The Hong Kong University Students’ Union (HKUSU) was founded on 16th October 1912. It was first known as The Hong Kong University Union (HKUU). It was merely a union of students and teaching staff and aimed for merely recreational functions. By 1949, the Hong Kong University Students’ Union was finally registered as an independent student-run organization, which aims at promoting student interests, welfare and representing them in university and social aspects.
The Students’ Union is composed of all undergraduates, some postgraduates, and some alumni. All members can enjoy the welfare, facilities and related service provided by the Union and its affiliated organizations, and can join the activities held by them.
Structure
of Hong KongUniversity Students’ Union
The
General Meeting(GM) and the General Polling(GP) enjoy the highest
authority in the Union, while the Union Council shall have the power
and authority only second to the GM and GP.
The Union Council consist the representatives from Faculty Societies,
Hall Associations, Sport Association, Cultural Association, Independent
Clubs Association, together with the Executive Committee,
Editor-in-Chief of Undergrad, Chairman of Campus TV and the Popularly
Elected Union Councilors. It enjoys the supervision, legislative and
judicial power of the Union.
The Executive Committee’s duties is to formulate the policies of the
Union and too carry out the resolution of GM, GP and Union Council. It
enjoys the administrative power of the Union and its sub-organizations.
The audio-visual medium Campus TV and the official editorial board
“Undergrad” are the media of the Union, which have the mission of
communicating the Union with its member and spreading information among
the members.
The Popularly Elected Union Councilors are students representatives
elected by the members to the council, whose duties are to communicate
the members with the Union Council, and to initiate discussion of
important issues among members.
Sub-Organizations
The HKUSU has 118 sub-organizations, each with distinct objectives and
functions. They all aim at providing welfare, making academic pursuit,
organizing activities, arousing students’ interests and facilitating
students’ interflow. In general, the Union sub-organizations can be
divided into the following categories:
21 clubs in the Independent Clubs Association (ICA):
AIESEC-LC-HKU
Computer
Society
Astronomy
Society
Fishing
Society
Biology
Society
Greenwoods
Buddhist
Studies Society
Ramblers’
Club
Catholic
Society
Rotaract
Club
Chess
and Boardgames Club
Social
Service Group
China Education Association
The
Hong Kong Award of Young People
Chinese
Medicine Society
Weapon
and Tactics Association
China Study Society
WorldUniversity Services HKU Branch
Christian
Association
World-Carp-HK
Christian
Choir
15 clubs in the Cultural
Association (CA):
Animation
and Comics Association
Magic
Club
Art
Club
Music
Club
Bridge
Club
Photographic
Society
Chess
and Boardgames Club
Union
Choir
Dancing
Club
Union
Philharmonic Orchestra
Debating
Society
Writing
Workshop
Drama
Society
Youth
Literary Awards Association
Film
Society
24 clubs in the Sports Association (SA):
Archery
Club
Netball
Club
Athletics
Club
Rowing
Club
Badminton
Club
Rugby Club
Basketball
Club
Softball
Club
Chinese
Martial Art Club
Sports
Climbing Club
Fencing
Club
Squash
Rackets Club
Football
Club
Swimming
Club
Handball
Club
Table
Tennis Club
Hockey
Club
Taewondo
Club
Judo
Club
Tennis
Club
Karate
Club
Volleyball
Club
Lacrosse
Club
Dragon
Boat Club
43 Faculty and Academic Societies:
Architectural Society, HKUSU
Architectural Students' Association, AS, HKUSU
Surveying Society, AS, HKUSU
Arts Association, HKUSU
Chinese Society, AA, HKUSU
English Society, AA, HKUSU
Fine Arts Society, AA, HKUSU
French Society, AA, HKUSU
German Association, AA, HKUSU
History Society, AA, HKUSU
Japanese Society, AA, HKUSU
Linguistics Society, AA, HKUSU
Music Society, AA, HKUSU
Society of Comparative Literature, AA, HKUSU
Business and Economics Association,
HKUSU
Business Association, BEA, HKUSU
Economics and Finance Society, BEA, HKUSU
Information Systems Association, BEA, HKUSU
Dental Society, HKUSU
Education Society, HKUSU
Engineering Society, HKUSU
Civil Engineering Society, ENS, HKUSU
Computer Science Association, ENS, HKUSU
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Association, ENS,
HKUSU
Mechanical Engineering Society, ENS, HKUSU
Medical Engineering Society, ENS, HKUSU
Law Association, HKUSU
Medical Society, HKUSU
Chinese Medicine Society, MS, HKUSU
Nursing Society, MS, HKUSU
Science Society, HKUSU
Biochemistry Society, SS, HKUSU
Chemistry Society, SS, HKUSU
Environmental Life Science Society, SS, HKUSU
Food and Nutritional Science Society, SS, HKUSU
Mathematics Society, SS, HKUSU
Statistics and Actuarial Science Society, SS, HKUSU
Social Sciences Society, HKUSU
Geographical, Geological and Archaeological Society,
SSS, HKUSU
Politics and Public Administration Association, SSS,
HKUSU
Psychology Society, SSS, HKUSU
Social Work and Social Administration Society, SSS,
HKUSU
Sociology Society, SSS, HKUSU
The bolded names represent the faculty societies, while the others are
academic societies indirectly affiliated to the Union.
