Letter to NCKU president, Kao Chiang

President Kao Chiang
National Cheng Kung University
Tainan, Taiwan
ROC

cc: Ministry of Education
Department of Higher Education

11 July 2003

Dear President Kao,

I am puzzled why your secretary has refused to set up an appointment for
me with you over issues that have yet to be settled, related to my illegal
dismissal and the Ministry ruling of 8 January 2001. I am not blaming her.
From what I understand, she said you were not available for a meeting with
me.
Please understand, I am a professor at our university and entitled to
meet with officials at our university when requested. Furthermore, there
are serious outstanding issues concerning an improper university hearing
over an issue rejected on Ministry appeal; the issue of the student who
wrote a malicious letter; and monetary issues, such as full back pay and
increments as well as compensation for losses contesting my illegal
dismissal.
Please understand, also, that our university is a public institution,
funded by tax payers. It is not a private business, which permits a
president to do whatever he chooses. Moreover, a university, unlike a
business, must be concerned with moral principles as well as laws.
Finally, the failure of your administration, including your Dean of
Student Affairs, Professor Ko Huei-chen, to resolve some of these issues, is
placing an unfair burden on the Ministry of Education and the Department of
Higher Education. These agencies rely on competent officials below them to
spare them from unnecessary distractions from larger national interests.
Your failure to resolve these issues by now is compounding the problems of
these agencies.
Therefore, let us put an end to this case and start over again in
friendly collaboration in time for our new academic year. This is not only
the just thing to do, it's the most convenient thing. It's also showing
respect to superior agencies, such the Ministry of Education and Department
of Higher Education, who put their trust in subordinate officials to resolve
these issues in the way they're expected to.
Please respond, by email or phone, as soon as possible, concerning a
meeting next week. This meeting will help to resolve outstanding issues in
this case.
In addition to your presence, other officials in other departments,
such as the personnel office, may also be present. Since Dean Su chaired a
committee disciplinary hearing over an issue already rejected on Ministry
appeal, he should also be present. Furthermore, preparations should be made
so that the meeting will not be longer than is necessary.

Professor Richard de Canio
Department of Foreign Languages and Literature
National Cheng Kung University
(06) 237 8626