TNAG-0054-FCO40-90-Proposal-for-a-Polytechnic-in-Hong-Kong-1968 — Page 56

6.3.4.

In view of the increasing amount of higher level work being carried out in the College both now and in the future there is a need to attract men with high qualifications and to this end staff should be encouraged to undertake consultancy work (including investigation work) on behalf of industry.

Librarian

6.3.5. There is a need for a properly qualified librarian as ultimately a library of some 30,000 volumes will be needed.

Ancillary Staff

6.3.6. A particular shortage noted in the College lies in the quite inadequate provision for ancillary staff who are needed to service the laboratories and workshops and their equipment; who are needed for storekeeping, specimen preparation, demonstration preparation, equipment preparation, etc.

Administrative Staffing

6.3.7. It is not generally realised that some of the present College departments are now as big as the entire College was in 1957. Indeed since 1960/61, the number of classes has almost doubled while the numbers of teachers and students have both doubled. Yet the administrative staff available has increased by no more than 20%. As a result the Principal is spending too much of his time overlooking administrative matters that he ought to be able to leave to others so that he can concentrate on his real task which is to deal with policy, staffing matters, co-ordination, liaison with Government, Industry and Commerce, estimates, and the like. The day-to-day administrative work of the College should be in the hands of a competent Registrar whose department should have the following functions:-

Registrar General Office

Welfare and Maintenance

Accounts Branch

Accounts Stores

Indents

Wages

Records

Filing

Typing

Copying

Messengers

Hall porter

Catering

Cleaning

Grounds

Maintenance Transport Watchmen

The head clerk it is proposed would take over either the accounts branch or the general office according to his experience and the other two sections would be placed under competent assistants. The need to increase the typing pool is particularly important and this should leave the Principal's secretary out of the reckoning as someone is needed in his office at all times not only to look after his affairs during his absence and to do his letters and filing, but also to attend to confidential staffing and other matters. The typing and copying work in a teaching institution of this complexity is considerable and should be well provided for at present even quite senior staff are having to help out by typing themselves. The shortage of administrative staff and its redeployment along the lines suggested is probably one of the most important requirements at the present time and the existing staff of thirteen all told can be comfortably doubled before the balance is upset in the other direction.

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