The decision not to reappoint Paul Morris as president of the Hong Kong Institute of Education bears the classic hallmarks of government heavy-handedness. A spokeswoman for Arthur Li Kwok-cheung said the education chief 'totally respects the autonomy' of the training college ('Arthur Li's agenda 'is hurting HKIEd'', January 27). Well, he didn't a few years back, when he proposed a merger with Chinese University before consulting staff or students. And now the government appointees on the council have ignored the view of most staff and students that Professor Morris should have been reappointed. So much for autonomy.
I hope legislative councillors will take up this issue because, apart from the shabby treatment of Professor Morris, it raises important questions about the role of government appointees on the councils of tertiary institutions. The Morris affair clearly shows that the way these appointees exercise their role can have a seriously adverse effect on the autonomy and academic reputations of tertiary institutions.
IAN SCOTT, Pok Fu Lam
With most university council members appointed by the government, it is hard not to suspect education chief Arthur Li Kwok-cheung of having a hand in the ousting of Paul Morris, president of the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Besides, ever since he was appointed education minister, the former vice-chancellor of Chinese University has often appeared to lean in its favour. Starting from his ill-considered but high-handed proposal to merge Chinese University and the University of Science and Technology, all suggested mergers between local tertiary institutions have had Chinese University resolutely at their centre. With the failure of these more ambitious plans, it is only natural to prey on the most vulnerable - the Hong Kong Institute of Education.
One also wonders if the operations of the University Grants Committee have not been tainted by such an agenda. Is it a coincidence that the teachers' training college is starved of funds while Chinese University has, in recent years, received the biggest slice of the cake?
JENNIFER WONG, Kowloon Tong
