18 Dec 2023獨媒#2686
CUHK Council says dismissing Eric Shu Pui Ng did not require compliance with the Statutes; independent legal researcher says procedures were bypassed and contract terms cannot override the law
中大校董會在上周三（12月13日）突然解僱原中大副校長（行政）及秘書長吳樹培。中大校董會周五（12月15日）發補充聲明，指解僱吳不屬紀律程序，不需按《香港中文大學規程》的規定成立委員會，只需提前通知或支付代通知金即可終止合約。獨立法律研究員黃啟暘認為，《規程》清晰列明涉紀律事宜的處理程序，校董會聲稱只是按一般合約條款解僱，但又在公開場合就吳作行為方面的指控，重申一般合約條款並不能凌駕屬香港法例的《規程》
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Council abruptly dismissed its former Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and Secretary Eric Shu Pui Ng last Wednesday (13 December). In a supplementary statement issued on Friday (15 December), the Council said that dismissing Eric Shu Pui Ng did not constitute disciplinary proceedings and therefore did not require the establishment of a committee under The Chinese University of Hong Kong Statutes; the contract could be terminated by giving prior notice or making a payment in lieu of notice. Independent legal researcher Edward Wong Kai-yeung i said the Statutes clearly set out procedures for handling disciplinary matters. The Council claimed that it had dismissed Eric Shu Pui Ng under general contractual terms, but had also publicly repeated allegations concerning Eric Shu Pui Ng’s conduct. Edward Wong Kai-yeung i said general contractual terms could not override the Statutes, which form part of the law of Hong Kong.
17 Dec 2023獨媒#2680
HKBU plans Council overhaul, removes automatic Student Union president seat and raises external membership to nearly 70%
繼中文大學修例改組校董會，浸會大學亦計劃跟隨步伐。浸大昨日以電郵通知師生，已成立專責小組檢討《浸會大學條例》，並擬改組校董會，將校董人數由36人減至28人，刪去學院院長八席，令校外委員比例由50％增至68％；學生校董由一席增至兩席，但本身由學生會會長自動出任的一席，改由本科生選出代表，並須由校董會委任。
Following The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s amendment of its ordinance and restructuring of its Council, Hong Kong Baptist University also plans to follow suit. HKBU emailed staff and students yesterday, saying it had formed a task force to review the Hong Kong Baptist University Ordinance and was planning to restructure its Council. The number of Council members would be reduced from 36 to 28, with eight seats held by faculty deans removed, increasing the proportion of external members from 50% to 68%. The number of student Council members would rise from one to two, but the seat automatically held by the Student Union president would instead be filled by an undergraduate-elected representative, who would have to be appointed by the Council.
15 Dec 2023光傳媒#2673
Scholar laments government sees universities as hotspots of activism; China studies labelled: “We are withdrawing”
研究六四的學者何曉清早前不獲入境處續發簽證，隨即被中大解僱，外界憂慮中國研究在港存續。一名不願具名、去年已離港的中國研究學者向《光傳媒》表示，在中國和香港政府眼中大學是特別敏感的，他們認為大學是社會運動和問題的熱點（universities as hotspots of activism and problems）。而《BBC》昨（14日）發布名為「香港學術自由：大學如何在北京的控制下凋零」的專題，有學者透露，一些老師在課程中刪除所有與香港和中國相關的材料。
Scholar Ho Hiu-ching, who researches the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, was recently denied a visa renewal by the Immigration Department and was subsequently dismissed by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, prompting concern over the future of China studies in Hong Kong. A China studies scholar who declined to be named and left Hong Kong last year told The Initium that, in the eyes of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments, universities are particularly sensitive, as they see them as hotspots of social movements and problems (universities as hotspots of activism and problems). The BBC also published a feature yesterday (14th) titled “Academic Freedom in Hong Kong: How Universities Are Withering Under Beijing’s Control”, in which scholars revealed that some teachers had removed all material related to Hong Kong and China from their courses.
