Shih Hsin University held its 70th anniversary event at Taipei Arena on October 14 as campus groups protesting resource allocation tried to enter and clashed with security. The school and students tell different stories, and police involvement and the extent of any injuries are unconfirmed.
According to United Daily News and the Central News Agency, Shih Hsin University rented Taipei Arena on the evening of October 14 for its 70th anniversary event. The student group Shih Hsin Student Rights Vanguard and the Higher Education Union, among others, shouted slogans and held signs outside and tried to enter, and security at the door blocked them. The two sides pushed and shoved, and in the process a union member was reportedly knocked to the ground.
광고 문의 · 300×250Union organizing director Chang Chih-lun showed a red-zone ticket and said he was entering legitimately. The school said staff controls at the scene were meant to keep the event safe and orderly. Whether the tickets were valid and how far protesters got are described differently by each side and cannot be independently confirmed. Reports do not confirm whether police were present or whether anyone was injured or detained.
What the students want
The student groups launched a campaign on October 8. Their main demands are to restore department offices and secretaries, transparent allocation of school resources, protection of the right to learn, and freedom of expression. A key background is the school's merger of department offices into joint college offices and the reassignment of administrative staff, which drew backlash. Students also complain about library renovation, equipment repair and software licensing.
They also oppose an ID-check rule for entering campus announced in late September. Convener Lin Cheng-hsi said the school can stage a large anniversary event but has not solved problems students face daily. Students asked board chairman Chou Cheng-hu and president Chen Ching-ho to respond in person, and said they had earlier held talks on campus and delivered a petition to the president's office door.
The school's position and the disputed points
The school said everyone must follow entry rules and no one may force through controls. It respects students' right to express views but says they should do so rationally and lawfully, without colliding with on-site controls or endangering others. It said it will clarify what happened and take appropriate action, without specifying whether that includes disciplining students.
Two questions stand out: whether the administrative reorganization and resource allocation were justified, and whether the on-site control was excessive. Neither has been independently verified so far. With the school stressing a landmark event and students stressing daily rights, whether a channel for dialogue opens will be the key to what comes next.