Vice-Chancellor's Report 1990-93

campus ecology. In psychological counselling, services have been developed to meet both the therapeutic and developmental objectives, and more training in basic counselling skills has been provided to colleagues involved in student services. In the area of graduate employment, career destination surveys conducted over the last three years reveal that virtually all graduates of the University were able to secure employment within six months after graduation. Education and commerce & industry are still the two major occupational sectors that absorb most of our graduates. Graduates of the University also serve our society in other capacities such as civil servants and employees of public and service organizations. More details about their career destinations can be found in appendix 3v. In view o f the intense competition in the localjob market caused by the increased number of degree graduates, and in order to fully exploit the employment potentials of the growing economy in South China, the University w i ll continue to improve its career guidance and placement services for its students. Administrative C h a n g e s Over the last three years, administrative changes have been introduced gradually and methodically to prepare for the decentralization of various University functions to the seven faculties. This delegation o f power and responsibility to the faculties has been accompanied by a complementary realignment of the central administration. Decentralization A f t er extensive consultation and meticulous preparation, the University began to decentralize certain administrative functions to the faculties and research institutes in the 1992-93 academic year. The objectives of the decentralization are (a) to eliminate possible bottle-necks and to shorten the decision-making process in administrative actions, (b) to avoid unnecessary administrative restrictions on creative academic initiatives, and (c) to permit academic units to pursue excellence by giving each unit the needed authority to take on the respective responsibilities. In the decentralized mode, the deans of faculties are each accorded a one-line budget. As budget-holders, the deans are responsible for the efficient and effective management of the programmes within their respective faculties and have discretionary power (subject to specified guidelines) to redeploy the allocated resources to cater to the requirements of their respective disciplines and professions, and to develop the strength oftheir respective faculties. With the devolution of power from the Senate, faculty boards have the final authority to approve such matters as revisions to programmes of studies, the addition and deletion of courses, concurrent registration of students, and department and faculty admission requirements. In personnel and financial administration, faculties have been given more flexibility and discretionary power to make recommendation on the change of post, appointment and promotion of staff, and to distribute funds for new academic equipment, departmental supplies and library acquisition. The faculty deans are also given final authority 23