A New Era Begins 1975-78

I I Change: The Reports of the Working Party and the Fulton Commission The critical development o f the period covered by the present Report was, of course, the historic change in institutional policy and structure, effected by the enactment of The Chinese University of Hong Kong Ordinance 1976. The modern complex university described in The Emerging University ， 1970-1974 was obviously far different from the association of three undergraduate liberal arts colleges established in 1963. During the decade of the University's extraordinary development, problems of accommodating institutional realities to the original arrangement became increasingly evident and difficult in bo th academic and administrative areas. Issues raised by these problems were fundamental and far-reaching, requiring formal consideration at the highest level, internally and externally. The first phase of such formal consideration was a comprehensive institutional self-study conducted by the Working Party on Educational Policy and University Structure, appointed by the Vice- Chancellor. The second phase was a searching inquiry undertaken by the Commission on The Chinese University of Hong Kong, appointed by the Chancellor, wi th Lord Fulton of Falmer as Chairman. The deliberations and recommendations of these two highly-respected bodies provided the moving force in the process of historic change. The Working Party The Working Party was appointed by the Vice-Chancellor on 12th February, 1974, w i th the endorsement of the Administrative and Planning Committee, and wi th the concurrence of the Senate and the Council. Its membership consisted of the following: the three Deans of Faculties; and three Immediate Past Deans of Faculties; the President of the University Student Union; the Immediate Past President of the University Student Union; three Co-opted Members from the teaching staff. The Chairman was Professor Y. S. Y ü , on leave from Harvard University, then serving as President of New Asia College and as Pro- Vice-Chancellor of the University. In announcing the appointment of the Working Party, the University issued the following statement: The University, now in its tenth year of operation, has brought, for the first time, the Colleges and other constituent parts together onto one campus, and is on the eve of embarking on a programme of expansion that hopefully will help it develop into an institution of excellence. It is appropriate therefore to carry out a thorough review of its educational policy and organizational structure of the last ten years. 17