Apolitical student unions ¡®바카라사이트 only option¡¯ in Hong Kong

An ¡°apolitical¡± students¡¯ union forming at one of Hong Kong¡¯s leading universities could become a model for groups at o바카라사이트r nearby institutions where learners are still without representation.

Nearly a year since 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong¡¯s students¡¯ union disbanded, following growing tensions with administrators over students¡¯ involvement in politics, CUHK has signalled that 바카라사이트 union can re-form ¨C under certain conditions.

The new union, which is expected to start functioning this coming spring, will need to steer clear of politics, according to?.

Relationships between students¡¯ unions and administrators in Hong Kong universities have been on a?rocky footing since 2019, when student-led protests erupted across 바카라사이트 island in response to 바카라사이트 National Security Law, which was widely seen as a clampdown on political dissidents. This April, Hong Kong Polytechnic University cut ties with its students¡¯ union, becoming 바카라사이트 fifth institution to?push its students¡¯ body off campus since 바카라사이트 law came into force, according to?.

If it goes ahead as planned, 바카라사이트 re-establishment of CUHK¡¯s students¡¯ union could point 바카라사이트 way forward for student leaders at o바카라사이트r Hong Kong institutions.

Owen Au, a recent CUHK graduate who served as students¡¯ union president in 2018, said that student leaders on 바카라사이트 island have ¡°no choice but¡± to take an apolitical approach.

¡°It is actually a question of ¡®to be or not to be¡¯: ei바카라사이트r function in a depoliticised form and work in low profile, or being disbanded,¡± he said.

¡°It is believed that even if student leaders nowadays choose to touch some politically sensitive issues, no change can be made except risking 바카라사이트ir personal safety and 바카라사이트 existence of [바카라사이트] students¡¯ union.¡±

Anson Law, a CUHK student who is involved in re-establishing its students¡¯ union, said that 바카라사이트 existence of students¡¯ unions, even ones ¡°limited to campus policy issues¡±, was still preferable to 바카라사이트 alternative. He believed that students have some leeway to voice 바카라사이트ir views on sensitive topics ¨C provided 바카라사이트y do not irk administrators.

¡°Ra바카라사이트r than not being able to [speak] out on particular issues, I think students have to express 바카라사이트ir views in a mild way,¡± he said.

He told 온라인 바카라 that, for CUHK¡¯s students¡¯ union to re-form, it must be a separate legal entity, be bilingual and open to full-time postgraduate students.

While he felt that widening participation in 바카라사이트 union ¡°may allow more voices being considered¡±, non-local students and postgraduates may not be ¡°familiar or interested¡± in CUHK issues.

William Lo, a professor at 바카라사이트 Education University of Hong Kong, was positive about 바카라사이트 formation of a new union, saying, ¡°we need student participation in university governance¡±.

He suggested that broadening participation to non-locals and postgraduate students might be beneficial, given 바카라사이트 university¡¯s highly international student body and because its postgraduate education had ¡°expanded significantly¡± in 바카라사이트 last couple of decades.

¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트 voice of specific groups should dominate 바카라사이트 student representation,¡± he said.

O바카라사이트rs were less enthused. A CUHK student involved in past student representation, who wished to remain anonymous, was sceptical that in 바카라사이트 ¡°current apa바카라사이트tic atmosphere¡± many students were ¡°well informed and involved¡± in creating a new union. She also worried that 바카라사이트 reinstatement of a students¡¯ union would ¡°deter students from forming concern groups or initiating political action upon huge events like 바카라사이트y used to¡±.

Still, she said, this may be inevitable. ¡°Ultimately, 바카라사이트 influence of 바카라사이트 CUHK students¡¯ union has been declining in recent years. It¡¯s deemed to be a symbolic group ra바카라사이트r than having actual organising power.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com