The new front in Hong Kong's campus war: Critics say reform is vital to preserve academic freedom

As the University of Hong Kong reels from the controversial decision its ruling council took to block the appointment of liberal scholar Professor Johannes Chan Man-mun to a key managerial post, a new and potentially more damaging battle is looming over a tradition that automatically makes the city's chief executive chancellor of its public universities.

Student unions who argue the system has the potential for abuse and is a threat to academic freedom, are holding plebiscites on the matter.

Last week, students at Lingnan University voted for the abolition of the system which installs the chief executive - at present Leung Chun-ying - as chancellor of all eight public educational institutions in the SAR. The position gives the city's leader the power to appoint members of university ruling councils.

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Adding fuel to the fire are rumours that "tsar" Professor Arthur Li Kwok-cheung is to be appointed as University of Hong Kong council chairman in the wake of the controversial appointment of two Beijing loyalists to the council at Lingnan.

In both cases, student activists and university alumni have accused Leung of political interference through his role as chancellor in both cases.

The dilemma universities face is whether doing away with - or over-hauling - the system might inflame an already febrile political atmosphere on campuses.

In 2012, long before the current controversy, the HKU Convocation formed by university graduates raised concerns about possible political interference in a report on the future of HKU carried out by its task force based on feedback from staff and alumni.