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| Report of the Task Force on New Colleges Dear colleagues, students, and alumni of our University: Subsequent to my Chinese New Year message to you dated 4 February, in which I highlighted the ten-year Strategic Plan of our University, including the possible establishment of new colleges, I am pleased to be writing you again to invite comments on a report produced by our Task Force on New Colleges on the different models of college education around the world. The University is keenly aware of the vital value of the college system and the existing four colleges in offering general education, non-formal education and pastoral care to our students. We also see the next two triennia as an opportunity to establish new colleges so that a more intimate environment for inter-personal interaction can continue to co-exist even with a much larger student body when the University reverts to a four-year undergraduate curriculum in 2012. A Task Force on New Colleges was thus set up last December with the mission to conduct an on-site review of the experience of successful colleges in leading universities in the UK and the USA, and to propose options in the formation, organization, mission, and features of new colleges at our University. The Task Force is chaired by Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Liu Pak-wai, and consists of a college head, a faculty member, an alumna, and a student. They went on a 12-day trip before the Chinese New Year to visit six prestigious universities and colleges: the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Yale University, Princeton University, Claremont McKenna College, and Harvey Mudd College. Their findings and recommendations are summarized in the report attached. The establishment of one or more new colleges is a major feature in the University’s Strategic Plan, and we hope to obtain as much feedback as possible from the University community. Professor Liu Pak-wai and the Task Force will be making presentations to the College Assemblies of Fellows, Friday College Assemblies, as well as to our alumni. Meantime if you have any views and suggestions, please send them to Ms Margaret Wong, Secretary of the Task Force on New Colleges (secretary@cuhk.edu.hk), by 15 March 2006. A Chinese version of the report will very soon follow. Looking forward to hearing from you and with best wishes for the Year of the Dog,
Lawrence J. Lau 15 February 2006 |
