The year
was 1996, and Charles Kao had stepped down as CU’s Vice-Chancellor. Arthur
Li, the Dean of the Medical Faculty, already gaining a reputation as “King
Arthur” for his administrative style, had been nominated by the university
council to succeed Prof. Kao.
Li’s
“installation” was scheduled at the Run Run Shaw Hall. A distinguished
gathering, headed by Governor Chris Patten, in his role as the Chancellor of
CU, had been invited. But, students were angry because they had not been
consulted when the new VC was chosen. So, dozens of them blocked the road
from the main entrance to Run Run Shaw, chanted slogans, and would not let
any vehicles come up. Campus police were unprepared for the
protest
and were completely outnumbered.
Jane
Jackson, David Johns, and I had walked up to Run Run Shaw and were inside
the hall, having lined up at the head of the procession (junior faculty were in
front) right behind Governor Patten, who had somehow got in. As the noise
outside grew, and the blockade continued, Patten became exasperated, and
went out to speak to the protesting students, perhaps to plead with them.
He returned, and in frustration, sat on a nearby table, swinging
his legs. The last Governor of HK, In full regalia!
In the
end, the ceremony began, perhaps an hour late. Patten’s opening words
were “I declare this convocation open - finally!” Prof. Li stood on the
stage, fed faced, while his praises were sung by official speakers. He had
lost face big time, before his colleagues, his “aristocratic” family,
friends, and subordinates. I don’t think he ever forgave the students.
CU had
probably never seen students protesting in this fashion, and most faculty
members were aghast. But, I was delighted, at last seeing a spirit of
defiance among students considered docile.
To his
credit, Prof. Arthur Li was a decisive VC. The only time I contacted him,
for a matter regarding the ELT Unit,he acted quickly, after chiding me for
misspelling his name as Lee!
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