Subject: Continued problems at National Cheng Kung University in
TainanTo: moe
CC: eyemail@eyemail.gio.gov.tw, peu03@mail.gio.gov.tw,
mail@mail.moe.gov.tw, vp@mail.oop.gov.tw, twjrf@seed.net.tw,
Control Yuan
Ministry of Education
Department of Higher Education
cc: Office of the Premier, Minister of Education, Control Yuan, Taiwan
Commission on Human Rights, The Judicial Reform Foundation
6 November 2003
Dear Ministry of Education,
There are ongoing problems at National Cheng Kung University. Although
the press has contacted me, wishing to publish an expose about these issues,
I have thus far tried to protect the reputation of the university. However,
it seems that I have more concern for the reputation of the university than
do some officials of the present administration. Therefore I have little
patience or sympathy left.
One of the ongoing issues at our university is the failure to hold a
student who wrote a secret, malcious, and obviously false letter accountable
for her behavior. This includes an apology and admission of wrongdoing,
thus upholding my repuation. Yet the current Dean of Student Affairs, Dean
Ko Huei-chen, wishes me to forgive the student without the student admitting
wrongdoing, much less writing an apology. This, as I'm certain most
reasonable persons would agree, is unacceptable.
The Dean's office has already delayed resolving this case for years,
tactically trying to ignore it. But I stress in the strongest terms that I
will never allow this case to go unresolved. Not only am I committed to
receiving an apology from this student, no matter what legal channels I use
to obtain this, but I am also committed to having the Dean of Student
Affairs fulfill the duties she is required to under law. One of her duties,
I assume, is to call a student into her office when a professor requests
it. For a dean to argue that she cannot do so is beyond belief. If this
case is exposed. I am convinced that no rational person would defend such a
position. If a Dean of Student Affairs has no authority to call a student
into her office, for whatever reason, then effectively there is no
administration at our university.
But there are other outstanding issues at our university.
Chief among these is a formal apology from the university
administration for legal rights violations committed in my illegal dismisal
from the university in 1999. A reputable university would have routinely
issued such a formal apology immediately. Yet I have yet to receive one.
But I must receive such a formal apology before this case can be
formally closed. Frankly, Professor Kao Chiang, currently president of the
university, should have been promptly dismissed following his initial
noncompliance with the Ministry ruling of 8 January 2001. But that's an
issue for the Control Yuan. My concern is receiving a formal apology by the
university administration for violating my legal rights.
In addition, the continuous revival of accusations against me (as
recently as this week), formally rejected in the Ministry ruling of 8
January 2001, is unacceptable and will expose this university as a lawless
institution unless it is stopped by the Ministry of Education. Accusations
against me in 1999 were wrong to begin with, since they were neither
investigated nor proved, nor was I even allowed to defend myself against
them. But to repeat these accusations indefinitely is an insult to
universal principles of law, protecting an appellant from repeated defenses
against the same accusations.
I repeat: Those accusations were made once. They were so absurd they
were soundly rejected on appeal. But instead of apologizing for their
violations, certain members of NCKU committees have arrogantly repeated
their original accusations, as if two wrongs (or three or more) make a
right. Two wrongs don't make a right; they only compound a wrong.
Now the Ministry of Education has publicly addressed ways of education
reform. But how can there be education reform unless university officials
promptly abide by laws? What kind of reform is possible when university
officials delay resolving cases for years (cases that should be resolved in
days); when deans delay disciplining students for years; when university
lawyers frivolously contest legal rulings by the Ministry of Education,
showing scorn for moral principle, law, as well as taxpayers' money; and
when the same university lawyer contests compensation to an appellant, a
right protected by the International Charter for Human Rights, not to
mention common moral principles?
Therefore I strongly urge you to sanction the disreputable officials
who compose part of the current administration at National Cheng Kung
University. If the Ministry of Education does not do so, I am committed to
doing so. Indeed, I am fully committed to taking whatever action I must,
using legal options, diplomatic channels, as well as media resources to
defend my legal rights, dignity, and integrity at this university.
Sincerely,
Professor Richard de Canio
Department of Foreign Languages and Literature
National Cheng Kung University
(06) 237 8626
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