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DPP again questions Liao’s degree

Democratic Progressive Party legislators, left to right, Yeh Yi-ching, Chai Trong-rong and Twu Shiing-jer, hold a press conference yesterday to question Minister of Interior Liao Liou-yi’s claim that he received a masters degree from San Francisco University. PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus continued to question the authenticity of Minister of the Interior Liao Liao-yi’s (廖了以) masters degree from the University of San Francisco yesterday.

DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) told a press conference that the US National Student Clearing House told him that Liao’s student registration with the university was valid from July 7, 1986 to July 31, 1987, so he wondered how Liao had managed to finish his studies in that short timeframe.

Chai said his investigation had shown that Liao only “went to school” for four weeks in 1986 and four in 1987, which meant he only spent eight weeks within the registration period to finish the 36 credits required for the graduate program.

“I would love to know how he completed it,” Chai said.

Liao’s degree became an issue during a question-and-answer session at the legislature on June 2, when he said he went to graduate school at the University of San Francisco in 1986 when he was mayor of Fengyuan, Taichung County. He said he had finished graduate school by taking advantage of the four-week annual vacation available as Fengyuan mayor to “go to school” and finished the required credits within two years.

“I taught in the US for more than 20 years. A semester lasts for at least 15 weeks. It would be quite impossible for a graduate student to finish 18 credits per semester,” Chai said. “Plus, I have never heard such a program that a student would only have to show up four weeks a year and would be able to finish it in two years.”

Liao only lists the “Department of Statistics, Feng Chia University” for his educational background on the Ministry of the Interior’s Web site.

“It is our belief that the Ministry of Education recognizes diplomas from this school. Liao said his masters was not recognized [by the education ministry, so he didn’t include it on the Web site.] I think he owes the public an explanation,” DPP caucus whip Yeh Yi-ching (葉宜津) said.

Later last night, Liao issued a statement reiterating that his masters degree was authentic.

Additional reporting by staff writer
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