XN000022-1976-10-13 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1976

CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG BILL 1976

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A SITUATION WITH EACH COLLEGE DEVELOPING INTO A LITTLE UNIVERSITY OF ITS OWN WAS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE SENSIBLE EVOLUTION OF A MODERN MAJOR SEAT OF HIGHER LEARNING, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON, MORRIS MORGAN,SAID TODAY.

IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG BILL 1976 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. MORGAN SAID THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE UNIVERSITY ORGANISATION WOULD PRODUCE AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF TEACHING WHICH WAS VERY MUCH IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS.

THE GOVERNMENT PUBLISHED THE BILL LATE LAST MONTH WITH THE AIM TO CARRY INTO EFFECT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG (FULTON REPORT) RELATING TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY AND ITS CONSTITUENT COLLEGES.

THE FIRST OBJECT OF THE BILL IS TO PROVIDE FOR AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT OVER THE UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGES. ALL STAFF WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL, AND THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS WHEREBY CERTAIN ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF ARE APPOINTED BY THE COLLEGES WILL BE DISCONTINUED.

MR. MORGAN SAID THAT THE FULTON REPORT, WHICH WAS SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR IN MARCH THIS YEAR, WAS NOT UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED.

+THERE HAVE BEEN THOSE WHO HAVE SUSPECTED THE WISDOM OF HAVING ONLY THREE COMMISSIONERS AND THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE PERSONS APPOINTED,+ HE SAID.

ONE OF THE OBJECTIONS WAS THAT THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION WERE TOO CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY PROPER AND NOT WITH THE CONSTITUENT COLLEGES.

IN REFUTING THESE VIEWS, HE SAID: +AS REGARDS THE SIZE OF THE COMMISSION, EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT THREE IS ABOUT RIGHT IF THE DELIBERATIONS OF A COMMISSION ARE NOT TO BE PROTRACTED AND ITS FINDINGS UNDULY DELAYED.

+BUT THE CALIBRE OF COMMISSIONERS IS, PERHAPS, MUCH MORE IMPORTANT AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE HOW THIS COULD HAVE BEEN IMPROVED BY OTHER APPOINTMENTS IN THIS CASE.+

MR. MORGAN SAID THAT ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HAD WIDE EXPERIENCE OF UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION GENERALLY AND OUR LOCAL PROBLEMS IN PARTICULAR.

FURTHERMORE, THEY WERE SCRUPULOUS IN THE CONDUCT OF THEIR BUSINESS HERE TO PERMIT PROPER ACCESS TO ANY INTEREST PERSON OR BODY, HE ADDED.

/HR. MORGAN