Newsletter No. 86

2 No. 86 4th April 1996 CUHK Newsletter Comments form Senior Administration Preparing CU Students for Challenges in the Job Market From the University Dean of Students The job market for university graduates has always been competitive, and has become more so now since the overall employment situation in Hong Kong has not changed for the better. Graduates of this university are facing steeper challenges when preparing themselves for the competition. Experience tells us that the top jobs usually go to candidates who not only have impressive academic records, but more importantly, a broad range of skills —analytical, creative, adaptation, leadership, language, and interpersonal. It is also well-recognized that it is virtually impossible to acquire these skills overnight. Persistent hard work, practice, experience, exposure, and the will to achieve all contribute to the acquisition of what many will call core competencies for career success. Working within a I three-year programme, students are well advised to start as early as the first year to acquire these skills by making use of resources at the University and the community at large. The University has good teaching staff. It has good students. Its curricula are competitive. The challenge is to build on these fundamentals to develop an image of CUHK graduates as the future elites of the community. All members of the University, not least the students themselves, have a part to play in this mammoth marketing task. And it is through the students that prospective employers see whether the University's efforts have paid off. Sophisticated employers use vigorous screening processes, including multiple interviews, to identify the right candidates. An interview is interactive. It gives the employer a chance to find out the candidate's aptitude, personality, aspirations, as well as his/her intellectual, creative, analytical, and language skills. It is also an occasion for the candidate to market himself/ herself. Depending on the qualities an employer may be looking for in a candidate, questions may be asked on structured and well-defined, or highly unstructured and uncertain situations. How a candidate responds to that challenge will be crucial in determining the interviewer's assessment of whether the candidate will bring something of value to the table, whether he/she is equipped with a trainable base for further development in the company, or whether he/she will fit in with the corporate culture. Academic performance is not the only item on the agenda. Employers seek versatile graduates with all-round personalities. To help nurture such graduates, the University student union, the four college student unions, faculty and departmental societies, academic associations and interest groups, the Office of Student Affairs, and the four College Dean of Students' Offices work hand in hand to complement the training provided by the academic units. They organize a wide range of cultural, social and recreational activities, including conferences and tournaments, to facilitate the intellectual and personal growth of students, to broaden their horizons, and to enhance their understanding of themselves and of the community they will soon be serving. The moment of truth comes when graduates are interviewed by their prospective employers. Such interviews are a test of calibre, and call for better preparation on the part of students. They should be given practical experience to improve their interactive skills and to boost self-confidence. The Appointments Service at the Office of Student Affairs have thus planned a series of mock interviews this year for students who wish to sharpen their skills. Experienced interviewers and representatives from major employers are invited to give students useful tips on overcoming the hurdles of interviews and point out areas for individual improvement. This is a pilot programme which mainly uses resources on campus. If its effects should prove beneficial, greater support will be drawn from the community to expand the programme. K.M. Chan Cons t ruc t i on Wastes t o be Transpor t ed t o Pak She k Kok by Sea CU Working Group Formed to Monitor Impact on Campus Environment The University Council has, at the request of the government, formally withdrawn its objection to the Pak Shek Kok reclamation/public dump project. The decision last month followed lengthy negotiations between the University administration and the Planning, Environment and Lands Branch of the Government Secretariat, and the government's subsequent undertaking to access the public dump site by sea instead of through the University campus. Under the new agreement, the government is also responsible for the implementation of stringent mitigation measures to minimize the impact of the project on the University's environment. The University's objection was first lodged in October 1994, and its resolution to withdraw was made after consultation with a legal counsel and due consideration of the effects of its objection. The step is deemed appropriate on grounds that the government is adamant in pressing the project forward, and will seek an administrative ruling at the Executive Council if it fails to obtain the University's consent. This will entail the re-entry and re-possession of necessary land on the University campus for construction of the road to the dump site. The use of the sea route is seen as an acceptable alternative. Rather than passing through the University campus, construction waste will be transported to the site by barges from a barging point in Ma On Shan in 1997, and thereafter from Sha Tin. The government has undertaken to reimburse the University for the costs of additional HVAC filters and for cleaning the curtain walls and windows of the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology (HKIB), and to provide a buffer zone in planning the future use of the reclamation site. Furthermore, the University's decision rests on the government's reassurance that what is most at stake —t he campus environment 一 will be attended to. Apart from implementing mitigation and environmental monitoring measures in full, the government has agreed that if differences should arise between the two parties on agreed standards, the University can always discuss them directly with the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands. Major mitigation measures to be carried out by the government include: (i) progressive restoration of the reclamation site with surface drainage and hydroseeding to minimize dust pollution; (ii) speedy completion of the filling operations at land areas in the near vicinity of the HKIB; (iii) controlling and monitoring of the noise, dust and water pollution within the agreed standards; and (iv) temporary landscaping as appropriate before more permanent arrangements. Environmentalmonitoring reports by government consultants will also be made available to the University as and when required, and liaison meetings between the University and relevant government offices will be held at reasonable intervals to discuss the impact of the project on noise, air, and water quality. With the withdrawal of objection by the University, work on the dump site is expected to begin soon. The University has already set up a monitoring group to keep the administration posted of the project's progress and the effects of mitigation measures. Members of the monitoring group include Prof. Lam Kin-che (convener) of the Department of Geography, Prof. Norman Woo of the Department of Biology, University Secretary Mr. Jacob Leung, Director of Buildings Office Mr. Vincent Chen, Director of Administrative Services Ms. Amy Yd, and Security Officer Mr. Richard Ma.