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Chi-Nan Uni president resigns

"It's already a mistake for the captain to lead his ship into a storm. I feel as if I have been seriously hurt and terrified by all the accusations during this incident. How can I expect to remain in my post as captain?"

Former of National Chi Nan University president, Lee Chia-tung

After a week's deliberation, National Chi-Nan University (°ê¥ßº[«n?j¾Ç) president Lee Chia-tung (§õ®a|P) announced his decision yesterday to resign.

The resignation ended a month-long saga over Lee's controversial decision to temporarily relocate the school's campus from quake-stricken Puli, Nantou County, to Taipei.

Lee's resignation puts an abrupt end to a vote, originally planned for tomorrow, to decide the issue of whether or not Lee should resign.

Lee evacuated students after 921 earthquake because most of the university's buildings were damaged in the quake. He encouraged the students to attend classes instead in Taipei, sharing classrooms with National Taiwan University students.

His decision later drew extensive criticism from legislators, who claimed that damage suffered by the university was not serious enough to warrant an evacuation.

Lee yesterday bowed to a roomful of reporters who swamped his temporary office located at National Taiwan University before he read an emotional resignation letter, titled "When will the smile return?"

In the letter, Lee likened himself to the captain of a boat.

"It's already a mistake for the captain to lead his ship into a storm. I feel as if I have been seriously hurt and terrified by all the accusations during this incident. How can I expect to remain in my post as captain?" he said.

He added that he could no longer protect the students, nor restore the smile on students' faces with his limited power, and that he hopes his resignation will make the students smile again, as well as put a stop to the accusations against him.

He said, however, that the decision had not been easy. "How could I not want to be a university president? There are so many factors preventing me from doing so ... I have no regrets in making this decision."

Lee said the students were his main concern after his resignation.

"They're already traumatized by the quake, so don't scare them any more, because the only thing they want is just to get back to their normal life as soon as possible," he said.

Lee said that he had given a reconstruction plan for the university to Minister of Education Kirby Yung (·¨´Â2») before the announcement, and suggested Yung start looking for a successor.

Reacting to the decision, Yung said that he respected Lee's decision, and recognized his responsible attitude.

He also promised to appoint an interim president within a month.

DPP legislator Lin Chung-mo (ªL-«ÂÓ), one of the legislators who harshly criticized Lee's relocation plan, said he welcomed Lee's resignation.

"It was not my original intention to see him quit,," he said. "What he is doing now is responsible. I hope his resignation will put an end to the whole matter."

However, Lin said it was unfair and far-fetched for Lee to play up his questioning at the Legislative Yuan as a "political incident."

DPP legislator Tsai Huang-lang (1/22·*·ã), who had also lashed out at Lee, agreed.

"Even if we were harsh while questioning him, the focus should be put on the facts rather than our tone and wording," he said.

"If he had apologized and promised to review the matter earlier, then things wouldn't have gotten that nasty," he said.
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