March 19, 2007

Prominent Scholar at Chinese University Is Demoted Over Criticism of Superiors

People’s University, in Beijing, has demoted a dean after the well-known scholar criticized university officials and what he termed the “bureaucratization” of China’s higher-education system.

The incident started last week, when Zhang Ming, the university’s dean of political science, posted comments on his popular personal blog in which he defended a colleague who he said had been overlooked for a promotion. Mr. Zhang said the decision had been made by Li Jingzhi, dean of the School of International Studies, which oversees Mr. Zhang’s department, and not by a proper academic-review committee.

“The bureaucratization and politicization of higher education has already turned professors into slaves,” he wrote on his blog last Friday. “Slaves are surely obedient, but they also have no morals, and so also certainly have no sense of responsibility.”

That comment followed an even harsher one a few days earlier. “The university’s leaders can now all be said to be professors,” Mr. Zhang wrote, “but as soon as they become bureaucrats, their asses take over for their brains, and their behavior changes.”

Later on Friday, Mr. Zhang announced he had been removed as dean. Sina.com, which hosted Mr. Zhang’s blog, highlighted the news of his demotion, and the news media were quick to report on the story, an indication that Mr. Zhang may have strong support in some circles.

The university confirmed the dismissal, and in a rare willingness to engage in a public dispute, the School of International Studies published two open letters on its Web site. One, apparently written by Mr. Li, assailed Mr. Zhang for his “destroying of the university’s unity and peaceful atmosphere.” While conceding that “all organizations have problems of varying degrees,” the letter said Mr. Zhang had “set a precedent by dragging the university’s internal affairs into the public media and stirring up trouble.”

It appears that Mr. Zhang will still be permitted to teach. In recent years, China has punished outspoken scholars by canceling their classes but allowing them to remain on the staff and to collect their salaries.

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