CW Chu College The Chinese University of Hong Kong eNewsletter

Building a New College: Our Vision and Plans

One afternoon this past summer a text message was transmitted to my mobile phone saying, 'Hi, I am here by the University Station!' In sharp contrast to my usual way of providing an orientation for new students, I welcomed my first student to CW Chu College without a speech or even a handshake. For a while afterwards I could not help but wonder whether my role and status as the Dean of Students were properly recognized and understood by students. A few days later, the same student sent another text message telling me that she had left something for me in the College office. It turned out to be a little fluffy hello kitty. We had still not met in person.

In thinking about the significance of this experience, I realized that there is much to contemplate regarding teacher-student relationships these days. In the case of this particular student, was it simply the convenience of modern communication technology and/or the presence of an internalized set of current normative expectations that had led her to contact me in this non-traditional way? Giving a fluffy toy to me was no doubt meant by the student to be a gesture of gratitude and respect although I would probably have expected something of a different sort such as a paper weight or a cookbook. The question arises whether a less formal relationship between teachers and students will result in closer and more cherished teacher-student interactions? Where do we draw an optimal boundary between teacher and student, or does such a boundary still exist at all, especially in the minds of students? The arrival of the first cohort of CW Chu students provided an excellent opportunity for me to further challenge myself to gain a better understanding of all these seemingly contradictory value orientations.

In the years to come, my major effort will be directed towards promoting working relationships with students that adhere to the fundamental principle of mutual respect. Cultivating an atmosphere of mutual respect will require a great deal of consultation and collaboration with students on many issues such as setting prospective goals and policies and establishing effective committees for college development and advancement. My aim is to encourage students to become active and constructive participants in our College at multiple levels of engagement. My long-term goal is to ensure that student perspectives and contributions are always nurtured and valued in the management and decision-making processes of the College.

Establishing an environment in which innovative teacher-student partnership relationships can flourish will be pursued at the outset by facilitating the formation of a group of student representatives to serve as a bridge with the College administration, and as a forum among themselves. The idea is to offer the opportunity for students to begin to think about how to put in practice their ideas and ideals in serving the interests and needs of the student body at large. It is hoped that these organizing efforts will not only help foster students' sense of agency as a student body but also help develop their leadership skills. I shall commit myself to partner with the students as we continue to work towards the shaping of a positive college experience for all. Our shared goal is to ensure that each member of our CWC community feels valued and respected.

Although working with young adults can be quite challenging these days, I consider it a great privilege as an academic and an educator to be able to experience and enjoy the energy of a university campus and its classrooms along with the challenge of helping students question old beliefs, discover new ideas, and putting new insights to practical test and use not only within the university context but in the world at large.

As Dean of Students, it is my sincere and fervent hope that together with all students with whom I have the pleasure of working, we will be engaged in a highly meaningful and exciting venture that will play a major role in helping each of us to forge our own identity, values, and goals that will see us through to a successful life journey unfolding over the many months and years that lie before us.

Wong Suk Ying

College Dean of Students