Sat, Jul 07, 2018 page3

• Fourteen universities form alliance to oppose political interference in schools

  • By Rachel Lin / Staff reporter
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  Fourteen universities across the nation yesterday set up the Taiwan Action Alliance for University Autonomy to oppose what it calls political interference on campus.

  The alliance, led by former National Taiwan University (NTU) president Lee Si-chen (李嗣涔), was formed to support Kuan Chung-ming (管中閔), who was elected NTU president on Jan. 5 and was supposed to take his post on Feb. 1, but the Ministry of Education postponed his appointment amid allegations of plagiarism, a conflict of interest and a flawed selection process.

  Then-minister of education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) established a cross-agency committee to investigate the allegations, but he resigned from his post on April 14.

  

  Former National Taiwan University president Lee Si-chen, front row third left, and representatives from other universities raise their fists at the founding of the Taiwan Action Alliance for University Autonomy in Taipei yesterday.

  Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times

  His successor, Wu Maw-kuen (吳茂昆), on April 27 decided not to approve Kuan’s election and asked NTU to hold new elections. Wu resigned on May 29, after serving for only 41 days.

  Lee told a news conference in Taipei yesterday that the ministry abused its rights, even though many university presidents had urged it to respect university autonomy in line with the University Act (大學法).

  The NTU and the ministry are operating without leaders, which has become a global joke, Lee said, asking how a person with a conscience and respect for the law would dare assume the post of education minister.

  After months of preparation, 14 universities have finally formed an alliance that calls for tolerance and respect, mission and vision, care and attention, and justice and honesty to guard university independence against political manipulation, he said.

  It would be hard for the nation to attract foreign talent without protecting university autonomy, he said.

  A resolution launched by Academia Sinica academics on Tuesday also urged the ministry to respect university autonomy, academician Huang Yi-long (黃一農) said.

  Even though Academia Sinica members’ views on the act might differ, the majority voted to pass the resolution, he said.

  Shih Chien University president Michael Chen (陳振貴) said he has served as the president of different private universities over the past 20 years, and that he supports the alliance as an individual.

  The 14 universities are NTU, Shih Chien University, National Taiwan Normal University, National Chengchi University, National Tsing Hua University, National Chiao Tung University, National Central University, National Chung Hsing University, National Chiayi University, National Cheng Kung University, National Taipei University of Business, National University of Kaohsiung, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, and National Dong Hwa University.
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