A top academic at the centre of a row over a poll on the popularity of the men vying to become the next chief executive said his decision to release early results had not been politically motivated.
Professor Zhao Xinshu has apologised for the negative impact the incident has had on the image of the university at which he works.
But staff, students and alumni of Baptist University's School of Communication who attended a forum to discuss the incident yesterday expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as an 'insincere apology' from Zhao.
Zhao, who heads the school and the survey, failed to show up to give an account of his actions.
The university has been urged to carry out an independent inquiry into the incident and to suspend Zhao for the duration of the investigation.
The university's vice-president, Professor Rick Wong Wai-kwok - who had been appointed to head a panel to conduct a probe - said he has no power to suspend Zhao. He also failed to promise an independent investigation.