No covering up ugliness in ivory tower

ON MONDAY, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics announced that associate professor Qian Fengsheng had been fired following its investigation into a female student's allegation of sexual assault. China Daily writer Zhang Zhouxiang comments:

Qian's case surfaced on Friday when the student posted on her social media account that Qian lured her into his SUV and inappropriately touched her. The university responded within two hours, saying it had registered the complaint and launched an investigation. The outcome of its probe was announced on Monday. Qian was dismissed and the university has asked the higher education authorities to withdraw his teaching qualification.

The university did the right thing, responding to the complaint right away. A teacher sexually harassing a student has the potential to tarnish a university's reputation, and any delay in response would only trigger suspicions that the university was protecting its faculty member.

The timely response from the university helped it avert a major crisis. Also, nobody can accuse it of protecting someone suspected of committing an offense.

However, that might not be the end of the case.

The student posted screenshots of her WeChat conversations with Qian after the incident that suggest he has violated the criminal code. In that case, the law will hold Qian responsible for his indecent behavior.

The case also tells us something about the society we live in. It reminds us that campuses, the temples of learning that we believe to be clean and sacred, are no ivory towers immune from the devil that lurks in human minds.

Qian allegedly enticed the student into the SUV where he committed the alleged offense. The student had no reason to doubt him; she followed him because she trusted him as a teacher.

The power professors wield over students is a power that deserves to be regulated by university discipline and the law alike. The rule of law must extend to all sections of society, without leaving any areas exposed. Only with the rule of law will those who are weaker be protected, and those in power be regulated.