husbandry, which it has conducted in centres in the north and west during the past three years.

The advisory council hopes that the necessary funds will be forthcoming very soon after autonomy has been granted to enable the new university to provide through faculties of animal husbandry and agricultural economics what it considers are natural and essential services to a country which depends so much upon its rural communities.

It has also agreed in principle to establish at Armidale a Department of External Studies to conduct correspondence teaching at university level for properly qualified students.

Meanwhile New England has already “blue-printed” much of the framework for the desired expansion of the university during its early years.

When the bill for its establishment has been passed by Parliament and its powers and the financial provisions for the conduct of its affairs are known, the new university will then be in a position to make firm decisions on short and long range plans for development and expansion.

W. M. ROBB, Registrar.
The New England University College,
Armidale, N.S.W.