Shih Hsin University yesterday confirmed that the school is investigating allegations that an associate professor sexually assaulted a student.
University vice president Chilik Yu (余致力) said the school's gender equality committee was investigating Ma Kuo-kuang (馬國光), a professor in the Department of Speech Communication, after the school received a letter from the Ministry of Education.
The ministry sent the letter after receiving a complaint from a former student accusing Ma, a renowned writer who uses the pen name “Liang Hsuan” (亮軒), of tricking her into having sex with him on seven occasions when she sought advice from him.
The Chinese-language Apple Daily said yesterday that the 26-year-old had told the newspaper that Ma had said the sex was therapy for her depression and that the seven occasions had occurred over a year starting in July 2007.
The newspaper quoted the woman as saying that she was afraid to say no to Ma because she admired his work and was intimidated by his prestige.
“If this is true, we will be very shocked and sorry,” Yu said.
Yu said the investigating committee would be mostly made up of professionals in legal affairs, psychology and gender issues from outside the school, adding that the school would deal with the case using the highest moral standards.
The probe is expected to conclude next month, Yu said, and if the allegations were found to be true, Ma could lose his job.
Ma declined yesterday to comment on the accusation by telephone, saying only that he would wait until the investigation was finished.
A student of Ma's who declined to be named defended the teacher, saying Ma always kept a distance in relation to his students.
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