Newsletter No. 78

Three Legislative Councillors Become University Council Members T h e Legislative Council has elected three of its members into the University Council under The Chinese University Ordinance Statute 11.1(1)and 11.4. They are Dr. C.K. Law, research director of South China Brokerage Ltd. and a member of the Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood; Mr. Chan Kam-lam, shipping manager of Fidelity Shipping and Agencies Ltd. and a member of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong; and Dr. John W.L. Tse, senior lecturer at the City University of Hong Kong and a member of the Democratic Party. They will serve as members of the University Council for three years from 20th October 1995. Architecture Historian Gives Wei Lun Lecture In a Wei Lun lecture entitled 'Critical Regionalism Revisited: the Case of Iberia', Prof. Kenneth Frampton, Ware Professor of Architecture from Columbia University, used Spain as an example to illustrate the thesis of an essay he wrote in 1983. In thatessay,entitled'Toward sa Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance', Prof. Frampton argued that in the late modem period, a critical culture of architecture could be best pursued by inflecting the legacy ofthe modem movement in respect ofregional conditions such as topography, climate, light, materials, and even the local mores and myths. His lecture attempted to give a survey of the development of contemporary architecture in Spain over the last two decades seen as a manifestation ofa very similar regional strategy. The lecture was delivered on 2nd November in the lecture theatre of the Science Museum in Tsimshatsui. Prof. Frampton worked as an architect in England, Israel, and the United States before joining academia. He has been awarded numerous fellowships of distinction: fellowship from the Graham foundation from 1969 to1972 ,the Harvard University Graduate School of Design Loeb Fellowship in 1972, and the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1975. Prof. Frampton has also been the recipient of numerous awards: L'Academie d'Architecture Gold Medal 1987, the Phi Beta Kappa Award 1987, AIA N e w York Chapter Award of merit 1988, A C S A Topez Award 1990, and an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from the Royal Institute of Technology of Sweden 1991. Consortium Founded on CUHK Initiative to Promote Electronic Information Services in Hong Kong Toencourage the development of electronic information in Hong Kong, the Electronic News Media and Publishing Consortium (ENMPC) was founded in October on the initiative ofthe University. Among its other founding members are prominent local news organizations. Sponsored by the Industry Department, this non-profit-making consortium serves as a site for the local news media and publishing industry to test electronic information delivery, retrieval and library services. It also provides a forum for the discussion oftechnical, cultural and social issues pertaining to the development of electronic information services. Prof. Charles K. Kao, vice-chancellor of the University and honorary advisor of E N M P C, said at the opening ceremony of the consortium that he believed the establishment of E N M P C was in the right direction. All Hong Kong registered organizations and instituions can join E N M P C as full members while those not registered in Hong Kong can join as associate members. All hardware and software platforms of E N M P C are maintained by the University's Department of Information Engineering. To Know More About Internal Audit in the University Internal auditing is an independent appraisal and evaluation function. Its objective is to assist units inside an organization in the effective discharge of their responsibilities by furnishing them with analyses, appraisals, and recommendations concerning their activities after a thorough review. The University's Internal Audit Office was established in October 1993 with the approval of the Administrative and Planning Committee, and became fully operational in late 1994. At the initial stage of its operation, Mr. Louis Heung was appointed as the director of internal audit on a half-time basis. However, due to increased demands on his time at the bursary, Mr. Heung resumed full-time duties as senior assistant bursar recently. Price Waterhouse has since been appointed to provide internal audit services to the University. It is supported by Mrs. Kim Cheng, senior internal auditor, and other well-qualified auditors at the Internal Audit Office. The Internal Audit Office has authorized access to all records, personnel and physical properties relevant to the performance ofthe unit to be audited. As the credibility of internal auditing relies on its objectivity and absolute independence, internal auditors are not involved except in an auditing capacity in the activities they audit. The scope of internal auditing at the University covers the following: • Review the reliability and integrity of financial and other operating data and the means to identify, measure, classify, and report such data. • Review the systems established to ensure compliance with policies, procedures, regulations, ordinances and other relevant laws governing University operations, and determine if the University is in compliance. • Advise on new system and procedure development and recommend appropriate control. • Review the means of safeguarding University assets and verify the existence of such assets. • Appraise the economy and efficiency in the employment of University resources. • Review operations and programmes to ascertain whether procedures and results are consistent with plans and established goals. The selection of audit subjects and the frequency of audit are determined by risk analysis. Unit heads' concerns and requests are also included in this determination. The Internal Audit Office reports directly to the vice-chancellor. Mrs. Kim Cheng is the contact person on daily matters. She can be reached at Ext. 7280. Getting a Close-up on Vision An opening ceremony on 7th October officiallykicked offthe Pre-schoolers Eye Screening Study undertaken by the University's Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Tsui Tsin Tong Kindergarten of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. The main objective of the eye- screening is to investigate the relative roles of genetics and environment in the development of myopia in pre-school children. Although these factors have been postulated as possible causes of myopia, they have not been adequately quantified to yield meaningful behavioural approaches for its prevention. The study will also evaluate the effectiveness of implementing an eye- screening programme for preschoolers. The two-month study is divided into three parts: the first is a questionnaire to gather information about the children's parents; the second is the actual eye- screening of 418 children; and the third is post-test analyses as well as follow-up medical services should they be required. The study was designed by Dr. Dennis L a m of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, who is also chief of service of Ophthalmology Service at the Prince of Wales Hospital.