Letter to Dean of Student Affairs

4/24/2002 10:19 PM
Subject: 3d fax

24 April 2002

Dean Ko,

Because of a documented history of legal violations at National Cheng Kung
University, I feel it necessary to sum up the legal issues that should
govern your investigation into my grievance against Ms. Lily Chen.

My grievance is NOT against Ms. Lily Chen. Ms. Lily Chen's person is none
of my business. And any opinion I may have, favorable or not, of Ms. Chen
would fall under the category of gossip or hearsay.

My grievance is asking you to investigate Ms. Chen's letter. This is
different. This is a fact.

Did Ms. Chen submit this letter?
Did it contain a documented fact?
Was its substance malicious?
Did it conceal material facts (like taking other courses from me and
receiving high passes)?
Was its dating suspicious, dated just after departmental dismissal action
against me?
Did it use proper channels at the proper time?
Was the letter secret?

Since the letter is the substance of my grievance against Ms. Chen, that is
the extent of your investigation into the matter. Any other investigation
is unwarranted, and, indeed, unsanctioned by lawful inquiry.

No professor anywhere in the world should be required to defend himself
against vague accusations and opinions, much less those that go back more
than ten years.

First, every single teacher who has ever lived has students who admire them
and those who do not think so highly. You would be shocked to hear what my
colleagues think about some of your colleagues, some of whom you admire.

But that's only our opinions. We don't pretend our opinions should be
"investigated."

When I ask for an investigation, I ask for an investigation into documented
facts. Ms. Chen's letter is a documented fact. That's the extent and limit
of your investigation. My personal opinion (and that of my colleagues) is
not a documented fact; it's only an opinion, even if it's a shared opinion.
A shared opinion does not add up to a fact, just to many opinions.

Try to focus on your legal duties in this investigation. And let's all of
us try to improve democratic process at our university.

Sincerely,

Professor Richard de Canio
(06) 237 8626