14 Dec 2023集誌社#2664
CUHK fires vice-president, adds five council members the next day; New World’s Sonia Cheng and CPPCC Peter Kung join
中大「過渡」校董會在「未齊腳」情況下，昨宣布即日解僱時任副校長（行政）、校董會秘書吳樹培，當時中大校董會校內校外成員比例約為 2 對 16 ，遠不及《2023年香港中文大學（修訂）條例草案》提出的 2：1。校董會今（14日）再增五成員，其中四人為校外成員，即中大校董會最新的校內、校外成員比例為 3 對 20。其中一名新校外成員、醫管局港島東醫院聯網前總監陸志聰認為，機構辭退職員時有發生，外界未掌握來龍去脈時，應從機構「有否按照政策、程序、情理處理」評論決定是否合理，雖校方難以公開所有資訊，但亦期望日後「慢慢可以有多一些事實」予各界了解事件。
CUHK’s “transitional” Council, which was not yet fully constituted, announced yesterday that it had dismissed with immediate effect the incumbent Vice-President (Administration) and Secretary of the Council Eric Shu Pui Ng. At the time, the ratio of internal to external members of the CUHK Council was approximately 2 to 16, well short of the 2:1 ratio proposed in the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Amendment) Bill 2023. The Council added five members today (14th), four of them external members, bringing the latest ratio of internal to external members to 3 to 20. One of the new external members, Che Chung Luk, former director of the Hospital Authority’s Hong Kong East Cluster, said that organisations dismissing staff was not uncommon. When the public did not know the full circumstances, the reasonableness of a decision should be assessed by considering whether the organisation had handled the matter “in accordance with policies, procedures and reason”. Although it was difficult for the university to disclose all the information, Che Chung Luk also hoped that “gradually, there can be more facts” for the public to understand the incident.
13 Dec 2023獨媒#2653
First blood: CUHK Council pays compensation to immediately dismiss Vice-President Eric Shu Pui Ng
立法會於今年11月1日通過由三名立法會議員提出的私人草案，修訂《香港中文大學條例》，條例刊憲生效後，中大管理層出現第一滴血。在審議修例時被指架空校董會主席查逸超，以及參與聯署反對修例方案的原秘書長、副校長吳樹培被即時解僱。查逸超表示，校董會已對他失去信心。
The Legislative Council passed on 1 November this year a private bill proposed by three legislators to amend the Chinese University of Hong Kong Ordinance. After the Ordinance was gazetted and came into effect, the first casualty emerged in CUHK’s management. During consideration of the amendments, the management was accused of sidelining Council Chairman Johnny Yat Chiu Chai, while former Secretary-General and Vice-President Eric Shu Pui Ng, who took part in a joint signing opposing the amendment proposal, was immediately dismissed. Johnny Yat Chiu Chai said that the Council had lost confidence in him.
13 Dec 2023獨媒#2654
Eric Shu Pui Ng issues statement, expressing shock and indignation over dismissal and lack of chance to defend himself
中大校董會今日表決通過決議，即時解僱中大副校長及秘書長吳樹培。吳樹培晚上發聲明，稱對決定「感到極大的愕然、悲憤及難過」。他指過去兩個月從未被邀請參與調查，未有機會就指控作申辯。吳樹培亦認為校董會指他不符大學良好管治原則不公，對個別校董及社會人士一再對他作出毫無根據的嚴重誹謗非常遺憾。
The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Council today passed a resolution to dismiss the university’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Secretary, Eric Shu Pui Ng, with immediate effect. In a statement issued tonight, Eric Shu Pui Ng said he was “extremely shocked, aggrieved and saddened” by the decision. He said he had not been invited to participate in the investigation over the past two months and had not been given an opportunity to respond to the allegations. Eric Shu Pui Ng also said the Council’s assertion that he failed to comply with the principles of good university governance was unfair, and expressed deep regret that individual Council members and members of the public had repeatedly made serious, unfounded defamatory statements about him.
9 Dec 2023獨媒#2628
CUHK Senate Approves ‘Restructuring’ of Government and Public Administration Department; New College Name Drops ‘Politics’
中大教務會周三（12月6日）通過政治與行政學系「重組」方案，政政系不再在新架構中出現，該課程將與另外兩個課程置於新學院「政務與政策科學學院」，名稱中不再出現「政治」。中大院長接受傳媒訪問時稱教務會「全票通過」組成新學院，惟教務會學生代表指曾在會上提出「憂慮」，稱其立場為「非反對籌組新學院，但前提是必須確保寫在計劃書上的東西都得以實現」，不認同「全票通過」的說法。中大回覆《獨媒》表示，當日會上只有一名學生成員提出「澄清問題」，會議主席詢問會議成員是否通過有關提案時，獲口頭「是」的回覆，沒有人表明反對，故被視為獲教務會「一致通過」。
CUHK’s Senate approved on Wednesday (6 December) a ‘restructuring’ plan for the Department of Government and Public Administration. The department will no longer appear in the new structure, and its programme will be placed alongside two other programmes in a new College of Government and Policy Science, whose name no longer includes ‘politics’. A CUHK dean told the media that the Senate had ‘unanimously approved’ the establishment of the new college. However, the Senate’s student representative said that ‘concerns’ had been raised at the meeting, and that the position was ‘not opposition to establishing the new college, but on the condition that everything written in the proposal must be implemented’, disputing the claim that it had been ‘unanimously approved’. CUHK told The Stand News that only one student member had raised ‘questions for clarification’ at the meeting. When the chair asked whether members approved the proposal, the response was verbally ‘yes’, and no one expressed opposition; it was therefore regarded as having been ‘unanimously approved’ by the Senate.
