XN000022-1995-05-17 — Page 79

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With reference to part (a) of the question, the Administration understands, on the basis of information provided by the institutions concerned, that 4 academic staff were assigned less than 5 hours teaching duties during the academic year 1994-95. The 4 academic staff involved were:

(a)

(b)

a Head of Department at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and two Faculty Deans at Lingnan College who were relieved of teaching duties during the year to enable them to devote more time to the administration of the Department/Faculties concerned; and

one lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist University who was relieved of teaching duties because she was commissioned by the President & Vice- Chancellor to take up a major research project for the University.

As regards part (b) of the question, none of the arrangements described above has resulted in a waste of human resources.

With regard to part (c) of the question, the determination of the number of teaching hours for academic staff is a matter within institutional autonomy. The Department Heads of the institutions, in consultation with their academic staff, are responsible for assigning the teaching load of the Department among the academic staff. There are established administrative appeal channels within the institutions for staff who wish to raise objections regarding their duties including their teaching assignments. If an individual staff member is not content with his/her teaching assignments as determined by the Department Heads concerned, he/she can appeal to the relevant Dean, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor concerned, or ultimately the Vice- Chancellor.

End/Wednesday, May 17, 1995