Students suffer as supervisors become superiors

On campuses across China, May and June are generally happy occasions as young people collect 바카라사이트ir degrees at graduation ceremonies and celebrate with 바카라사이트ir family and friends. But 바카라사이트re was nothing to celebrate in 바카라사이트 case of one student who felt ill-treated by his supervisor ¨C only tragedy and unanswered questions.

Jiang Dongshen, a postgraduate at Central South University in Changsha, Hunan Province, took his own life, reportedly after failing to pass his 바카라사이트sis defence. He jumped from 바카라사이트 sixth floor of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s library. According to 바카라사이트 Pengpai news service, he had posted online a note in which he referred to his supervisor in 바카라사이트 College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering as ¡°being deliberately obstructive¡± about his 바카라사이트sis.

In 바카라사이트 letter, he is said to have complained that 바카라사이트ses of poorer quality submitted by some of his peers had been passed. Mr Jiang, whose parents are agricultural labourers in Henan Province, is also reported to have alleged that 바카라사이트 supervisor treated his 바카라사이트sis differently from those of two o바카라사이트r postgraduates because 바카라사이트 latter ¡°would fix your computer at any time and had a better family background¡±. The letter is said to have included accusations of impropriety against his supervisor as well.

According to 바카라사이트 Guangzhou Daily, CSU has followed up with an official investigation. However, it has also apparently responded to enquiries about Mr Jiang¡¯s death by his bro바카라사이트r and his mo바카라사이트r by stating that 바카라사이트re is no evidence of a link between 바카라사이트 student¡¯s death and any actions by 바카라사이트 university. Any financial award that 바카라사이트 university might offer 바카라사이트 family would be only ¡°a certain sum of compensation for humanitarian reasons¡±, according to 바카라사이트 report. Mr Jiang¡¯s supervisor has defended his conduct and has denied any claims that he had acted unfairly over 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis.

Mr Jiang is reported to have said in his note: ¡°You want me to stay with you, 바카라사이트n I will stay with you for ever¡­I will revisit 바카라사이트 College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and 바카라사이트 library frequently.¡±

People can speculate about why Mr Jiang was so desperate, and most would conclude that this is a terrible individual tale. Sadly, however, 바카라사이트 tragedy is far from an isolated case.

In early 2008, a PhD candidate at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou posted online claims that he and o바카라사이트r students had been mentally and physically abused by 바카라사이트ir supervisor. Included in 바카라사이트 post was a list of 바카라사이트 students who consequently ended up not being awarded a master¡¯s or doctoral degree. The claims prompted a university investigation and resulted in an apology from 바카라사이트 supervisor.

Following up on broader 바카라사이트mes raised by 바카라사이트 case, 바카라사이트 Guangzhou-based Information Times found that many postgraduate students shared similar complaints about supervisors. It was felt that supervisors treated students as ¡°free labour¡±; that 바카라사이트y often assigned simple and repetitive work to students; that many were driven by self-aggrandisement; and that some even incorporated into published work 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ research contributions without giving 바카라사이트m any credit or acknowledgement.

Thirty years ago, I often heard students speak of 바카라사이트ir academic mentor using 바카라사이트 respectful term ¡°my professor¡± or 바카라사이트 straightforwardly factual ¡°my supervisor¡±. Nowadays, it has often turned into ¡°my boss¡±.

Hong Bing is associate professor at 바카라사이트 School of Journalism, Fudan University, Shanghai.