CUHK Proposes Overhaul of Governing Laws, Including New Grounds for Leader Removal and Alumni Body Restructuring

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is initiating a substantial overhaul of its foundational legislation, the CUHK Ordinance, which dates back to 1976. The University Council has put forth proposed amendments aimed at modernizing the institution's governance structure. A key proposal involves introducing new, specific grounds for the dismissal of university officers, including the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, and Vice-Presidents. These grounds would encompass "misconduct, incompetence, and inefficiency," bringing CUHK's regulations in line with those governing other publicly funded universities in Hong Kong.

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The University Council has therefore decided that it is now time to overhaul the CUHK Ordinance by modernizing and streamlining the structure and contents of the legislation.

Furthermore, the Council has suggested raising the threshold for appointing and removing senior officers. Appointments would require a two-thirds majority vote from the University Council, with at least half of the council's total membership voting in favor. Similarly, the removal of key leadership positions would necessitate this higher two-thirds threshold. These measures are intended to ensure a more robust and considered decision-making process for leadership appointments and dismissals.

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which is to include the ground of ‘misconduct, incompetence, [and] inefficiency’ in addition to the general term of good cause.

In a significant move concerning alumni engagement, CUHK proposes replacing the existing Convocation with a new CUHK Alumni Advisory Board. The Council cites considerable logistical challenges in convening the Convocation's annual general meetings, noting difficulties in conducting them in an orderly manner and failing to elect its standing committee since 2023. The proposed Advisory Board would leverage established alumni association networks, with members nominated by these associations and appointed by the University Council. This shift aims to create a more effective and manageable mechanism for alumni input, acknowledging the practical difficulties posed by the large size of the Convocation's membership, which numbers around 300,000.

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The two-thirds threshold will also apply to the removal of the vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellor, and vice-presidents.