【明報專訊】THE COUNCIL of the University of Hong Kong has rejected the recommendation to appoint Johannes Chan, the former Dean of the university's Faculty of Law, as a Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university. The issue might have come to an end, but Hong Kong as a whole has paid dearly. First, the university has been severely weakened by the turmoil. Second, the international community is likely to form a negative impression about Hong Kong's academic freedom and the autonomy of its educational institutions. Furthermore, there are a lot of signs showing that different political forces have been involved in the affair. They have turned the university into their battleground.