Chinese University of Hong Kong council was fully aware of logo redesign, school president says
- Bad blood between Rocky Tuan and governing council continues, as president hits back over latest report on ill-fated revamp of emblem
The president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong said on Tuesday its governing council was fully informed about an ill-fated redesign of the school’s emblem, a day after the body said he would bear all responsibility for the affair.
President Rocky Tuan Sung-chi also expressed regret over what he said was a failure to consult him on the date of a council meeting, held Monday, where members were presented with an external consultant’s second report on the redesign.
While conceding school management had “room for improvement” in how the matter was handled, Tuan maintained the council was fully aware of the project when it was undertaken two years ago.
“The content of the stakeholders engagement and image-building project and the redesigned emblem were passed by the university council on September 22, 2022,” he said.
A report on the shelving of the emblem was also submitted to the council on December 16 that same year, with acknowledgement from the body, the president added.
Tuan explained that upon realising there was a backlash over the redesign, he immediately discussed the matter with senior management and decided to shelve the project in the end.
“Regarding opinions that there was an oversight, the school admits that there is room for improvement,” Tuan said, as he pledged to learn from the affair while also taking the university to new heights.
He, as well as administrative staff, had “fully cooperated” with the council’s investigation over the shelving of the emblem, attending investigative interviews and submitting more than 500 documents, he added.
The revamp, part of a brand refresh for the university’s 60th anniversary, drew widespread criticism, including from three lawmakers sitting on the council who accused the institution of poor governance.
After the meeting on Monday, council chairman John Chai Yat-chiu lashed out at Tuan, saying he “could not accept” the lack of cooperation from university management.
He also said Tuan had gone on a planned business trip instead of attending the meeting, even after being notified of the date.
The president said he was not consulted about setting the meeting for Monday and expressed “regret” he was only notified of the date after it was decided. He said he had to attend a prearranged work trip to Yunnan province.
Meanwhile, lawmaker Tommy Cheung Yu-yan posted a video on his Facebook page declaring his intention to “follow up” on the whereabouts of HK$14 million (US$1.8 million) of funding approved for the project, questioning how the money was used and why it “had never been disclosed” by management.
Council chairman John Chai Yat-chiu on Monday said HK$4 million was spent on the redesign, with most of the money going to consultation fees paid to an international branding consultancy.
Without naming Cheung, the university later issued a statement clarifying that all unused funds after the revamped emblem was shelved had been refunded to the institution’s central budget and reallocated to strategic communications and global promotion projects.
The university also said it regretted what it called “groundless rumours” and “untrue remarks”.
Tuan resigned in January but is staying on for a final year to “ensure a smooth transition”. He had been accused of being sympathetic towards protesting students during the social unrest in 2019 by some pro-establishment figures.
