A New Era Begins 1975-78

inquiry conducted by Lord Fulton's Commission. In this regard we must take particular note of the fact that the Working Party clearly recognized that its recommendations involved " t he mode o f governance and management o f the University" and that the Working Party did not “ f i nd it appropriate at this stage to consider the statutory changes, i f any, which may be necessary to give effect to all the recommendations that we have made". The next phase of the process of historic change would obviously have to be conducted by an external body highly qualified and fully empowered to consider the far-reaching issues of statutory change. The Fulton Commission The second and decisive phase of the process of historic change officially began on 12th November, 1975 w i th the announcement that the Chancellor of the University had appointed The Commission on The Chinese University chaired by Lord Fu l t on of Falmer. It will be recalled that Lord Fulton was Chairman o f the Commission whose Report led to the legal establishment of The Chinese University of Hong Kong on 17th October, 1963. It was appropriate, and most fortunate, therefore, that the man who had played so crucial a role in the legal establishment of The Chinese University should undertake an official inquiry i n to its fundamental problems and their statutory implications. Other members of this external Commission included Sir Michael Herries, Chairman o f the Hong Kong University and Polytechnic Grants Committee, 1965-73; Professor C. K. Yang, Distinguished Service Professor, Department o f Sociology, University of Pittsburgh. Mr. I.C.M. Maxwell, Deputy Director of the Inter-University Council for Higher Education Overseas, served as Secretary. On 5th December, 1975 the Commission began its inquiry in Hong Kong, and for a number of days continued to hear evidence and to deliberate issues. A l l members met in London on 9 th February, 1976 to finalise their Report, which was published in March 1976. Terms of Reference The terms o f reference, as stated by the Chancellor, made clear that the external Commission was empowered to consider fully the legal implications of those problems which the Working Party had recognized but not pursued in its institutional self-study, as follows: "Bearing in mind experience gained in the first decade of The Chinese University o f Hong Kong's development and the ‘Final Report of the Working Party on Educational Policy and University Structure ’， to advise on whether any changes are necessary in the governance, financial and administrative machinery, ordinances and statutes of the University and its Constituent Colleges." 19