wfn.org | Taiwan Theological College Teachers Resigning "en-bloc"

[Taiwan Church News <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>]

Taiwan Church News 2659, February 16, 2003
Reported by Li Hsin-ren. Translated and rewritten by David
Alexander

   Last year three members of the faculty of Taiwan Theological
College and Seminary, an agency of the Presbyterian Church in
Taiwan, resigned together.  Last week another six submitted their
resignations en-bloc.  They were led by Dr. Cheng Yang-en (Te*
Giong-un), dean of instruction.  Their joint letter of
resignation clearly expressed their dissatisfaction with the
college's situation.  They said that after serious consideration,
they had decided to leave their positions.  Dr. Cheng added a
personal explanation to the joint declaration.	The leave the
school with only 16 teachers.
     The action was precipitated by the faculty senate's denial
of Dr. Cheng's application for promotion to full professor. The
six said that they were affronted by the response given by
college president Liao Siang-hsin to their protest of that denial
and question Dr. Liao's suitability to serve as college
president.
     Their joint declaration states distress over the school's
decline in the year and a half since Dr. Liao took office. They
note that many faculty members, both part and full-time, have
left the school in that time.  They say that Dr. Liao has not
hired replacements and that the increasing load placed on
remaining faculty has been to their detriment.
     The teachers' resignation asks the college's board of
directors to replace Dr. Liao. They stated several reasons for
this request. These include what they call his lack of
collegiality, his secretive manner in personnel affairs, his lack
of zeal for faculty development, his lack of leadership, and that
he is already past the generally accepted retirement age of 65.
They ask that an interim president be appointed while a new
leader is selected for the college. The board will meet on
February 13th to respond to the letter.
   Dr. Liao has been unreachable for response to the letter.
   The six who signed the letter are: Dr. Cheng Yangen, Dean of
Instruction; Lin Shi-yang, Librarian; Tzeng Chong-cheng, Director
of the Graduate Theology Program;  Su Mei-chu, head of Pastoral
Education; Lu You-huei, Social Work Department; and Lin Ming-chu,
director of the Graduate Program in Christian Education.

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