{"id":20870,"date":"2022-04-19T14:27:55","date_gmt":"2022-04-19T06:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/?p=20870"},"modified":"2024-04-17T11:48:25","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T03:48:25","slug":"an-improved-system-for-choosing-student-representatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/2022\/04\/an-improved-system-for-choosing-student-representatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Of The Students? By The Students? For The Students?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CUHK students criticise their university’s new criteria of selecting student representatives.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leopold Chen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) launched open recruitment of student representatives in the tertiary education institution\u2019s committees earlier this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move came nearly a year after the last cabinet of the Student Union of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUSU) resigned in March 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The selection criteria for the representatives consist of staff recommendation, relevant experience, reasons for application and academic performance, according to an email sent to all students from the university\u2019s Office of Student Affairs (OSA) on January 19, 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among them, a recommendation by a full-time CUHK staff takes up to 40 per cent of the score. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A nomination panel consisting of members from \u201cstudent-related units\u201d, colleges and \u201crelated Committees\u201d will also screen the applications. But CUHK does not indicate what kind of organisations count as \u201cstudent-related units\u201d or \u201crelated Committees\u201d in the announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRespective committees reserve the right to have final decision upon the nomination\/appointment of the student nominee(s),\u201d reads the announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the email, the application period originally ends on February 10, 2022. But CUHK extended the recruitment exercise to March 21 after it had not received enough applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the 25 university committees open for recruitment, representatives in 24 of them used to be recruited by the CUSU, whose cabinet was elected by all CUHK students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) of CUHK is now in charge of recruiting student representatives for the university’s various committees after the CUSU dissolved.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Peter Chan*, formerly a member of the CUSU Council, criticises the selection system for lacking representativeness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is quite funny. Passion is more important than ability or recommendation when selecting a student representative. One\u2019s ability cannot simply be measured by recommendation or academic performance such as grade point average (GPA),\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe representativeness is inevitably lower. Representatives\u2019 power is now granted by the university administration. But in the past, it was granted by the CUSU, an organisation elected by and representing all CUHK students,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow all the university\u2019s decisions seem to come out of the blue. We used to say that the student union is a messenger. Now that messenger is gone,\u201d Chan says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CUSU is one of the many university student unions in Hong Kong that have been dissolved or become defunct since July 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 2021, the University of Hong Kong announced that it would not recognise the status of its student union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Education University of Hong Kong made a similar decision in January 2022, further ruling that the student union’s HK$9 million deposit will be placed under the \u201ctemporary care\u201d of the university. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The City University of Hong Kong required its student union to vacate its premises by February 14, 2022. The student union held a \u201cfarewell ceremony\u201d on campus that day. The police stated on February 20 that the event may have breached the National Security Law as seditious slogans were displayed, adding that its National Security Department has been investigating the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Student Union of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUSU) dissolved on October 7, 2021, citing the dilemma between legal risks and complying with the university\u2019s demand.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Status of Student Unions in Eight UGC-funded Universities in Hong Kong<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
University<\/th>Status<\/th>Latest update on social media (as of April 16)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
The University of Hong Kong (HKU)<\/td>The status of HKUSU had not been recognised by the university since July 13, 2021. It moved out of its premises completely on July 21, 2021.<\/td>July 5, 2021<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)<\/td>The cabinet term was forced to end after six members were disciplinarily sanctioned in January 2021 over an \u201cunapproved\u201d memorial event for Chow Tsz-lok, a 22-year-old HKUST student who died amid the 2019 protest. No new cabinet stepped in until February 2022.<\/td>March 2, 2022<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)<\/td>The student union announced its dissolution on October 7, 2021. It has been defuncted since then.<\/td>October 7, 2021<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
City University of Hong Kong (CityU)<\/td>The student union vacated its premises on February 14 as required by the university. The police\u2019s National Security Department is investigating the student union\u2019s alleged breaching of the National Security Law. On April 11, the university sent emails to at least 30 students, who are in connection with a farewell ceremony for the student union, demanding them to respond to the university on whether they have committed the alleged wrongdoings listed in the email including breaching the disease control and prevention terms and the section 9 of colonial-era Crimes Ordinance.<\/td>March 1, 2022<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)<\/td>The university administration has stopped recognising the status of the student union, suspended all support for the body, and demanded that the student union move out from their premises by July 15, 2022.\u00a0 Previously, members of the student union voted in against of signing the Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC), which allows the student union to bear the name of \u201cThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University\u201d, but also granted the university administration the power to interfere with the affairs of the student union.<\/td>April 15, 2022<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)<\/td>Operating under a provisional committee due to a lack of proposed cabinets for two consecutive years.<\/td>April 12, 2022<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)<\/td>The university announced that it will not recognise the status of the student union on January 20, 2022. The student union\u2019s deposit is under the \u201ctemporary care\u201d of the university.<\/td>Not Available<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lingnan University (LU)<\/td>In December 2021, the university said that the membership size of the student union is too small to be representative and it may stop acknowledging the status of the student union. A new representative council of the student union came to office on March 2, 2022.<\/td>April 4, 2022<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n

*All universities but HKUST have stopped collecting member fees on behalf of the student unions<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students Go, Administrators Come <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) of CUHK has taken over the student union after its dissolution on October 7, 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founded in January 2022 and initiated by a group of students, the CUHK Students\u2019 Joint Platform (SJP) is a platform to discuss school affairs when the CUSU is defunct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The organisation is composed of more than 20 student organisations, most of which were affiliated with the CUSU in the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The organisation collects opinions from students, holds sessions for students to discuss school affairs, such as mandatory vaccination in the university and student organisations\u2019 registration under the OSA, and acts as student representatives to negotiate with the university administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Silva Lam*, a member of the standing executive committee of the SJP, thinks the OSA cannot replace the CUSU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe OSA does not even have the full list of student societies and needs to ask us for it. They do not know whom to approach to explain the situation. I do not think they can handle the aftermath brought by the dissolution of CUSU within a year,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SJP executive committee member also expresses disapproval to the new student representatives recruitment system.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the system is weird. Being good at studying or having a good relationship with university staff does not mean being a good representative. Some students, especially freshmen who do not know the staff well but want to get involved in student affairs, may be filtered out by the system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lam says some helpers of the SJP took part in the student representative recruitment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlthough they understand the influence of student representatives is very limited, they still think it is a way to express the opinion of students,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SJP has now proposed a framework for a new CUSU if there will be any. The blueprint will allow student societies to have a bigger say in all affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responses from Administrations and Authorities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responding to Varsity\u2019s enquiry, CUHK says it acknowledges the constitution of the CUSU is in place and will welcome a new student organisation \u201cthat upholds CUSU\u2019s tradition in serving not only the student community but also society more broadly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The university adds that it believes participation in student organisations and \u201ca prominent student voice\u201d are important in students\u2019 university life and it will ensure these activities are well supported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The head of the CUHK OSA, also known as the University Dean of Students, has not responded to Varsity\u2019s request for comments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Education Bureau says the government respects universities\u2019 autonomy over student affairs in a written reply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the same time, the Government requests universities to uphold good governance and accountability to the public, while their operations should comply with the law and meet the interests of the university community as well as the community at large,\u201d it reads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Names changed as requested by interviewees<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by Leung Pak-hei
Sub-edited by Angel Woo<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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