Newsletter No. 32

cuHK Newsletter No.32 July 1992 The University Guest Ho u se System As an international institution of higher learning, the University has actively promoted the interaction of Chinese and Western cultures since its inception. Guest houses have been built on the campus to provide comfortable accommodation for a wide variety of visiting scholars and guests from different parts of the world. The University Guest House (UGH) system started with two facilities: the Yali Guest House next to the University Health Service, and the twins of University Guest Houses / and 11 near the Shaw College campus. Two new members joined the UGH family this summer: the Chan Kwan-tung Building which opened at the end of May, and the Chiang's Building which began service only this month. Both are situated next to the Yali Guest House. Portions of the Inter-Univesity Hall (near the University Train Station) will also formally come under the system in August. How has the system reorganized itself to cope with such rapid expansion? In this issue, the C U H K Newsletter will briefly review the development of the UGH system and introduce new facilities that have been provided to improve service. The Early Guest Houses Yali Guest House Overlooking Tolo Harbour and enjoying a scenic view of the Ma On Shan area, the Yali Guest House — the eldest brother in the UGH family — was completed in 1974 with a generous donation from the Yale-China Association. The guest house comprising seven guest rooms, a living room, a dining room and spacious balconies modelled after a family inn was, in the early days, managed by the former Public Relations and Information Section (now renamed Information Office). Reception, cleaning, and cooking were taken care of by a Chinese couple who spoke some English. None of the employees were however professionally trained. Mr. and Mrs. Chan Chi succeeded the Chinese couple as housekeepers in the late seventies. Seasoned by decades of service in expatriate homes, Mr. Chan was skilled in Western cuisine, and his guests were most impressed by his two specialities: grilled steak and lemon pies. Mr. Chan was later transferred to run catering services in other University units, and is at present the super boss of the canteens in the Benjamin Franklin Centre and the Medical Sciences Building. University Guest Houses I and I I Distinguished by their white-washed walls and brick-red caps, the two spanish-style guest houses were built in 1973 as quarters for senior administrative staff members. They were subsumed under the UGH System only in 1980. Each Guest house has two storeys and together they provide eight guest room units. The ground floor is used as the University's Staff Common Room and houses a restaurant with a greenhouse extension (in Guest House I) and function rooms (in Guest House II) for small parties, private gatherings and receptions. Inter-University Hall The building was completed in 1966 and housed both offices and staff quarters in the early days Ever since the mid-eighties when academic exchange activities with institutions in mainland China dramatically increased, certain units in the Inter-University Hall have been converted into guest rooms for visitors from China. Such units are well equipped with cooking facilities and washing machines, and are suitable for longer-term stays. 6