PLC Paper No. CB(2) 419

Ref:CB2/T/1

Paper for the House Committee meeting
on 17 October 1997

Election of Provisional Legislative Council Member to Court of the University of Hong Kong

Purpose

This paper invites Members to -

  1. note the request from the University of Hong Kong for a Provisional Legislative Council Member to be elected to serve on the University Court; and

  2. consider the nomination and election procedure for (a) above.

Background

2.Under Statute XV of the University of Hong Kong Ordinance (Cap.1053), the University Court shall consist of, among others, "5 persons elected by Members of the Legislative Council from among their own number". Once a Member has become an elected member of the University Court, the Member holds office for three years even if he or she ceases to be a Member during the three-year term. The Court meets once a year in December and most business is conducted by circulation of papers. The composition and powers of the University Court, as provided in Statutes XV and XVII of the Ordinance, are set out in the Appendix for Members' easy reference.

3.The following appointments were made to the University Court immediately prior to 1 July 1997 -

NameDate of appointment
Dr HUANG Chen-ya15 November 1994
Hon Mrs Selina CHOW20 October 1995
Hon IP Kwok-him20 October 1995
Mr LAU Chin-shek20 October 1995
Mr James TO30 April 1996

As Dr HUANG Chen-ya's term of office will expire on 14 November 1997, the Registrar of the University of Hong Kong has approached the Provisional Legislative Council Secretariat inviting Members to elect one Member to serve on the University Court as from 15 November 1997 for a period of three years.

Nomination and Election Procedure

4.It is recommended that the nomination and election procedure should be the same as that for appointment of Members to the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee, Po Leung Kuk Advisory Board and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Advisory Board. The procedure which was approved by the House Committee on 18 July 1997 is as follows -

  1. Nomination and election shall be conducted at a House Committee meeting;

  2. For a nomination to be valid, it should be made orally by a Member, seconded by at least one other Member and accepted by the Member being nominated; and

  3. If there is objection to a particular nomination or if the number of nomination exceeds that required, a vote will be taken by a show of hands.

Approval Sought

5.Members are invited to approve the nomination and election procedure proposed in paragraph 4 above.

6.Subject to Members' approval of the nomination and election procedure, Members will be invited to elect one Member to serve on the University Court at the House Committee meeting on 24 October 1997.


9 October 1997
Provisional Legislative Council Secretariat