Newsletter No. 352

No. 352, 4.2.2010 陳鎮榮 Mr. Chan Chun-wing Terence 下回〈十方吐露〉將訪問 Prof. Simon Haines Prof. Simon Haines will be featured in the next instalment of ‘TEN QUESTIONS FOR’. 預告 Coming 12 1 可否談談中大整體的財政狀況？ Can you tell us something about CUHK’s finances? 中大整體財政相當穩健。雖然自九十年代起政府數度削減大學 資助，其間又經歷九七亞洲金融風暴及去年的全球金融海嘯， 但我們積極開源節流，重組架權及作業流程，重新分配資源， 在可能範圍內大學對學系提供補貼，盡量減輕個別學系部門因 削資而受到的衝擊，令大學整體的質素及競爭力得以維持甚至 提升。有賴大學同仁的協力，大學現有資產九十億，僱員公積金 平衡牢穩，未來日子是雨是晴，我都有信心大學會在良好的財 政基礎上持續發展。 The University is financially very solid. Despite several university funding cuts since the 1990s, the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and last year’s global financial tsunami, we have managed to maintain and improve our quality and competitiveness by implementing active measures to cut expenditure and secure additional sources of income, by restructuring our organization and operation flow, and by redistributing resources. This has allowed us to provide financial support to academic departments to minimize the blows dealt by the budget cuts. Thanks to the concerted effort of the University community, CUHK has nine billion in assets and the staff superannuation fund is enjoying stable growth. Come rain or shine, I believe that the University will continue to develop on this solid financial foundation. 2 你怎樣管理很多員工都關心的僱員公積金？ How do you manage the staff superannuation fund? This seems to be the concern of many staff members. 僱員公積金現有大約三十至四十億資產，因為關係大學同事的 福祉，所以我們都非常謹慎管理，絕不敢掉以輕心。我們抱持 的宗旨是從同事的需要出發，着重溝通，過程透明。在審慎理 財的大原則下，我們也會因應市場的發展，提供新的選擇或組 合計劃，例如外幣組合、中國A股追蹤基金等。同事可選擇轉 換投資組合的期間也愈來愈具彈性。 The staff superannuation fund has assets worth three to four billion. It concerns the well-being of colleagues, so we have to manage it with extreme caution. Whenever we make a decision, we keep in mind the needs of our colleagues, and stress communication and transparency. Our principle is to exercise prudence in financial management. But we also keep a close eye on the market, and provide new investment options for our colleagues, such as different currency combinations, China A-share-index tracking fund, and so on. This allows them greater flexibility in their investment portfolios. 3 回復本科四年制對大學的財政有甚麼影響？ What will be the impact of the four-year curriculum on the University’s finances? 政府承諾為三三四新學制增撥的資源，其實是不足以提供額外 多一年本科教育實際所需的。但為了順利回復四年制，大學在 財政預算上未雨綢繆，務求令各學系可以盡早延聘人才、添置 裝備，為2012年做好準備。所以直到2012年，我們每一年都將 見到赤字預算。 The government promised to provide us with extra resources to cope with the ‘3+3+4’ change. But they won’t be enough to cover the increased demand entailed by an additional year of undergraduate study. To achieve a smooth transition to the four-year curriculum, we have started our budget planning way ahead of time to ensure we will be well prepared in terms of having sufficient talent and the necessary facilities. This also means that from now to 2012, we will have deficit budgets. 4 學院實行全職院長制，你從財務管理的角度看到甚麼契機 和挑戰？ In terms of financial management, what are the opportunities and challenges posed by the full-time deanship system? 全職院長在控制成本、調撥資源方面將有更大的自由度和靈活 性，可以更直接有效地推行各項策略和措施。如同管理一個機 構一樣，如何強化財務策劃及資源管理、提出發展路向並與各 學系建立共識，以及靈活有效運用大學撥予的經費和私募的資 源等，將是全職院長的挑戰及成功的關鍵。這是學院管理的一 個範式轉移，但我相信全職院長必會在這方面做得出色，並從 中得到莫大的滿足感。 A full-time deanship allows for more freedom and flexibility in controlling costs, allocating resources, and implementing measures. Like in any other organization, financial planning and resource management, strategic development, building rapport with different departments, and deploying University and private funding efficiently will be a full-time dean’s major challenges. They will also determine his/her success as a dean. The change will entail a paradigm shift for Faculties, but I believe the deans will do well and will derive much satisfaction from their jobs. 5 作為大學財務長，你的理財哲學是甚麼？ As University Bursar, what is your philosophy on financial management? 我信奉一種適度下放、「藏富於民」的理財哲學，即是說學系有 自由按其需要運用資源，並保留盈餘以作長遠發展；因為甚麼 地方需要資源，怎樣才算用得其所，只有學系本身最清楚。我們 主要的角色應是財務管理而非過份的財務監控，我的職責是創 造有利條件、提供專業意見，在信任但謹慎的基礎上令各學院 學系的教研工作更上層樓。 I believe in the philosophy of decentralization—‘leaving wealth with the people’. That means academic departments should be given a free hand in deploying resources according to their needs. They should also have enough reserves for future development. Departments themselves know best where resources should be spent and how to use them. Our role should be financial management, not excessive financial control. My job is to, based on trust and prudence, create the right conditions and provide professional advice, in order to take teaching and research in Faculties and departments to a higher level. 