The Control Yuan could censure supervisory agencies for turning a blind eye to the irregular use of funds in the implementation of a five-year NT$50 billion (US$1.59 billion) program to upgrade universities.
Control Yuan member Ger Yeong-kuang (葛永光) yesterday said his office had asked the Ministry of Audit to investigate a media report alleging that five elite universities, including National Taiwan University (NTU), spent NT$117 million on carbon and ink cartridges for printers, copiers and fax machines over a three-and-a-half-year period.
The program was launched in 2005 by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration to enable NTU and National Cheng Kung University to join the ranks of the world's top academic institutions.
Ten other universities, including National Tsing Hua University, received support to transform themselves into leading research institutions in Asia.
Ger said a preliminary investigation had found irregularities in the way the program's funds were used by some universities.
However, the irregularities could not yet be labeled “corruption” and had nothing to do with the university authorities, Ger said.
“Project managers at the schools should be held responsible for the irregular use of funds,” he said.
The investigation has also found that some professors filed expense claims to cover the wages of non-existent research assistants, using students names as proxies.
The Control Yuan will launch a further investigation into the matter, Ger said.
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