Vice-Chancellor's Report 1982-85

we shal l continu e t o hav e th e benefi t o f hi s guidanc e an d advice . Th e Un i ve r s i ty wa s mos t fortunate , afte r considerabl e effort , i n persuading D r . th e Honou r ab l e Q . W . Lee , th e f ound i n g Treasure r o f th e Un i ve r s i t y, t o tak e ove r f r o m Si r Yue t - keun g a s Counc i l Chairman . He ha s since , i n spit e o f hi s man y duties , devote d a great dea l o f hi s time an d energ y t o helpin g an d guidin g th e Un i ve r s i t y i n it s development. A t th e same time, D r . th e Honou r ab l e Lyd i a Du n n , wh o joine d the Counc i l i n 1978 ， kindly agree d t o succee d D r . Le e a s Treasurer . I t i s m y sa d du t y t o recor d her e th e passin g awa y o n 6t h Ju l y , 1983 o f D r . R . C . Lee , wh o ha d been the V i ce -Cha i rman o f th e Council as we l l a s th e Cha i rma n o f th e Campu s Plannin g an d Bu i l d i n g Commi t t ee eve r sinc e th e f ound i n g o f th e Un i ve r s i t y . I n h i m w e hav e lost on e wh o ha d bee n a tru e frien d an d a loya l colleagu e f o r ove r t wo decades . H e wa s succeede d b y D r . th e Honou r ab l e P.C . Wo o a s Vice-Chairman. O n th e staf f side , D r . Joh n T.S . Chen , Registra r f o r te n years , retired f r o m offic e a t th e beginnin g o f 1982/83 . Th e Un i ve r s i t y wa s fortunate i n f i nd i n g a most energeti c an d capabl e successo r i n D r . L i u Pak-wai, wh o ha s subsequentl y bee n instrumenta l i n helpin g m e launch ou r man y academi c initiatives , notabl y th e Provisiona l Acceptance Scheme an d cu r r i cu l u m review . O n th e othe r hand , Professo r Amb r ose Y . C . K i ng , who , a s a College Hea d an d a s the Cha i rma n o f the Specia l Pane l on Cu r r i c u l u m Review , ha d contribute d s o much t o the stabilit y an d progres s o f th e Un i ve r s i t y du r i n g th e decad e following the reorganizatio n i n 1976 , decide d t o ste p d ow n a s Head o f N e w Asia Colleg e a t th e en d o f 1984/8 5 an d returne d t o f u l l - t im e teachin g and research . H e w i l l b e succeede d b y Professo r Tzong - b i a u L i n , Professor o f Economics . Look i ng Ahea d I wo u l d n o w lik e t o t u r n t o th e politica l proces s un f o l d i n g i n th e years 1982—85 ， which prove d s o unsettling t o H o n g Ko n g an d cause d so muc h t u rmo i l . I t wa s on l y natura l tha t thi s affecte d the Universit y , and there were staf f members an d students who fel t tha t the Un i ve r s i t y perhaps neede d t o revie w it s policie s an d administrativ e practice s i n anticipation o f th e r e t u r n o f H o n g Ko n g t o Ch i n a a s a Specia l Administrative Region i n 1997 . I n thi s respect , I a m gla d t o sa y tha t th e t u rn o f event s has n ow i n fact ampl y vindicate d the basic principles an d tenets o n wh i c h th e Un i ve r s i t y ha s bee n founde d an d developed , namely, tha t the Un i ve r s i t y shoul d b e a t r u ly bilingua l i ns t i t u t i on w i t h Chinese a s th e principa l med i u m o f instruction , tha t i t shoul d w o r k 11