Bulletin Summer 1976

Fulton Report Sir Murray MacLehose, in his capacity as Chancellor of The Chinese University, appointed in November 1975 an external Commission to “advise on whether any changes are necessary in the governance, financial and administrative machinery, ordinances and statutes of the University and its Constituent Colleges" bearing in mind the experience gained in the first decade of the University's development and the Final Report of the Working Party on Educational Policy and University Structure. The Chairman of the Commission was Lord Fulton of Falmer, who had chaired the Commission in 1963, whose report led to the establishment of The Chinese University. The other members were Sir Michael Herries, formerly Chairman of the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee, and Professor C.K. Yang of the University of Pittsburgh. The Secretary was Mr. I.C.M. Maxwell, Deputy Director of the Inter-University Council for Higher Education Overseas. The Commission assembled in Hong Kong from 5th to 12th December, 1975 to hear evidence from persons associated closely with the University and the Colleges. An open invitation was issued to submit memoranda for the Commission's consideration. The report of this Fulton Commission was submitted to the Chancellor in March 1976. The Fulton Report, which concentrates on principles and broad policy rather than the practical details of administration and financial machinery, is divided into five parts: (1) Introduction (2) Basic considerations (3) The future role of the Colleges within the University (4) The future structure and organization of the University (5) Conclusion Basic Considerations The Commission endorses the two primary conditions for progress postulated by the Working Party on Educational Policy and University Structure, which were (1) to strengthen academic participation in the government of the University and (2) to integrate the departments of study. Strengthening of Academic Participation in University Government The Commission believes that the time has come for a wider measure of academic participation in the government and administration of the University and its Colleges and that it would be wise for The Chinese University to give serious consideration to enlarging the academic staff element in the composition of the University Council. Integration of Departments of Study The Commission, though endorsing the Working Party's recommendation for the integration of disciplines, does not find it advisable to adopt any of the three proposals for its realization, namely, the allocation of the integrated departments to the Colleges along (a) Department-based, (b) Faculty- based or (c)" Area-based lines. The Commission sees rather a need for drawing together the present fragmented range of studies within a strong university organization. Future Role of Colleges within the University The Commission deems that the University should assume the dual responsibility of transmission