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SCMP Reporter

Reading comprehension
Answer the following questions: 
1 What is the crux of the staff's complaint in the open letter?
a. they were laid off while their colleagues could keep their jobs
b. some senior staff are earning bigger salaries than they did despite the economic downturn
c. they were victims of the losses incurred by the school's subsidiaries
d. the university should not let its staff oversee any subsidiaries 
2 Former university president Poon Chung-kwong declined to explain the investment loss because ...
a. he has no interest in investment
b. the investment decisions were approved by relevant bodies
c. the layoffs happened in all universities, not just PolyU
d. he bears no responsibility as a retiree  
3 Which of the following is true with regard to a staff member taking up duties in a PolyU subsidiary?
a. he must not be paid
b. he must get approval from the university to be paid
c. he must not receive payments of more than HK$1.8 million
d. he must write to the governing council if he wants payment 
4 How much did the university lose through risky investments?
a. HK$83 million
b. HK$500 million
c. HK$904 million
d. between HK$1.8 million and HK$4.8 million 
5. This story is mainly about ...
a. unhappy employees being laid off
b. the dispute between previous vice-president and president of PolyU
c. governance issues in a university
d. the dangers of buying stocks and derivatives
Think about
1 Do you think universities should allow their staff to earn salaries from overseeing the school's business subsidiaries?   
2 Why does James To Kun-sun mention Eva Cheng's example in his argument?
Follow-up activities
1 Compile a report on any one of the other universities in Hong Kong with information on the companies set up by that university and their directors.
2 Imagine yourself as one of the staff being laid off by PolyU. Write a letter of complaint to the governing council regarding the school's  management policies. Include as many facts as you can from the article.
Answers:
March 4
Reading comprehension:  1. d, 2. b, 3. a, 4. c, 5. b



transparency