Professor Cheng should step down as he had not protected the university from political interference, a student leader said.
After listening to the vice-chancellor's press conference, Gloria Chang Wan-ki, president of the University Students Union, insisted Professor Cheng should bear responsibility for the polling row. 'We do not have evidence that Professor Cheng has interfered in academic autonomy. But we think that he has not stood firm on protecting academic freedom.
'After meeting Tung Chee-hwa aide Andrew Lo Cheung-on in January last year, Professor Cheng should have stepped forward to assure pollster Dr Robert Chung Ting-yiu that the university could continue to enjoy academic freedom. But he did not,' Ms Chang said, adding 'I doubt whether Professor Cheng had intended to communicate with Dr Chung.' She said it was not appropriate for the vice-chancellor to hold a private meeting with Mr Lo to discuss opinion polls.
The Students' Union called for a hearing by the Legislative Council so that it could summon Mr Tung and his aides.
During the union's press conference, one man who said he was not a university staff member, accused Ms Chang of being sensational and disrespectful to the teacher. He also said the students' actions would undermine the university's reputation.
Ms Chang said she would apologise if the commission of inquiry found that they had made mistakes. But she dismissed the criticism and said it was Professor Cheng, not students, who undermined the university's reputation.
