Macquarie science reform movement refers to the successful transformation of the degree system at

Macquarie University Macquarie University ( ) is a Public university, public research university based in Sydney, Australia, in the suburb of Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third univer ...

in 1979 which followed an academic and political campaign initiated in 1977.F. J. Duarte, M. Golding, and B. Bulliman, Science degree, ''University News'' 1 (100) 16 (1977).Uni revolt simmers, ''Northern District Times'', 9 November 1977.2000 seek introduction of science degree at Macquarie, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 9 November 1977. Macquarie University, founded in 1964, adopted a degree structure modeled after the

Oxbridge Oxbridge is a portmanteau of Oxford and Cambridge, the two oldest, wealthiest, and most famous universities in the United Kingdom. The term is used to refer to them collectively, in contrast to other British universities, and more broadly to d ...

tradition where all graduating students were awarded a BA regardless of their field of study, with the exception of law students. Many science students saw this as a disadvantage and began to mobilize for reform of the degree structure. Thus, in 1977 a student organization, known as ''Students for a Science Degree'' (SSD), was formed with physicist

Frank Duarte Frank or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a medieval Germanic people * Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang Curre ...

as chairman. SSD enlisted the support of science students, student politicians, science academics, and professional science institutions. Among the senior science professors that openly supported the SSD led reform movement were Ronald E. Aitchison (Electronics), Frederick Chong (Mathematics), Brian F. Gray (Chemistry), John G. Hawke (Chemistry), Richard E. B. Makinson (Physics), Ronald H. Vernon (Geophysics), and

John C. Ward John Chamberlain Ward (August 27, 1873 – February 15, 1949) was second bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Erie, now Northwestern Pennsylvania between 1921 and 1943. Biography Ward was born on August 27, 1873 in Elmira, New York, the son of Ham ...

(Physics). Support was particularly strong at the former school of Mathematics and Physics. The BSc campaign lasted almost two years, and most of it is documented in the ''Arena'' student newspaper.F. Duarte and B. Bulliman, A what from where?, ''Arena'' 10(7), 1 (1977).F. Duarte and M. Brandt, BSc at Macquarie?, ''Arena'' 11(9), 3 (1978).F. Duarte, What's been happening with the BSc, ''Arena'' 11(11), 9 (1978).F. Duarte, The Macquarie outlook, ''Arena'' 11(13), 5 (1978).F. Duarte, AUS the redundant singularity, ''Arena'' 12(1), 12 (1979). In 1977 a front page newspaper article read: "A student revolt is underway at Macquarie University against an ''outmoded'' degree system." The campaign winded down only when the Academic Senate of Macquarie University approved, almost unanimously, a science degree (BSc) on 11 September 1979.C. Parfitt, Macquarie University approves BSc degree, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 13 September 1979. A perspective on the science reform movement is given in the book ''Liberality of Opportunity''B. Mansfield and M. Hutchinson, ''Liberality of Opportunity: A History of Macquarie University'' (Macquarie University, Sydney, 1992). which was co-authored by Bruce Mansfield, a former professor of history and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University. In this account it is subtly implied that the reform movement might have been under the tutelage of J. C. Ward: "Ward was vocal in his denunciation of the trivia that filled up Senate agendas… suitably then, it was a close student associate of Ward’s, physics PhD student Frank Duarte, who began to mobilize student opinion in favor of a change." This suggestion of influence is not corroborated in any of the numerous contemporaneous articles on the subject. Besides, Ward’s own description of events states that: "there arose quite spontaneously from the students themselves a demand that they be allowed to graduate as Bachelor of Science."J. C. Ward, ''Memoirs of a Theoretical Physicist'' (Optics Journal, Rochester, 2004). His account gives no hints of tutelage, or influence, on the student leadership, when "the sciences revolted." In 1980,

Greg Sheridan Gregory Paul Sheridan (born 1956) is an Australian foreign affairs journalist, author and commentator. He has written a number of books on politics, religion and international affairs and has been the foreign editor of ''The Australian'' newsp ...

described the duel between the sciences and the Macquarie establishment as a "nasty, bitter bureaucratic struggle" won by the reformers and their allies. Back to the present: Macquarie University offers about ninety (90) named undergraduate degrees in addition to the original BSc introduced in 1979.Macquarie University Undergraduate Degrees and Diplomas
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References

{{Macquarie University Macquarie University Reform movements Education reform