Former National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) women's soccer coach Chou Tai-ying (周台英) has been dismissed and barred from teaching at the school for four years over allegations she coerced students into giving blood samples for research projects, the school’s Faculty Evaluation Committee announced today.
The committee in a statement said it has decided to dismiss Chou and would not rehire her within the next four years in accordance with Article 15 of the Teachers’ Act (教師法).
It reached the decision during a meeting on Wednesday after the completion of a three-stage faculty evaluation process.
Photo: Taipei Times
A majority of the committee members voted in favor of the decision by secret ballot, it said.
Chou, 61, is accused of forcing student athletes to participate in research projects that required them to provide blood samples from 2019 to last year.
The committee discussed whether the case involved bullying and a breach of academic ethics.
It reviewed evidence, including sound clips, media interviews with students, and interviews with soccer team members and research participants conducted by various departments of the university, the statement said.
Chou did not obtain the informed consent of the students when they were subjected to blood drawing, the committee said, adding that students signed consent forms that did not fully explain how the blood tests were related to their training.
Chou admitted that the blood drawings were sometimes not conducted by medical professionals, which was clearly illegal, the statement said.
Chou allegedly threatened students with the loss of course credits required for graduation and isolation of individual athletes.
Chou's continuous bullying caused students to suffer mentally, physically and financially in an unfriendly and repressive environment for a long time, the statement said.
The committee found Chou had verbally abused the students exploiting her status as a senior coach, which was inappropriate, it added.
The committee called it a "severe campus bullying case," considering the unequal power dynamics, the number of student victims and the impact on students’ physical and mental health, and their right to education, it said.
The committee said it is necessary to dismiss Chou to ensure students’ wellbeing, a safe campus, appropriate interactions between soccer team coach and members, and mutual trust and harmony among teachers and students.
The case was handled in accordance with the letter sent from the Ministry of Education on Friday last week and the decision made in the committee’s meeting the following day, the statement said.
The university had initially imposed disciplinary measures that barred Chou from receiving pay raises, overtime or taking on executive or part-time teaching roles.
That decision followed a recommendation from NTNU's campus bullying prevention committee that she be suspended for two years.
However, after continued public criticism, NTNU announced on Wednesday last week that Chou had been suspended.
The education ministry revoked her coaching license the following day, fined the university NT$1.1 million (US$33,687) and ordered it to relaunch its faculty review process.
The Chinese Taipei Football Association on Wednesday said it had revoked Chou's coaching license over her involvement in the case.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
ISOLATION: The outposts would serve as support and backup bases, forcing US forces to either face China head-on or reroute, increasing travel time and operational costs China’s outposts in the South China Sea could be used to delay and constrain foreign forces during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, giving Beijing a critical window to carry out amphibious landing and blockade operations, a report said. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forward operating bases on islands and reclaimed features in the South China Sea could delay foreign forces long enough for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to secure a key 48-to-72-hour window in the Taiwan Strait, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council found. The report, conducted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, examined
RSS