Letter to Jen Ko-jiang

7/18/2003 3:34 AM
Subject: ATTN: Jen Ko-Jiang, (02) 2356-5893; forward of email sent to the
president and dean at National Cheng Kung
University
To: hueiwen@mail.moe.gov.tw, moe

Dear Mr. Jen,
I was requested to send these documents to you, regarding ongoing
problems with administrative officials at National Cheng Kung University
in Tainan, including the president, Professor Kao Chiang and the Dean of
Student Affairs, Professor Ko Heui-chen. These emails show that I have
repeatedly requested that these officials act concerning issues related
to several matters and they have thus far avoided doing so. This is
typical at our university, where matters can go on for years before one
even receives a response. One matter is fairly simple by any
standards: calling a currently enrolled student in for a meeting. Yet,
when I am not completely ignored, I have been given every possible
excuse for the dean's claim that she is unable or unwilling to do so.
Yet the request is simple, common, and done every single day at
universities all over the world. Why Dean Ko feels she is unable to
respond to such a request is beyond my, and I presume, anyone else's
understanding. But regardless of the obstinacy of these officials, I
am determined to effect full justice in these matters, using all options
and channels available in a democratic society to do so. I also advise
that the Department of Higher Education monitor the officials at its
universities more carefully, because the quality of "higher education"
depends on having competent officials. Otherwise secretaries can do
just as well, at less cost to the nation.
All the following email was sent either to the president of the
university or to the Dean of Student Affairs, and circulated to agencies
in Taipei. Thank you.

Sincerely,

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

Letter to NCKU president, Kao Chiang

7/18/2003 3:39 AM
Subject: CONCERNING A MEETING WITH LILY
CHENTo: Kao Chiang
CC: Huei-chen Ko ,
moe

Dear President Kao
I'm losing patience with the matter of arranging a meeting between me,
a dean, and the student who wrote a secret letter, Lily Chen.
This is a simple matter. A professor has the right to ask for such a
meeting. A dean has the responsibility to arrange such a meeting. A
president has the responsibility to make sure administrators under him act
according to their responsibilities and the law.
It is also the responsibility of a president of a university to conduct
internal affairs in such a way as to spare higher agencies the burden of
handling them.
Please arrange a meeting between me, a dean, and Lily Chen as soon as
possible.
Thank you.

Sincerely,


Professor Richard de Canio
(06) 237 8626

Letter to NCKU president, Kao Chiang

7/19/2003 12:06 PM
Subject: Regarding outstanding problems in the Prof. Richard de Canio
caseTo: Kao Chiang
CC: moe

President's Office
National Cheng Kung University
Tainan, Taiwan

cc: Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education

18 July 2003

Dear President Kao,

There seems to be a communication problem between us. Because so far I
have not received a response from your office suggesting you are aware of
the serious nature of the issues I've already related in previous emails.
Try to understand: Officials at our university conspired to effect my
dismissal. They solicited secret letters and circulated them. You and your
legal counsel defied the Ministry of Education for two years before
belatedly complying with the Ministry ruling of 8 January 2001.
Finally, although a student currently employed by our university wrote
a secret, spiteful and libelous letter accusing me of failing her unfairly
eight years before, she has yet to be punished by university officials.
Instead of cooperating with me to effect a just resolution of this case,
with minimal discipline against this student following an apology,
university officials seem to be helping the student to avoid any
responsibility for her actions, thus undermining a teacher's rights as well
as the moral reputation of our university. One would think a university
administration would cooperate with the teacher to enforce discipline rather
than cooperate with the student to avoid it.
Other issues must also be settled, such as a formal apology for the
harm to my reputation and full back pay, in addition to a formal
nullification of the meeting that undermined the legal rights and benefits
of the Ministry ruling of 8 January 2001.
Considering the well-documented history of human rights abuses at our
university, why do you think it is my responsibility to encourage your
resolution of these matters? A reputable university administration should
take the initiative in resolving these issues.
Confucius said, "A gentleman admits his mistakes." I believe a
gentleman should also forgive mistakes, following admission from offending
parties.
I am willing to do this, with no more than the compensation due me and
appropriate apologies, from the student as well as from the university
administration. Allowing this case to be further litigated or exposed will
only undermine the repuation of our university. At the same time, you
cannot reasonably expect me to wait months or years while our committees,
whose credibility has already been undermined by their handling of my case,
clarify basic principles of law that are evident to most other scholars in
the international community.

Sincerely,


Professor Richard de Canio
National Cheng Kung University
(06) 237 8626