Newsletter No. 268

SUPPORT FOR TWO PROJECT T he followin g tw o researc h project s undertake n b y facult y member s o f th e University hav e succeede d i n attractin g funding support : • A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study on Treatment of Nocturia with Desmopressin in Women (HK$100,000) Sponsor: Ferrin g Pharmaceuticals Limite d Principal investigator: Prof . Yi p Shing-ka i (Departmen t o f Obstetric s an d Gynaecology) • Non-erosive Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (NERD): A Disease of Excessive Acid or Visceral Hypersensitivity? (HK$400,000) Sponsor: Th e Hon g Kon g Society o f Gastroenterolog y Principal investigator: Dr . Justi n C.Y . W u (Departmen t o f Medicin e an d Therapeutics) Students from Five Continents Connected by the Chinese Language Over 230undergraduate studentsfrom mainland China, exchange studentsfrom theworld over, and staffand students of theNewAsia —Yale-in-China Chinese Language Centre took part in a day tour to Tung Ping Chau, Ap Chau and Kat O, remote islands on theeastern side ofHong Kong, on 14thOctober. Theobjective of theevent wasto let thestudentsfrom over 23countries andfive continentspractise spoken putonghua and Cantonese in a natural setting. Survey Shows Ethnic Minorities Feel Discriminated Against in HK (From left) Rev.Joshua Peter, South Asian NetworkMinistry-in-charge ofMission to NewArrivals Ltd., Prof. Tang Kwong-leung, Prof. LamMong-chow, andProf. Lam Ching-man of theDepartment ofSocial Work at apress conference held on 28th October A survey wa s c ondu c t e d b y th e Department o f Socia l Wor k o f th e University betwee n 1s t Jun e an d 11t h November 200 4 to investigat e the general v i e w s o f t h e p u b l i c o n r a c i a l discrimination an d t o identif y possibl e solutions. Close to 14 0 individuals born i n India , Hong Kong , Pakistan , an d Nepa l wer e interviewed o n whether they ha d had an y experience o f being discriminated against . Their averag e duratio n o f sta y i n Hon g Kong i s 1 1 years and mos t hav e receive d tertiary education . I n addition , fiv e in - depth interview s an d thre e focu s group s comprising ethnic minorit y women, socia l service professionals , an d huma n right s activists wer e conducted . The respondent s clearl y recognize d the existenc e o f racia l discrimination . Sixty-seven pe r cen t felt they wer e ofte n discriminated agains t becaus e o f thei r r a c e. O v e r h a l f f e l t t h a t r a c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i on i s a seriou s socia l problem i n Hon g Kon g an d tha t thei r ethnicity ha s determine d thei r caree r progress. Almos t hal f felt they wer e see n as second-clas s citizens . Accordin g t o the respondents , discriminatio n mos t common ly happen s i n th e workplac e and shops , w h e r e emp l o y e e s ar e discriminated agains t b y employer s an d customers ar e discriminate d agains t b y sales persons . Over 80 per cent supported anti-racia l discrimination legislatio n an d believe d that governmen t policie s d o no t g o fa r enough t o figh t racia l discrimination . 宣 布 事 項 ANNOUNCEMENTS Naming of Facilities The University Council has at its 4th (2005) meeting on 18t h October 2005 approve d the naming o f the Staf f Student Centr e o f New Asi a Colleg e a s the Staf f Studen t Centre — Leun g Hung Kee Building (樂群館—梁雄姬樓) , as proposed by Ne w Asia College and endorsed by the Administrative an d Planning Committee . 平安夜與新年除夕之辦公安排 Staffing Arrangements on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve 根據大學關於平安夜和新年除夕辦公之安排，所有部門於二零零五年十二月 二十四日（星期六）及十二月三十一日（星期六）上午須留有職員值班。當值之 職員〔（乙）或（丙）類服務條例〕可獲補假半天。 上述安排不適用於保健處、大學圖書館系統、資訊科技服務處之電算機操作 組、保安組、交通組、物業管理處等部門。該等部門須留有足夠人手以維持基本 服務。 The followin g staffin g arrangement s fo r Christma s Ev e an d New Yea r Eve' s w i l l apply o n 24th and 31st December 2005. Both are Saturdays . 1. For essentia l service units suc h as the University Healt h Service , the Universit y Library System , the Operation s Team of the Informatio n Technolog y Service s Centre, the Security Unit, the Transport Unit, and the Estates Management Office , a task force shoul d remain on duty to provide basic services . 2. For al l other offices i n the University, skeleto n staff should be on duty o n these mornings t o handle urgent matters and enquiries. These offices will b e closed i n the afternoon . 3. The skeleton staff [on Terms (B ) o r (C)] o n duty o n each morning will b e give n compensation leav e of half a day . 提前發放薪金 Advancement of Pay Date 二零零五年十二月份及二零零六年一月份之薪金，將分別提前於十二月二十 一日（星期三）及一月二十四日（星期二）發放。查詢可致電薪津及公積金組（二 六零九七二四零/七二四六）。 Salary payment dates for December 2005 and January 2006 will be advanced to 21st December 2005 (Wednesday) and 24th January 2006 (Tuesday) respectively. Enquiries can be directed to the Payroll and Superannuation Unit at 2609 7240/7246. Service t o th e Communit y an d International Organization s • Prof . Chan Wing Wah, professor of music, was re-appointed by the Chief Executive o f the HKSAR a s a member of the General Committee o f the Hong Kong Philharmoni c Society Ltd. for one year from 1s t November 2005. He was also invited by the Taiwan National Centre for Traditional Arts and the Taipei Municipal Chinese Orchestra to chair the jur y panel for the 200 5 Traditional Music Composition Contest and Seminar in Taipei. • Prof . Ching Pak Chung, professor o f electronic engineering , has been appointed as a member o f the Hong Kong Qualit y Assurance Agency an d the Hong Kon g Qualit y Assurance Agency Governing Council for two years from 26th August 2005. • Prof . Lee Shui Shan, professor of infectious diseases, has been invited by the Council for th e AIDS Trus t Fund to serv e as a technical reviewer t o asses s the Medica l an d Support Services research projects. • Prof . Carme l McNaught, professor o f learning enhancement, has been invited as an external member of the Accreditatio n Panels of the Nursin g Council of Hong Kong for two years from 1s t December 2005. • Prof . Hon g Youlian, professo r i n th e Departmen t o f Sport s Scienc e an d Physica l Education, has been appointed by the National Research Institute of Sports Science of the Stat e Sports General Administration t o be a guest research fellow fo r fou r year s from 8th July 2005. • Prof . Liao Wei Hsin, associate professor in the Department of Automation and Computer- Aided Engineering, has been appointed as an associate editor of Shock and Vibration (IOS journal). H e ha s als o serve d a s a member o f th e editoria l boar d o f anothe r international journal, Smart Materials and Structures, publishe d by The Institute o f Physics. Awards • Prof . Hon g Youlian, professo r i n th e Departmen t o f Sport s Scienc e an d Physica l Education, has been awarded a prize for distinguished and lifelong contributions to the continued development of sports biomechanics in China by the China Society of Sports Biomechanics o n 22nd August 2005. • Prof . Wang Yu, Michael, professor i n the Department o f Automation an d Computer- Aided Engineering, has been elected a Fellow o f the America n Society of Mechanical Engineers on 21st October 2005. (Information in this section isprovided by theCommunications andPublic Relations Office. Contributions should be sent direct to that office for registration and verification before publication.) 2 No. 268 19t h Novembe r 200 5