Provost

Lunch with LS and WY.

"PS is on leave. You know, she is quite disappointed after attending the meeting with provost." The former said.

"Oh, I was not there. What's up ?" I said.

"The provost said that there is no need to have so many publications - you only need a Nature in ten years."

"That's literally correct, and also what our man from Pluto always says." I added, "In fact I know of one person who really did it." (I refrained myself from saying that that happened long before universities regularly monitor the research output of their academic staff.)

"OK ... OK ..." my friend certainly saw that I was not helpful, and she added, "The provost also said that, for grant money, we have to look north."

"Quite true. Our friends in mainland are never short of research money." I agreed, "Just that we need to have collaborative work with them. Nowadays, they are so self-sufficient that I do not see where lies our added value."

WY chipped in, "Many a time you could not take the money back here - the research work must be done within mainland."

"Very true," LS sighed, "By the way, is it the reason that a satellite institute is set up north to the SZ River ?"

I smiled, "Do you know why Chairman Mao's body is put in the Mausoleum ?"

The two girls looked startled.

"For displaying." I continued.