During a group discussion titled “Civic Disobedience” hosted by National Taiwan University’s (NTU) college of law, college dean Shieh Ming-yan (謝銘洋) said that if anyone had the right to say “we failed our students,” it was the NTU college of law.
“We have truly failed our students, because we have not taught [President] Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) well,” Shieh said.
Ma received his bachelor’s degree of law from the college in 1972.
Photo:Taipei Times
Shieh’s comments referred to how the government allegedly intended to indict students for illegal actions when they were the only ones to stand up and highlight the government’s incapabilities and shortcomings.
Shieh’s comments also alludes to the apologies offered by National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) President Wu Yan-hwa (吳妍華) on Thursday to police on duty during the Sunflower movement for “not having taught our students well.”
Wu sent an open letter to university staff on Friday apologizing for her comments, saying: “I have apologized, not because I felt the students have done something to dishonor the school, but for my personal role.”
Wu’s comments on Thursday drew criticism from university students and professors, with 75 professors and 2,700 students co-signing a petition to remove her from office, with alumni even offering to donate NT$1.7 million (US$56,496) to help the efforts of removing Wu from office.
The student’s petition said that they regretted Wu’s comments and were puzzled at her apology.
As an educator and scientific researcher, Wu should have attempted to understand that the origins of the Sunflower movement stemmed from the undemocratic way in which the government handled the cross-strait service trade pact, the elevation of the power of administration over that of legislation, and attempts to repress the civil right of political participation, the petition said.
“Wu instead chooses to stand against the trend and seek to — as a sort of father figure — devalue the efforts of students to participate in their own future and the legitimacy of the democratic system,” the petition said.
Wu further said that she was worried about students being penalized by law for attempting to voice their concerns, adding that since so many alumni and students have complained about her comments, she would apologize for delivering commentary which were not well thought through.
NCTU student Chao Tzu-wen (趙子文) said that although he accepted Wu’s apology, he cannot accept her values.
Meanwhile, NCTU alumnus Chiu Chi-hung (邱繼弘), the manager of CacaFly.com (聖洋科技公司), said on Facebook he had learned while studying at NCTU that he could not be entirely unemotional and uncaring about social issues.
That was one of the reasons he set up the cacaFly Asian Scholarship, through which he is hoping to make NCTU students more competitive.
“I cannot believe Wu has shattered the honor of NCTU students like this,” Chiu said.
CacaFly would not stop any scholarships that have already been approved, Chiu said.
He added that he hoped Wu would not continue to ruin the honor of NCTU students and she should be more careful about what she says when she offers comments on issues.
EXPRESSING GRATITUDE: Without its Taiwanese partners which are ‘working around the clock,’ Nvidia could not meet AI demand, CEO Jensen Huang said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and US-based artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer Nvidia Corp have partnered with each other on silicon photonics development, Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said. Speaking with reporters after he met with TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) in Taipei on Friday, Huang said his company was working with the world’s largest contract chipmaker on silicon photonics, but admitted it was unlikely for the cooperation to yield results any time soon, and both sides would need several years to achieve concrete outcomes. To have a stake in the silicon photonics supply chain, TSMC and
SILICON VALLEY HUB: The office would showcase Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and help Taiwanese start-ups connect with global opportunities Taiwan has established an office in Palo Alto, one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley in California, aimed at helping Taiwanese technology start-ups gain global visibility, the National Development Council said yesterday. The “Startup Island Taiwan Silicon Valley hub” at No. 299 California Avenue is focused on “supporting start-ups and innovators by providing professional consulting, co-working spaces, and community platforms,” the council said in a post on its Web site. The office is the second overseas start-up hub established by the council, after a similar site was set up in Tokyo in September last year. Representatives from Taiwanese start-ups, local businesses and
‘DETERRENT’: US national security adviser-designate Mike Waltz said that he wants to speed up deliveries of weapons purchased by Taiwan to deter threats from China US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, affirmed his commitment to peace in the Taiwan Strait during his confirmation hearing in Washington on Tuesday. Hegseth called China “the most comprehensive and serious challenge to US national security” and said that he would aim to limit Beijing’s expansion in the Indo-Pacific region, Voice of America reported. He would also adhere to long-standing policies to prevent miscalculations, Hegseth added. The US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing was the first for a nominee of Trump’s incoming Cabinet, and questions mostly focused on whether he was fit for the
SHARED VALUES: The US, Taiwan and other allies hope to maintain the cross-strait ‘status quo’ to foster regional prosperity and growth, the former US vice president said Former US vice president Mike Pence yesterday vowed to continue to support US-Taiwan relations, and to defend the security and interests of both countries and the free world. At a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Pence said that the US and Taiwan enjoy strong and continued friendship based on the shared values of freedom, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Such foundations exceed limitations imposed by geography and culture, said Pence, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time. The US and Taiwan have shared interests, and Americans are increasingly concerned about China’s
RSS