THE former front-runner for the post of vice-chancellor of Hong Kong University, Professor Woo Shien-biau, said it was just 'American humour to bid the unfortunate farewell'.
But when the scholar from Delware University quit the contest saying, 'if a future candidate for VC [vice-chancellor] of HKU is interested, I can be convinced to provide a map showing where the landmines are', there was no mistaking the bitterness underlining the message.
The anonymous attack on his integrity during the selection process was no laughing matter. No one could have imagined the search for the new vice-chancellor would be so controversial - leaks of nominees' confidential information; the resignation of a post-graduates' representative from the selection committee in protest against the committee chairman, Chief Justice Sir Ti Liang Yang's 'groundless' accusation that students had breached the rule of confidentiality; alleged deals in exchange for votes; and the sudden dropping of Professor Woo from the short-list amid doubts about his judgment.
The result was damaging to the reputations of Professor Woo and the university itself and left a vacancy unlikely to be filled when Professor Wang Gungwu retires as vice-chancellor at the end of the year.
There is another consequence. The delay has also prompted worries about competition from the Chinese University (CU), which started recruiting for its vice-chancellor in February, to replace Professor Charles Kao Kuen who will retire by July 1996.
Some academics believe any competition between the two will highlight a lack of potential leaders. Hong Kong University's failure to strike a balance between confidentiality and the transparency requested by students could scare away possible candidates.