Newsletter No. 37

No.37 December 1992 CUHK Newsletter ANNOUNCEMENTS Staffing Arrangements on Christmas & New Year's Eves The following staffing arrangements for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve have been endorsed by the University since 1983 and will apply on 24th and 31st December this year. 1. For essential service units such as the Health Service, the Library System, the Operation Unit of the Computer Services Centre, the Security Unit and the Maintenance Office of the Building Office, a task force should remain on duty on both days to provide regular services. 2. For all other offices in the University, a skeleton crew should be appointed to be on duty in the morning to handle urgent matters and answer enquiries. These offices will be closed in the afternoon. 3. The skeleton staff on duty on either day will each be given compensation leave of half a day. Gifts? Bribery? The University is a public body listed under the Schedule of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (CAP 201, Laws of Hong Kong). A ll University employees are classified as ‘public servants' under the ordinance and should be wary of accepting gifts which could be construed as being offered to them in connection with their ‘public' duties. As the Christmas and New Year holidays are approaching, members of the staff who wish to give away or accept any gifts in this festive season and who are in doubt as to whether such gifts are permissible under the law should first consult the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. Copies of the ordinance are available for reference at the University Library and its branch libraries, as well as the I n f o rma t i on O f f i ce (Room 205 ， University Administration Building). Staff Review of Non-teaching Staff Members on Terms of Service (B) & (C) The Adm i n i s t r a t i ve A f f a i rs Committee and the Sub-Committee on Minor Staff Affairs have sent out invitations to department chairmen/unit heads to invite nominations and recommendations concerning the retirement, extension of service and promotion of non-teaching staff members on Terms of Service (B) and (C). The deadline for submission is 31st January 1993. The committees wi ll not consider direct applications from individual staff members, who may, however, discuss their promotion prospects with their department chairmen/unit heads. Reimbursement of Course Fees to Terms of Service (B) & (C) Staff The Un i ve r s i ty w i l l soon consider requests for reimbursement of fees to staff members of Terms of Service (B) & (C) who will attend training courses which start in or after January 1993. A ll applications together with written recommendations by unit heads should be forwarded to Mr. S. S. Tam, secretary. Administrative Affairs Committee, c/o Personnel Office, University Administration Building (Ext. 7269) on or before 9th January 1993. To be eligible for consideration, applications must be submitted before the training courses start. Mandarin & Cantonese Courses for Staff & Spouses The New Asia-Yale-in-China Chinese Language Centre will again offer Mandarin and Cantonese courses to the University's staff and their spouses from 21st January to 27th April 1993. The following courses have been tentatively scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday from 2.30 to 4.15 p.m. at the Fong Shu Chuen Building: 1) Beginner's course in Mandarin for foreigners; 2) Beginner's course in Cantonese for foreigners; 3) Beginner's course in Mandarin for non-Mandarin speakers of Chinese origin; 4) Beginner's course in Cantonese for non-Cantonese speakers of Chinese origin. Starting from this term, the Chinese Language Centre will also offer beginner's Mandarin and Cantonese courses for staff and their spouses in the late afternoon. Classes will be run on the same days and in the same venue from 5.00 to 6.30 p.m. This arrangement is initially for one semester but will continue if there is a proven demand. The size of each class will be limited to eight students and the minimum number of students to form a class is four. Enrolment will be on a first-come-first-served basis. Basic tuition fee for each course is HK$3,620. The University will subsidize 40 per cent of the tuition fee for all full-time academic and administrative staff as well as their spouses who are expected to be with the University for at least two years, and who are not receiving a language study subsidy from any other source. For enrolment, please contact the Chinese Language Centre at Ext. 6727-9 before 6th January 1993. Chung Chi College Staff Club Executive Committee The Chung Chi College Staff Club has elected its executive committee for the year 1992-93: 11