15 Hall Associations:
Hornell
Hall Students' Association
Starr
Hall Students' Association
Lady
Ho Tung Hall Students' Association
Suen
Chi Sun Hall Students' Association
Lee
Chi Hung Hall Students' Association
Swire
Hall Students' Association
Lee
Hysan Hall Students' Association
The
Duchess of Kent Hall Students' Association
Lee
Shau Kee Hall Students' Association
The
Simon K. Y. Lee Hall Students' Association
R. C.
Lee Hall Students' Association
University
Hall Students' Association
Ricci
Hall Students' Association
Wei
Lun Hall Students' Association
St. John'sCollege Students' Association
Regarding
the activities of sub-organizations, the Students’ Union has a great
variety and all are very popular among students, some common activities
are orientation camps, tea gatherings, forums, exhibitions and
competitions. Others like mega sales, social services tours and outing
are also available.
As the number of student associations is on an increasing trend, the
Students’ Union is now planning very carefully the budgets and the
resources available for them to hold activities. Therefore, the
Students’ Union is consistently negotiating with the University
authority and sponsors and fighting for more resources to satisfy the
need of sub-organizations, in order to facilitate the organizing of
student activities and maximize the welfare of the students.
Social Participation
Being an organization run by university students, the Students’ Union
also reflects the students’ values and concerns towards the society. In
the beginning of foundation years, the Students’ Union only aimed at
promoting student welfare and organizing different activities. This
situation changed during the late 50s and 60s, the Students’ Union
turned to be more active in current affairs and it found itself fused
into various incidents. By 60s, with the influence of student
activities from Europe and America, the Students’ Union started to
divert its attention to incidental current affairs. Civil participation
continued and got even more heightened in the 70s.
By the decades of 80s and 90s, there was a rising demand in society for
a democratic China and a democratic government in Hong Kong when it was
about time to turnover. The Students’ Union thus took its role and
participated actively in various democratic movements. The 1989 June
Forth Massacre marked another highlight. The Pillar of Shame issue in
1997 and 1998 became a hot topic in the campus as to commemorate the
June Forth Massacre.
Nowadays, The Students’ Union still concentrates on current affairs.
For example in the year of 2003, the Union responded to important
issues such as Article 23, Anti-Interpretation of the Basic Law,
Discussion on the Chief Executive issue…etc.
In 2009, the Union focuses on the human rights issue. And as this year
is the 20th Anniversary of June Forth Massacre, the Union held
different activities to raise the members’ awareness on the issue, such
as forums, petitions, fund raising, candlelight night, re-painting the
Swire Bridge slogan. The Union also encourages members to participate
in the march and other commemorating events in the society.
Concerns on University Affairs
University affairs and development is also the Union’s main concern.
The Opinion Poll Incident in 2000 and the New Vice Chancellor selection
in 2002 were hot discussion topics around the campus.
The Union Executives, together with members who concerns the University
affairs, represent students in the committees of the University, in
order to reflect students’ opinions towards different issues around the
university, such as catering, accommodation and curriculum reform,
which directly affect students’ campus life.
In 2009, the Union is facing the problems brought by the construction
of the Centennial Campus, is working closely with the University. At
the same time, the Union also put an eye on the U-Vision project, GPA
system and the arrangement of Union Restaurant.
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