Professor quits over Occupy Central
Organiser of civil disobedience campaign steps down from Chinese University's centre for China studies to avoid harming its reputation
An Occupy Central organiser has stepped down from his position as director of Chinese University's renowned centre for China studies to avoid his involvement in the civil disobedience movement having an impact on the centre's operations.
He is also planning to reduce his involvement in a civic society studies centre he founded at the university in 2008.
The China studies centre has been facilitating the research work of China scholars worldwide for half a century and enjoys equal recognition with America's Harvard University as a resource centre for the subject.
Chan has been the centre's director since April last year. Chinese University was planning to renew his tenure earlier this year but he turned down the offer.
Chan said he had been preparing to step down since joining the planning for Occupy Central because Beijing's attacks on the civil disobedience movement could potentially have an impact on the centre.
"It is a pure academic institute," Chan said. "I don't want to harm this reputed centre for being too political as the centre's director."