6 你是專業會計師，曾任職會計師事務所、銀行及商界，你怎 樣看投資或投機？ As a professional accountant who has worked in accounting firms, banks, and the business sector, how do you see investment and speculation? 這個比喻可能不太適合，但你可視投資為長期的婚姻關係。遇 上好對象，一定要想方設法追求，但不是為了短期目的，而是一 種長遠關係。當然，如果基本因素有變，亦要作策略性調節。據 我觀察，短期投機活動多以虧損告終，而我們做過調查，大學 公積金及強積金計劃投資最好成績的同事，都不是追趕潮流、 受消息影響而經常轉換投資組合的。 I’m not sure if it’s an appropriate analogy. But you can see investment as marriage. When you meet the right person, you try your best to win his/her heart for a long-term relationship. Of course, if the fundamentals change, you have to make strategic adjustments. Short-term speculation often results in losses. We’ve done research on this. Those who enjoy the best outcomes from university superannuation and MPF funds are those who don’t change their investment portfolios frequently, in response to market trends and hearsay. 7 可能有人不知財務處管轄範圍還包括飯堂和紀念品店，為 甚麼會這樣？ Not everyone knows that the Bursary oversees the canteens and the souvenir counter. Why is this the case? 我1996年上任時，財務處稱為總務處，約有一百員工，負責財 政預算、基建成本管理、僱員公積金、發薪、投資管理等財務項 目，此外還有大學的採購投標、郵件處理和宿舍分配等雜項。 到了今天的財務處，工作雖更聚焦財務事宜，但還保留了以前的 雜項。可能很多人還不知道，我的職責還包括大學賓館及邵逸 夫堂。 When I assumed duty in 1996, the Bursary had a staff of about 100 and was responsible for financial duties like budget planning, control of infrastructure cost, staff superannuation, staff salary, and investment management. It was also in charge of a miscellany of jobs such as bidding, procurement, management of mails, and allocation of hostels. Today, although the Bursary’s primary focus is financial matters, it still keeps its miscellaneous duties. Many people may not know that our office also oversees the Guest House and Sir Run Run Shaw Hall. 8 財務處在可見將來會有甚麼新献？ What are the Bursary’s plans for the near future? 我們會貫徹財務處同事間的團隊文化及服務校內各部門的精 神，秉承耐心聆聽、主動跟進的宗旨，提供快捷有效的服務。實 務方面，會進一步推行無紙作業，繼上年推出的電子財務報表 系統後，我們正研究推出電子採購作業模式，順應環保潮流， 減少耗紙。 We will continue to listen carefully to our users and to proactively follow up. That’s our mission. We’ll provide quick and effective services. In practice, we will further our paper-free operation. Following the introduction of electronic financial statements last year, we’re working on electronic procurement to reduce paper consumption. 9 1996年出任財務長至今，有甚麼事最令你印象深刻？ Since you became Bursar in 1996, what has impressed you most? 2004至05年度因為政府削資，所以不得不減薪，影響所及，丙 類服務條件的員工一律減薪百分之十。減薪固然不幸，與最後月 薪掛鈎的退休金相應減少，才真的對同事退休後的生計有重大 影響。我們當時衡量所有因素，決定推行一個計劃，令員工可 選擇在減薪前結算其公積金，然後轉到新的供款計劃，並享有 以後五年每年保證百分之五的回報，當時有很多人質疑是否可 行，到今天證明效果理想。有天我在停車場碰到一名素未謀面 的丙類服務條件員工，他覺得該計劃令他受惠，所以和我握手 道謝，我覺得做了一件很有意義的事，至今猶歷歷在目。 The government’s budget cut in 2004–05 forced us to reduce staff salaries. Terms C staff received a 10% cut. This was unfortunate, but the entailing decrease in their retirement funds was what hit home the hardest. Weighing in different factors, we decided to implement a scheme allowing staff to choose whether to close their original pension account before the salary slash, then transfer to a new scheme that guarantees a 5% return in each of the following five years. Many were doubtful at first but time has shown this to be a good move. I met a Terms C staff one day in the car park whom I had never met. He thanked me, shook my hand, and told me he had benefited from the scheme. This incident remains etched in my memory. It made me feel I had done something meaningful. 10 你為甚麼熱衷粵曲？還有其他的興趣嗎？ Why are you so into Cantonese opera? What other interests do you have? 我一直對粵曲都甚感興趣，加入中大這個大家庭後，更遇上一 羣志同道合的曲友，我們不單是自娛，也經常到老人中心唱給 老人家聽，也算是一項社會服務吧。此外，我小時候曾當童軍， 覺得是很好的羣體訓練，我現在還義務擔任香港童軍總會財 務委員會主席。閒來我也喜歡運動，如游泳、打網球和羽毛球 等，以強化體魄。 I have long been interested in Cantonese opera. After joining CUHK, I met a number of Cantonese opera lovers. We don’t treat it as a hobby only. We often go to homes for the aged to sing for the elderly. I see it as a kind of community service. When I was young, I was a boy scout. It’s excellent group training. I’m volunteering as the chairman of the Finance Committee of the Scout Association of Hong Kong. I like sports too, such as swimming, tennis and badminton.