SHIRLEY ZHAOshirley.zhao@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 18 November, 2015, 12:02am
UPDATED : Wednesday, 18 November, 2015, 12:02am
Lingnan University council chairman Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen
A Lingnan University council member whose private school was accused of fast-tracking doctoral degrees applied to take leave from the governing body on Tuesday.
The application by Alex Lee Ye-lick came after the university's former associate vice-president Herdip Singh quit amid claims of plagiarism in his doctoral dissertation and that he sought help from Lifelong College, founded by Lee, to fast-track his PhD from Tarlac State University in the Philippines.
The scandals sparked outrage among Lingnan students and alumni, who staged a protest during the university's graduation ceremonies yesterday. They called for the resignation of Lee, who was appointed by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, and scrapping of the system that enables Leung to appoint university council members.
In a statement yesterday, Lee, who is also the vice-chairman of Lingnan's operator Lingnan Education Organisation, said he had submitted his leave application to the council chairman, and that once accepted it would take immediate effect until further notice.
Lingnan council chairman Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen said it was likely the council would approve Lee's application.
"Everybody knows that Mr Lee's college is not related to Lingnan University," said Auyeung. "I think he applied for leave because he wanted to have more time to deal with his personal matters. I feel it is a good thing."
During yesterday's graduation ceremonies, however, around 50 graduates and alumni staged a protest, displaying placards when receiving their diplomas on stage and launching paper planes containing slogans.
READ MORE: Lingnan University financial chief resigns over credentials scandal
Protester Law Yi-chun, who is spokesman for the Lingnan Alumni Concern Group, said students and alumni staged the protest to demand Lee's resignation and to call for Leung to be stripped of his power to appoint university council members.
"As an alumnus I'm very pained by these scandals," said Law, who graduated from the university in 2011. "These will affect other people's impression of us. How will employers and society see Lingnan graduates now?"
Law said Lee had been "irresponsible" by applying for leave instead of resigning. He added that the university had shirked its responsibility by saying Lee's college was none of its business.
"This is not a matter that can be cleared by any individual because the boss of the private school involved is vice-chairman of Lingnan Education Organisation," said Law.
A Lingnan spokeswoman said the university ordinance did not grant the council power to remove a member appointed by the chief executive.
Regarding Singh and his alleged plagiarism, Lingnan president Professor Leonard Cheng Kwok-hon said since Singh had already resigned and admitted he had done wrong in the matter, “this event has come to an end”. He said Singh, who had been with the university for over 30 years, had paid for what he did by resigning.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1879966/lingnan-university-council-member-centre-scandal