6 Dec 2023獨媒#8769
CUHK Politics and Public Administration Department Faces ‘Abolition’ in ‘Restructuring’; Concern Group Urges Suspension of Proposal and Extended Consultation
香港中文大學政治與行政學系一直在風口浪尖，校方自2021年開展「重組」計劃，擬與現有另外兩個課程合併成一間新學院，政政系將「殺系」變為一個課程。方案今日（12月6日）呈交中大教務會討論。有政政系學生成立關注組，其師生民意調查結果顯示，逾九成受訪者認為合併諮詢不足及計劃倉卒，僅6.5%受訪者贊成合併。關注組批評校方欠缺諮詢和透明度，屬「家長式管理」，要求暫緩議案，以及延長諮詢等。
The Department of Government and Public Administration at The Chinese University of Hong Kong has been under pressure. Since 2021, the university has pursued a “restructuring” plan to merge it with two other existing programmes to form a new faculty, with the department to be “abolished” and replaced by a programme. The proposal was submitted to CUHK’s Academic Board for discussion today (December 6). Students in the department formed a concern group, whose survey of the views of students and teaching staff found that more than 90% of respondents considered the consultation on the merger inadequate and the plan rushed; only 6.5% supported the merger. The concern group criticised the university for a lack of consultation and transparency, describing it as “paternalistic management”, and demanded that consideration of the proposal be suspended and the consultation extended.
5 Dec 2023Channel C#8766
PolyU urges all staff and students to vote, calling election of patriotic, Hong Kong-loving district councillors historically significant
香港理工大學校董會主席林大輝及校長滕錦光，今日（5日）向全體師生及畢業生發電郵指，區議會選舉將舉行，為香港重塑區議會後首場全港性地區選舉，是完善地區治理的重要里程碑，具有重大歷史意義，呼籲選民在12月10日與親友一同投票，選出自己認為最適合、愛國愛港、有能力的區議員服務社區，協助香港提升地區治理效能、貫徹良政善治和建設更美好的社區。
Hong Kong Polytechnic University Council Chairman Lam Tai-fai and President Teng Jin-Guang emailed all staff, students and graduates today (the 5th), saying the District Council election would be Hong Kong’s first territory-wide district election since the District Councils were reshaped. They said it was an important milestone in improving district governance and had major historical significance, and urged voters to vote with their relatives and friends on December 10 to elect the district councillors they considered most suitable, patriotic, Hong Kong-loving and capable to serve their communities, help Hong Kong improve the effectiveness of district governance, implement good governance, and build better communities.
30 Nov 2023獨媒#8728
Audit report criticises CUHK canteens for serving outside customers; Doreen Kong says it went too far and was out of touch
審計署昨日（29日）發表報告，指香港中文大學內33間餐廳均沒有領取食物業牌照，並指部份餐廳接待「街客」。選委界立法會議員江玉歡今日（30日）發文批評「管過了頭」及「離地」，又認為審計工作應集中看公共資源有否被善用及浪費，認為在政府及公營機構中，肯定有比中大飯堂有外人使用及吸煙更重要的課題。
The Audit Commission issued a report yesterday (29th) stating that none of the 33 restaurants at The Chinese University of Hong Kong had obtained food business licences, and that some restaurants served “outside customers”. Doreen Kong Yuk-fan, a Legislative Council member for the Election Committee constituency, criticised the report today (30th), describing it as having gone too far and being out of touch. She also said audit work should focus on whether public resources were being put to good use or wasted, and that within the Government and public organisations, there were certainly more important issues than outsiders using CUHK canteens and smoking.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
