Bulletin Spring‧Summer 2003

University itself organizes very few activities of such nature. That is why we can't really feel the presence of university traditions apart from the collegiate system,' she remarked. Ample Opportunities for Cultural Exchange Ka-lai, like many of her peers at CUHK, appreciates the opportunities available to her for cultural exchange. Her roommate from last semester was an exchange student f r om America. 'We often discussed different topics during our chats. Talking to her about the educational systems of the two places has broadened my perspective.' She believes that CUHK students would benefit immensely from having more exchange students among their midst as this would expose them to other cultures and provoke self-reflection. She commends the University's general education programmes for their extensive coverage of knowledge areas, but believes the course structure can be further simplified. Ka- l a i also welcomes more double ma j or programmes in place so that those w i t h multiple interests can develop in more ways than one. 'Using myself as an example, I chose biochemistry because I was a science student in secondary school. But I ' m also interested in the mass media so I chose to join Campus Radio. The University does offer minor programmes but these programmes don't usually delve deeply enough into a subject,' she remarked. Advocating a Four-year Curriculum Ka-lai is in favour of a reversion to a four-year undergraduate curriculum. She said that many students spend their freshman year adjusting to a very different teaching and learning style, and may on ly begin getting their academic bearings right in their sophomore year. Under the three-year system, students who wish to graduate with honours and go on to graduate school w i l l have to start getting good grades in Year 2 or even earlier. In other words, they have to choose between studies and extracurricular activities once they've recovered their breath and not surprisingly, the choice for many is studies, K a i - l ai analysed. A four-year t i me t a b le w o u l d g i ve students mo re flexibility in arranging their time between books and other activities. Another advantage of a four-year system is that freshmen can orient themselves by taking general education subjects in the first year before homing in on their areas of interest. 'It's a pain to have to stick to a major subject you don't really like,' she pointed out. Thoughts on O'camps and the New Vice-Chancellor Kai-lai believes the chanting of obscene slogans in last year's orientation camp was the unconscious over-stepping of boundaries by over-excited students. The over-reaction on the part of certain students and smearing by the mass media aggravated matters, said Kai-lai, who doesn't think that o'camps are becoming obscene. She believes that the o'camp has its merits, and has herself experienced them firsthand. ' A school knows little about the University's credit unit system and nothing about course con t en t s. It is v e ry h e l p f u l to have upperclassmen explain to you how the system works and how to navigate your way on campus,' she said. Ka-lai's idea of the new vice-chancellor is someone far-sighted who can 'stand up for the University's autonomy'. She sees the university's mission as not only producing manpower society needs, but nurturing talent of diverse kinds. And with globalization being the current trend, she expects the new vice- chancellor of the University to be someone zealous about fostering links with academic institutions the world over. Recounting Their Experiences at CUHK 17