NTU students hold sit-in protest, call for university autonomy

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/05/04
By: Chen Chih-Chung and Ko Lin

Taipei, May 4 (CNA) Thousands of students, faculty members and alumni of National Taiwan University (NTU) held a sit-in protest at the school’s campus on Friday to call on the government to respect university autonomy in Taiwan.

Wearing yellow ribbons, protesters said the “New May Fourth Movement” is about defending university autonomy, while expressing their anger over what they see as the government’s interference in university affairs.

Kuan Chung-ming (管中閔) was selected as president of NTU on Jan. 5 and was expected to take office on Feb. 1. After he was selected, however, the Ministry of Education (MOE) put off its approval as a string of allegations against Kuan, including plagiarism, conflict of interest and a flawed selection process, arose.

The ministry finally decided on April 27 not to approve him, leaving the ministry and the university stalemated on the issue.    [FULL  STORY]