University of Hong Kong eyes swapping out elected student, faculty members with appointees on dean search committees
- The proposal comes on the heels of resistance over the appointment of two new vice-presidents with ties to a mainland university
- Staff, student feedback would no longer be required should the changes go through, while five-year terms for dean would now be ‘up to five years’
The University of Hong Kong has proposed removing the elected members of committees tasked with selecting faculty deans, drawing criticism from staff and students who see an attempt to centralise power with the school’s management.
The Post has learned faculty deans were told about the proposed changes, now scheduled for the next council meeting, just days before Tuesday’s session, while staff and students were not consulted.
There are 10 separate faculties with their own deans at HKU. Under existing procedures, the university president sets up a search committee about 18 months before a dean’s five-year term expires.
The eight-member committee is chaired by the university president and includes the provost, a council member, and a representative of senior management. They are joined by the chairman of the faculty board, as well as two teachers and a student who have been directly elected by their peers.