Renaming universities just a fad

The president of Beijing International Studies University recently told the media that the university might be renamed "Tourism University" and would aim at cultivating talents for high-end tourism, prompting many people to question the need to change the names of universities such as BISU and Beijing Broadcasting Institute (now Communication University of China), says an article on gmw.cn. Excerpts:

Many colleges and universities have been renamed since 2000. According to information on the official website of the Ministry of Education, 322 schools and universities have been renamed since 2004, with some of them becoming institutions of higher vocational studies.

But apart from their names, nothing has changed in most of these institutions; their teaching faculty, hardware facilities and campus environment remain the same.

The reasons to rename colleges and universities vary, but in essence the objective is nothing more than choosing "fashionable" names to attract outsiders and create opportunities to get more funds for scientific research projects and draw talented students.

None of world's leading universities, for example, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have ever thought of changing their names. For school authorities, faculties, students and alumni, the most important thing to do is to fulfill their duties instead of wasting their time and energy, and precious government funds, to rename their universities.

The trend to rename universities in China demonstrates their extreme lack of confidence. As long as a university focuses on retaining and recruiting qualified and dedicated teachers, it will succeed in attracting good students both from home and abroad. Changing the name of a university will not change the quality of education it imparts unless it overhauls its teaching faculty and facilities.

Wage defaulters must be made to pay

With Spring Festival approaching, many workers have intensified their demand to be paid their due wages. Many employers have drawn people's wrath by not paying their workers in time, which becomes particularly evident before Spring Festival. Earlier, most employers in the Pearl River Delta region defaulted on workers' wages. But now many others across the country have started doing the same, says an article on xinhuanet. Excerpts:

According to media reports, thousands of workers in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, have been demanding their arrear wages. Since many employers use loopholes in labor laws to seek protection after defaulting on workers' wages, the government should establish a safeguard mechanism to protect workers' rights and interests.

It is important to set up a mandatory cash deposit scheme for industries that are prone to defaulting on wages. Under the scheme, employers should be made to deposit a certain amount of cash with the authorities or banks as security money, which could be paid to workers in case they do not get their salaries. This will act as deterrence against employers and guarantee that workers get the remuneration for their labor.

Furthermore, such a safeguard mechanism should be reflective of the performance of the companies in regard to timely payment of wages to workers. For example, industries and companies that are known to default on wages should be compelled to deposit higher amounts with the authorities or banks, and those with a clean record should be made to put in smaller amounts.

Workers' rights and interests have to be protected even if that means putting more pressure on employers.

(China Daily 01/31/2013 page9)