Baptist U Denies 'politics' In Contract Refusal

Baptist University president Roland Chin has dismissed suggestions by an assistant professor that he's being forced out of his job over his political views and activism.

Benson Wong, an assistant professor at the Department of Government and International Studies, has been teaching at Baptist University since 2010, and is due to leave when his contract expires in August. He is the head of the university's staff union, and has voiced support for two students who were earlier suspended over a rowdy protest against the school's Putonghua requirement for students.

The school has rejected his applications to keep his current job, as well as for other positions.

Wong has said he 'wasn't surprised' as the decisions, and questioned why the university had amended his initial application to extend his role as assistant professor. He said the administration unilaterally changed the position he was applying for to a more senior position of associate professor – for which he was ultimately turned down because he did not have the required qualifications.

Asked about the row, Chin told reporters that while he will not comment on individual cases due to privacy considerations. But he insisted that "any politics will not be involved in any promotion [or] contract renewal evaluation. Our contract evaluation or promotion evaluation are absolutely based on the merits of that particular person and nothing will enter into it."