Attendance Requirement

Rationale

College Dining is an integral and required part of students’ college life at CW Chu College. It aims to

  • enhance interaction among students and with teachers
  • enable students to benefit from the wisdom and experience of speakers from various walks of life

There are two types of College dinners, namely Communal Dining (CD) and High Table Dinners (HTD).

College Dining is included as one of the non-credit bearing parts of the College General Education Programme (through pre-assignment of the courses GECW 1000/ 2000/ 3000/ 4000).  There is a minimum attendance requirement in order to receive a passing grade of each of the courses. Upon assignment to the College, students are automatically enrolled onto a meal plan, which includes communal dinners three times per week during term time and HTD a few times per year.

Students who are enjoying the hostel residence for the first four years must join the meal plan.  Normally, there is no reduction or refund of meal plan payment.

Attendance Requirements for GECW1000/ 2000/ 3000/ 4000

I) High Table Dinners (HTD):

Attendance to HTDs is NOT counted as meal attendance or activity participation in 2023–24.

II) Communal Dinners (CD):

Students assigned to GECW1000 / 2000/ 3000/ 4000 are required to fulfill an attendance rate of 50% for CDs per term.

  • Students should take initiative to take attendance. An attendance taking machine will be placed at the registration counter near the main entrance of the Chong Kin Wo Hall for attendance taking (starting from 6:30pm).
  • Students’ attendance will NOT be counted if they leave the Chong Kin Wo Hall right after attendance taking without having the dinner.
  • Students are expected to inform the College staff on the spot if they have to leave the dining venue soon after dinner begins due to urgent business/ feeling unwell.

III) Participation in College Organized Activities/ Cultural Activities:

Students assigned to the above non-credit bearing GE courses are also required to participate in

i) 3 College activities (including those organized by the College Office, Resident Tutors, CWCSURC, RA, Student Honour Code Committee etc., activity organization also counts), and/ or

ii) face-to-face or virtual cultural activities organized by the College or elsewhere (including other CUHK units/ Faculties/ Departments/ Progrmmes/ outside organizations) for receiving a PP grade. These activities include but not limited to concerts, plays, dramas, films, operas, cultural tours, art fairs, museum tours, talks, workshops, conferences etc.

For students who are exempted from attending CDs for one term/ whole academic year with a valid reason approved by the Student Affairs Committee, they are required to participate in 7 activities accepted by the College per term.

IV) Extended Orientation

Year 1 students are also required to attend the 3 compulsory sessions of Extended Orientation in September for receiving a PP grade for GECW1000 in Term 1.

 

Absence and Application for Exemption

Since each meal plan participant is only required to fulfill an attendance rate of 50% for CDs (e.g. 38 CDs in total in Term 1 x 50% = 19 CDs) for receiving a PP grade, students are given flexibilities in handling other personal matters (e.g. private tutorials/ family gatherings/ birthday celebration with friends/ participation in extra-curricular activities etc.) on some Tue/ Wed/ Thu evenings even they have time clash with CDs. They may simply use the 50% leeway for attending these evening activities. There is NO need for students to apply for CD exemption under these circumstances.

 

Only under the 3 scenarios below should meal plan participants apply for CD exemption:

1) Time clash with compulsory major courses (not alternatives nor elective courses)/ tutorials/ lab sessions/ examinations with supporting proof(s) e.g. course syllabus, CUSIS timetable, formal email issued by course teacher

2) Representing College/ CUHK/ HK/ Home country in sports or other activities

3) Medical / health reasons with medical evidence

 

Written applications (concerning scenarios 1 & 3) and supporting documents must be sent to Ms. Alice Tang, Executive Officer (alicet@cuhk.edu.hk) by the application deadline stated in College mass email for review and consideration by the Dean of Students.

 

i) Dinner Exemption for College Sports Team Members

Under the existing College communal dining policy and guidelines, all College Sports Team Members will be granted dinner exemptions if the schedules of their official tryouts, training sessions and competitions have time clash with communal dinners. The College will collect all attendance records regarding sports team training and competitions from our PE co-ordinators/ team captains/ coaches for verification before the final grades (PP/ FF) of GECW1000/ 2000/ 3000/ 4000 are presented to the DoS for approval at the end of the term.

There is NO need for College Sports Team members to submit individual applications for dinner exemption. College staff may contact them directly if clarifications on their training/ competition records are required.

ii) Dinner Exemption for University Sports Team Members

The College may not have a full record of the University Sports Teams. So if you are a member of any University Sports Teams, please submit individual application for dinner exemption with proofs of your training record/competition schedule to Ms. Alice Tang once the relevant supporting documents are ready.

 

Important Points to Note:

  • The above exemption scheme does NOT apply to High Table Dinners.
  • Students are reminded to keep track of their own attendance rate via the Registration and Attendance System (RAS) and use the allowance for absence wisely.
  • Students who are unable to join any CDs for a valid reason are welcome to designate another meal plan participant to pack excess food for him/ her at or after 7:30 pm.
  • There will be NO refund of the meal charge under normal circumstances unless the student concerned proved to have genuine financial need or any justifiable reason(s) accepted by the College. Needy students may also apply for College Bursary to defray part of their hostel and dining fees, details of the application will be announced via a mass email by the College Office.

College Office
G/F, CW Chu College
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR

Tel:(852) 3943 1801

Fax:(852) 3943 1802