I refer to Fanny Wong's column in the South China Morning Post, on April 1, in which she said that 'for many in the community the [the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology] council's approach [that is, topping up the President's salary by means of private donations] is wrong'.
She felt that the HKUST was 'behaving like a private club' and added, 'Using donations to subsidise the pay of a university head is unheard of'.
As it is important for the public to know the facts regarding use of donations to top up university staff salaries, I refer to a March 27 press release by Antony K C Leung, Chairman of the University Grants Committee. Mr Leung said that recent statements in the media suggesting that it was inappropriate for the UGC-funded institutions to use private funds to top up salaries of their senior staff and suggesting this was in contravention of public policy, were both 'misleading and inaccurate'.
He added, 'Government rules and guidelines governing the use and application of public funds, including the salary scales to be paid to academic and senior administrative staff, do not apply to the institutions' use of private funds at their disposal, for example, donations, income from wholly self-funding activities, etc.
'The institutions are therefore free to offer higher salaries to their senior academic and administrative staff if the additional costs can be, and can be shown to be, fully met from private funds.
'Indeed some of our institutions already receive sponsorship from generous private individuals and companies as whole or partial funding support for endowed chairs and fellowships. Nevertheless, more of such support would always be very welcome and I would strongly support the institutions' efforts to raise private funds to improve the remuneration packages of outstanding academics and academic leaders.
