Newsletter No. 17

In the March issue we reported on the University's 'Long Service Award Presentation Ceremony 1990-91 ‘ held on 2ndMarch 1991, and profiled 11 recipients of the award. In this issue we will profile 10 more staff members honouredfor 25 years' service to the University. Dr. Wong Kwan-yiu Department of Geography To Dr. Wong Kwan-yiu, the long service award is a meaningful memento and not a consolation prize for aging. Far f r om feeling old, he is eager to continue his work in the Department of Geography, and would like to see the department w i n n i ng international acclaim some day. Dr. Wong obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of Hong Kong and his Ph.D. from Australia, and has since taught in United College. 'When I first joined The Chinese University, teaching activities at the Department of Geography were still being developed. It was in 1968 that I began to be involved in administration work, at a time when departments were not working in perfect unison. Later, a re-structuring of the University helped to improve administrative efficiency and facilitated communication among faculty members, Dr. Wong recalls. Dr. Wong enjoys playing darts, badminton, and swimming in his spare time. Far from feeling old, he is eager to continue his work at the Department of Geography, and would like to see the department winning International acclaim some day. Mr. Fung Kwong-shan Office Assistant College Office, United College Before joining United College, M r . Fung wo r k ed at a hospital. United College proved to be a much more pleasant place to work, and Mr. Fung decided to move to the Sha Tin campus with the college in the early 1970s. As someone, who went through the best and the worst of times on the campus in its early days, Mr. Fung now reminisces about the past with much affection. The worst of it was to be relocated in the middle of nowhere. Shopping for food was a nightmare. One had to walk to the main entrance of the University early in the morning and catch a minibus to the Taipo marketplace to buy food. To save trouble, Mr. Fung used to bring home a whole week's supply from each ‘long march' . To make matters worse, campus roads were not yet completed, and shopping trips were comparable to mountaineering. The happiest moments for Mr. Fung, on the other hand, were those spent playing basketball and volleyball with resident staff and students in the spacious playgrounds on the campus. T h e happiest moments I for Mr. Fung, on the other hand, were those spent playing basketball and volleyball with resident staff and students in the spacious playgrounds on the campus. Dr. Robert Dan Director, University Health Service When Dr. Robert Dan says his career at The Chinese University started from three absolute zeroes, he is not joking. The first zero was when Chung Chi College established its own college clinic and infirmary in 1963, with Dr. Dan as its first and only physician. At that time, when both staff and students were few, he needed work only in the morning; the rest of his time was spent helping a welfare agency for needy children. The second zero was when Dr. Dan was tasked with coordinating the medical services for the three constituent colleges of the University and for the central administration before the Sha Tin campus was ready. The third zero was helping to set up the University Health Service on the Sha Tin campus as well as serving as its first director. In all three tasks, Dr. Dan had to start from scratch, hence the three zeroes. As director of the University's health centre, he has always emphasized the prevention of disease and the dissemination of health information to members of the University. 'Nobody but you yourself are ultimately responsible for your own health. Don't place it in the hands of doctors, whose task is to treat you only when you are sick,' Dr. Dan advises. Since he took up the present post, he has been preaching this gospel with colleagues of the clinic and is pleased to see that this attitude is now widely accepted on the campus. Asked about his hobbies, the doctor cites Cantonese opera, swimming, ball games, and hiking. Nobody but you yourself are ultimately responsible for your own health. Don't place it in the hands of doctors, whose task is to treat you only when you are sick,' Dr. Dan advises. 4