Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung Vice-Chancellor of CUHK (2010–2017)

34 中文大學校刊 Chinese University Bulletin | 特刊 Special Supplement 懇談 H earty Talk You said in your blog that your greatest satisfaction and frustrations come from the students. Can you elaborate on it? Students will always be my first priority. A university will be losing its focus if it doesn’t put students first. Shortly after I assumed office, there was a hot potato for me—the arrival of the Statue of the Goddess of Democracy on campus. Then came several years of harmony with the students, until in recent years when our views differed over some issues. I cherish the moments of watching the World Cup final with students on the University Mall, or chatting with them over the dinner table. I hope that I am not only their teacher but also their friend, and I’m glad that some student union officers still keep in contact with me after graduation. Regrettably, in early 2017 I was criticized harshly by students after I expressed views on some political issues and social disputes not to their liking. It pains me but I have to accept the bitter truth that I am not going to be a teacher to please everybody. When it comes to right or wrong, there is no compromise. I must make my stance clear without being wishy-washy. We still remember the visit you and Prof. Peter Methieson paid to rallying students in Admiralty in October 2014. Did you feel that was the closest moment with students? That was the evening of 2 October, shortly after the Occupy Central Movement had started and tension was heightening with a massive number of people gathering in Admiralty. Both Professor Mathieson and I received calls from students, telling us that the situation was escalating, physical confrontation was foreseeable and our presences were pleaded for to pacify the crowd. After receiving a call from Professor Mathieson, we decided to make a trip to Admiralty to send 你曾在網誌說這幾年來，最大的滿足 和挫敗都和學生有關，可以引申一下 嗎？ 學生在我心目中總是校務的最重要一環。 如果一所大學和其老師不是以學生為最 主要的服務對象，也就失去了靈魂了。 我甫上任已要接過民主女神像落戶中大 這個燙手山芋。隨後數年比較平靜，和學 生關係比較順暢，到了最後一兩年又出現 了分歧。在百萬大道看世界盃賽事，或約 個別學生飯聚，這些時刻都值得珍惜，也 給我很大滿足感。我盼望自己不單是他 們的老師，還是他們的朋友。有些學生會 幹事或教務會上的學生會代表，在畢業 後仍和我保持聯絡，於我也是可貴的收 穫。然而，2017年初因為我對一些政治 議題和社會爭拗的看法可能跟一小部分 學生不一樣，我的言談或網誌就招致學 生激烈的批評。我感到痛心無奈。但我 不是要做一個只會討人喜歡的老師，面 對大是大非，我需要表白我的看法和立 場，不能含糊其詞輕易妥協。 2014年10月，你和馬斐森教授汗流浹 背一同到金鐘探望集會學生，那是否 你和學生最接近的一刻？ 10月2號晚上，佔中運動開始不久，氣氛 已非常緊張。大批群眾聚集在金鐘一帶，