Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2005

Prof. Ching Pak-chung, college head Mak i ng Steady Progress Towards the Future He ad of Shaw College Prof. Ch i ng Pak- c h u n g b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e c o l l e g e ' s d e v e l o pme nt can be v i e w e d f r o m v a r i o u s aspects. ‘ Re s o u r c es are n o t o u r b i g g e st p r o b l em. O f course h a v i ng mo re resources w o u l d a l l ow us to s t r e n g t h en o ur s t u d e nt s e r v i c e s a n d l a u n c h n e w p r o j e c ts a n d p r o g r amme s. B ut as a college t h a t 's been a r o u n d f o r 20 y e a r s, w e are n o w i n t he p e r i od of stable g r ow t h . A 20-year history is short. O u r earliest graduates are still striving to ma ke s ome t h i ng of their careers. A l u m n i are c r u c i al m e m b e r s of a c o l l e g e: t h e i r s u p p o rt for and participation in the college's d e v e l o pme n t are indispensable. A t present, w e are l a r g e ly d e p e n d e nt o n the z e al of i n d i v i d u al a l umn us hence the expansion of our a l umni n e t wo rk has been relatively slow . H o w e v e r this is s ome t h i ng t h at cannot be rushed.' Prof. C h i n g p o i n t ed o u t t hat teachers' i n v o l v eme nt is als o i mp o r t a nt for the healthy d e v e l o p m e nt of a college. B ut u n d e r the current system, they are sometimes too busy w i t h t e a c h i n g, research a n d c o m m u n i t y service to i n i t i a te i n v o l v e m e nt i n college a c t i v i t i e s , e v e n i f t h e y w a n t e d to. W i t h r e g a rd to s t u d e n t s, he s a id t h a t b e i n g a college w i t h a brief history has its advantage a n d d i s a d v a n t a g e. T h e a d v a n t a g e is t h at there is no h i s t o r i c al b u r d en a nd students h a v e m o r e r o o m f o r d e v e l o p m e n t. T h e disadvantage is there are no clearly defined v a l ues or, if y o u w i l l , a college s p i r it w i t h w h i c h t hey can i d e n t i fy a nd of w h i c h t hey can be p r o u d. I n fact Shaw's colleg e s p i r it has been a m u c h discussed topic amo ng its teachers a nd students. Prof. C h i ng believes that the spirit of a college s h o u ld be reflected i n its character hence Shaw mu st first b u i l d a signature character a nd style. A n d i n th e l o n g r u n, the c u l t i v a t i on of college s p i r it r e q u i r es t he c o n c e r t ed e f f o r ts of a l l its members. The College System of The Chinese University 1 9