HKU 'coup' flares up

The management of University of Hong Kong has again been mired in internal conflict after the governing council abruptly approved the interim appointment of six vice presidents despite the objection of president Zhang Xiang.

Zhang's right-hand man, Richard Wong Yue-chim, the interim provost and deputy vice-chancellor, and acting executive vice president (administration and finance), has been demoted to vice president and pro-vice-chancellor.

The role has been vacant since July 2021 after Norman Tien Chihnan, chair professor of microsystems technology, resigned.

The provost role has been taken up by chair professor of chemistry Vivian Yam Wing-wah, while Tien will become the new executive vice president (administration and finance).

Current vice president (teaching and learning) Ian Holliday and vice president (research) Max Shen Zuojun will remain in office.

Chair professor of materials science and engineering Alfonso Ngan Hing-wan has succeeded Gong Peng as vice president (academic development).

Gong was appointed vice president (global), which had been vacant since John Kao Weiyuan resigned in January 2019.

The council also endorsed two new positions, including medical dean Lau Chak-sing as vice president (health) and chair professor of economics Cai Hongbin as vice president (business).

All interim appointments take effect immediately, while Wong's interim term should last until December 31 next year. The list of officers on the HKU website had not been updated as of last night.

It is understood council members were asked to endorse appointments for several interim vice president positions during an HKU council meeting on Tuesday and that the list of recommendations was only given during the meeting. Senior management positions are usually first chosen by the search committee then appointed by the council.

The president can also nominate candidates for the council to endorse to serve in interim positions before they are officially filled.

But an insider said the shortlist had been prepared by council chair Priscilla Wong Pui-sze, instead of Zhang or the selection committee, adding it was rare the council itself would recommend candidates.

"We were only given five minutes to read comments and cast votes," said a council insider, who described the development as a "coup."

Despite Zhang's objection, the appointments were passed with "a simple majority" of council votes after someone pointed out that the council was HKU's "supreme power structure."

The Standard reached out to HKU for comments but did not receive a reply before press time yesterday.

Tensions between Zhang and Wong came to light last October when Zhang faced a series of mismanagement allegations lodged by "whistleblowers."

Zhang had been cleared of his misconduct accusations in mid-April following a six-month-long probe by a five-member panel convened by Wong.

Zhang said while the investigation "affirmed" his innocence, his colleagues dealt with "immense mental pressure" over the past six months and the university's name suffered.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com