Newsletter No. 89

CUHK Newsletter 2 No. 89 19th May 1996 Commetns from Senior Administration On the Eve of Departure From the Vice-Chancellor In lat e Apri l I wa s interviewe d b y several reporter s a s recipien t o f th e 1996 Japa n Prize . Invariably the conversation drifted to my forthcoming retirement f r om th e vice - chancellorship o f this university. One recurring questio n was , 'Ar e yo u satisfied with what you have achieved for CUHK ?' This question prompted me to try to remembe r m y answer s t o th e interviewing pane l befor e I wa s appointed t o th e positio n o f Vice - Chancellor. Di d I have a general idea of what I could do for this university? How di d I reply then to the questions of wha t m y aspiration s wer e fo r th e University? Whatever I sai d at that intervie w is no longer relevant. What I know i s how muc h I hav e enjoyed my lif e a t The Chines e Universit y o f Hon g Kong, wo r k i n g w i t h al l o f yo u throughout thes e nin e years . I t ha s been a n enrichin g experience . M y mind and attitude have been expanded in a way I have never had expected. I t has bee n ric h intellectuall y an d enlightening culturally. I now realize that the University is built by the combined efforts o f man y peopl e an d tha t it s quality i s th e summatio n o f thes e efforts t o achiev e excellence . A s th e Vice-Chancellor, wit h th e responsi- bility to provide academic and administrative leadership, I hav e onl y ha d to create an environment conducive to growth. I hav e als o trie d t o contribut e t o the Universit y b y bein g vigilan t an d fair in administration and by insistin g on quality and excellence. I have tried to creat e th e spac e fo r staf f an d students to thrive in and to grow in stature and in achievements. I have attempted to remov e obstacle s b y improvin g administrative efficienc y an d b y simplifying rules . Eve n mor e importantly, I hav e attempte d t o urg e people t o w i l l i n g l y tak e o n responsibilities for themselve s an d fo r the institution . I a m happ y t o witnes s th e tremendous improvement s tha t have take n plac e i n thi s university . We hav e gaine d reputatio n an d prestige w i t h i n Hon g Kon g an d outside o f it . I tak e thi s opportunit y to wish you al l continued succes s i n your wor k an d a brigh t futur e i n Hong Kong . Throug h you r effort s to mak e thi s universit y a grea t place, graduate s shal l emerg e from ou r gate s wh o can shoulde r th e r espons i b i l i ty o f building th e futur e Hong Kon g an d th e world. I als o tak e th e opportunit y t o thank yo u al l fo r givin g m e you r un f a i l i ng support , an d t o than k members of the community who have supported thi s universit y i n man y different ways. Your support has been the best evidence of your confidenc e in my vice-chancellorship. I trus t tha t yo u wil l suppor t m y successor Prof. Arthur Li i n the same way you have supported me. Charles K. Kao How to Teach History in Secondary Schools A semina r o n histor y educatio n i n secondary school s hel d o n 13t h Apri l 1996 in Ho Tim Building attracted more than 16 0 secondary schoo l teachers. The function wa s organize d b y th e Department of Curriculum and Instruction, wit h guest speaker s coming from th e CUH K History Department , th e Hon g Kon g Institute o f Education , th e Examinatio n Authority, an d th e Curriculu m Development Institute o f th e Educatio n Department. General Assembly of Association of Christian Universities an d Colleges in Asia Prof. Rance Lee (right 5) of Chung Chi College, Prof. Edward Chen (right 6) of Lingnan College, Dr. Daniel Tse (right 4) of Hong Kong Baptist University, and student representatives from Hong Kong at the ACUCA student chorus contest Prof. Rance P. L. Lee, head of Chung Chi College, represented the college to attend the 11t h Genera l Assembl y o f th e Association of Christia n Universitie s an d Colleges in Asia (ACUCA) held in Taegu, the Republic o f Korea, on 26th and 27th April 1996 . The function marked the 20th founding anniversar y o f ACUCA , o f which Chung Chi is a member. The theme this yea r wa s 'Globalizatio n an d Loca l Relevancy o f Christia n Highe r Education'. Two Chun g Ch i student s fro m th e Department of Music, Yeung Hin Kei and Joyce Yu, took part in an ACUCA studen t music workshop and a chorus contest with student representatives from seven Asian countries. They won third place with other Hong Kon g student s fro m Lingna n College and Baptist University . Conference on Youth Drug Problems Dr. Cheung Yuet Wah of the Department of Sociology presenting his paper entitled 'Drug Awareness among Young People in Hong Kong' A conferenc e o n drug-trafficking , dru g abuse and the rehabilitation of young drug addicts wa s jointly organize d by Chun g Chi College , Lingna n College , an d th e Conference o f Juvenil e Delinquenc y i n China on 1s t May i n Hong Kong . Twenty-three prominent scholars and practitioners from China, Hong Kong and Macau spok e o n thei r lates t researc h findings o n the theme, and 14 papers o n solutions t o dru g problem s wer e presented. H an Villa ( 漢園)— the name conjures up image s o f Chines e gardens wher e scholar s an d poets, fa n i n hand , strol l b y a blue lak e overhung with willows. The setting would be conduciv e t o a slightl y sentimenta l interview wit h it s curren t mistres s Mrs . Gwen Ka o o n th e ev e o f he r an d Vice - Chancellor Prof. Charles Kao's departure from th e University. Realit y howeve r i s quite another story. Pines, azaleas, potted daisies an d a n unuse d tenni s cour t surround the Kaos' residence, a structure reminiscent o f governmen t building s o f the sixties . Ther e i s even a pond bu t n o willows and no languid scholars. It was a very spritel y Mrs. Kao who met us at the door. Prof. and Mrs. Kao have lived in Han Villa since 1987 when Prof. Kao assumed vice-chancellorship. Th e residenc e wa s built over 30 years ago for the University's first vice-chancellor , Dr . L i Choh-ming . The inside o f Han Villa i s an interesting postmodern mi x o f era s and influences : nostalgic furnitur e and fixtures provide d by the University exist side by side books, Chinese paintings , famil y portraits , Persian rugs, peacock feathers, and other possessions of its present occupants. The place has been renovated a few limes, and Mrs. Ka o find s i t o n th e whol e 'ver y comfortable an d well-maintained' . However i t shows its age in subtle things such as the water system, which Mrs. Kao describes a s reachin g 'breaking-dow n point' . In fac t onl y recentl y ther e wa s a water lea k i n th e ceilin g o f he r study . 'Living here is a little like living in a hotel without the hotel services,' she says. 'Al l we need to do is phone maintenance and I am the one responsible for the phoning.' Over the last 30 years, the Kaos have lived i n th e UK , U S an d Hon g Kong . Where does Mrs. Kao feel most at home?

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