Kenneth Lau 01-19
A panel of University of Hong Kong students is calling for a class boycott, beginning tomorrow, to last a minimum of seven days to press for changes in the governing council of the institution.
The effects of the boycott will be reviewed to see if it should be extended beyond Tuesday the day of the first meeting of the council to be chaired by Arthur Li Kwok-cheung.
Many students and alumni had previously insisted that Li is not suitable for the post. They are also against the system, under which the chief executive is automatically appointed as the chancellor of all public universities.
Federation of Students secretary-general Nathan Law Kwun-chung said they will fully support the boycott of lectures, the details of which will be announced tomorrow.
The strike call was made by the HKU Students' Strike Organizing Committee formed last Monday. It comprises 15 committee members, including Yvonne Leung Lai-kwok, the former HKU students' union president, and former Federation of Students secretary-general Alex Chow Yong- kang.
Also on the committee is the spokesman for the radical localism group Hong Kong Indigenous, Edward Leung Tin-kei, who is a candidate in the New Territories East by-election to be held on February 28.
The boycott will begin with an assembly at the Haking Wong Podium, or Happy Square, on campus tomorrow.
"We do not have any estimate of how many will take part," said Vickie Chan Wing-ki, a member of the committee. "Certainly, the more students that join the better."
During the boycott of lectures, the committee will launch activities and promotions to express concerns about the council-member appointment system.
"There will be some large-scale demonstrations and some forums relating to the University of Hong Kong Ordinance," Yvonne Leung said. "Other promotions will also be launched such as calling on students to wear black armbands, and posting big-character posters in public areas of the university."
The group called on the university to establish a panel to review the HKU Ordinance, and to remove the automatic appointment of the chief executive as the ex-officio chancellor.
They want university members to take up at least half the seats in the council and for all members, including the chairman, who are currently appointed by the chief executive to be appointed by the council.
A HKU spokesman said: "HKU members are entitled to freedom of expression. When exercising their freedom, they should respect a diversity of opinions and the rights of others. They should also take responsibility for their own acts.
"In case of class boycotts, teaching and learning activities at HKU would be held as usual."
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=165309
