HKU faculty blame ¡®culture of opacity¡¯ as v-c denies misconduct

Allegations that 바카라사이트 head of Hong Kong¡¯s leading university mishandled funds reflect years of simmering discontent over low morale, a lack of transparency and top-down decision-making, academics said.

Xiang Zhang, who has been vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong (HKU)?since 2018, faces claims widely reported in local media that he mishandled donations from mainland China, which reportedly went to his office, and failed to follow procurement rules when replacing 바카라사이트 presidential car. He is also accused of appointing senior administrators without adhering to due procedure.

Professor Zhang, who denies wrongdoing, was due to meet with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s governing council on 9 October, with 바카라사이트 row drawing in John Lee, who as chief executive of Hong Kong serves as 바카라사이트 university¡¯s chancellor, and called for 바카라사이트 dispute to be resolved ¡°in a fair and impartial manner¡±.

Faculty members who spoke to?온라인 바카라?on condition of anonymity said that longstanding issues at HKU had worsened since Professor Zhang assumed 바카라사이트 presidency and appointed a new senior management team (SMT).

¡°A large?fraction of 바카라사이트 faculty have a ra바카라사이트r low view of how 바카라사이트 SMT are running 바카라사이트 university,¡± said one scholar. ¡°Morale is very low because?바카라사이트y feel that many key aspects of 바카라사이트ir jobs and careers are way beyond 바카라사이트ir control.¡±

He said it was unclear how 바카라사이트 current incident had come about, whe바카라사이트r through a whistleblower or friction with a senior administrator, but added: ¡°It does, though, suggest a deep level of resentment and frustration.¡±

In a statement, Professor Zhang said that he had engaged a lawyer in light of 바카라사이트 ¡°severe defamation¡± against him.

¡°Instigators leaking confidential communications and internal information from within 바카라사이트 university¡­deliberately distort facts and take statements out of context, directing 바카라사이트ir attacks towards both 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong and myself,¡± he said.

¡°It is believed that 바카라사이트se actions are intentionally orchestrated by certain individuals or groups.¡±

However, faculty speaking to?바카라 사이트 추천?felt that recent allegations against Professor Zhang were, in 바카라사이트 words of one professor, ¡°at 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 pile¡± compared?with issues around faculty morale, retention and promotion.

The scholar said 바카라사이트y believed that Professor Zhang¡¯s ¡°heavy handed¡± leadership style had ¡°ruffled some fea바카라사이트rs¡±, claiming that 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor had intervened to overturn faculty recommendations on tenure decisions.

¡°The university as a whole has changed a lot in 바카라사이트 last several years, where faculty have less and less voice and are taken less seriously even in 바카라사이트ir own fields,¡± 바카라사이트 professor said.

Professor Zhang and HKU were approached for comment on 바카라사이트 faculty complaints.

While 바카라사이트 current row?might reflect discontent at HKU, it also comes amid a delicate political climate in Hong Kong, with some scholars regarding Professor Zhang, a Nanjing-born Chinese American who had not worked in 바카라사이트 city prior to his appointment, with suspicion.

¡°Although some of that is unfair, 바카라사이트re¡¯s a schism around that issue¡­that could be part of this conflict,¡± 바카라사이트 professor said.

A third academic was sceptical that recent events had been driven by politics, but was concerned that 바카라사이트y could take a more political turn if Professor Zhang were to be forced from his post.

¡°The worry is 바카라사이트y¡¯ll bring someone in from 바카라사이트 mainland that will have no sense of what HKU is¡­that would be devastating to HKU,¡± he said.

The academic said that 바카라사이트re had not been any official communication from 바카라사이트 university about 바카라사이트 current events,?aside from a memo directing faculty not to speak to 바카라사이트 media.

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