Polytechnic University fires don Judy Tsui, accused of not declaring income
Academic Judy Tsui sacked, but report into claims she failed to declare outside earnings to Polytechnic University will not be released
A prominent scholar at Polytechnic University was sacked yesterday at the end of an investigation into claims that she omitted to declare earnings of HK$1.85 million made outside the institution.
The employment of Judy Tsui Lam Sin-lai as vice-president and professor of accounting was "terminated with immediate effect", the Hung Hom university said yesterday.
The outcome followed an investigation launched in October 2012 after an internal audit found Tsui had neglected to reveal a total of HK$1.85 million she earned as a company director and as consultant to a locally listed company and a mainland-listed company. PolyU requires its academics to declare external income and to pay some of the money to the university.
"The review conducted by an independent panel of inquiry has come to a close," PolyU said. "Upon careful consideration, the university has decided to terminate Professor Judy Tsui Lam Sin-lai's employment."
The report of the panel, formed by members of the university council and other top scholars, would not be disclosed because of privacy concerns, a PolyU spokeswoman said. But she said the university would follow up on the case and make sure Tsui returned money due to the institution, without specifying how much was involved.
"The university has clear guidelines and an established mechanism to process all applications and approvals of income declarations," the spokeswoman said. "All employees have to follow [the rules] strictly."