Discipline organ requires on-campus ideological awareness

Party discipline inspectors announced Monday that they had identified major issues during a probe into Shanghai's Fudan University, adding that the school needs to strengthen its "Party building."

The inspection began at the end of March, and continued through May 8, according to an announcement posted on the website of the Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

Dong Hong, the leader of the investigatory team dispatched to Fudan University, pinpointed several key problems spotted during the time, including disorderly management of research expenses and breaches of regulations during the construction of a satellite campus.

Dong also cited school management's conducting of commercial activities during their tenure in office, and the lack of a well developed oversight system.

A complex web of affiliated hospital branches also makes management and regulations difficult and prone to corruption.

Dong suggested the university strengthen its "Party building" by conducting more research on the political stance and ideology of teachers and students, creating a monitoring system for overseeing school expenses, and banning its board members from commercial activities.

"We will strengthen our political awareness and political stance," Zhu Zhiwen, Fudan University's Party secretary, responded, "We will also identify the weak links in our anti-corruption management, and carry out deeper reform of our management system."

The same day, another two inspection teams announced major results during inspections in Liaoning and Henan provinces.

The Liaoning provincial government was criticized for not being sensitive enough in carrying out Party duties related to political discipline, not attentive enough to problems occurred during organizing elections, and falling short in addressing the Four Disciplinary Problems and observing the Eight-Point Code of Conduct. Such was the conclusion Monday of Chen Guanglin, the leader of the Liaoning inspection.

Provincial Party officials were accused of over-spending for ceremonies, vehicle purchase, and in using public money for entertainment.

The Four Disciplinary Problems - formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance - were identified by the CPC as the major problems the Party is facing.

The Eight-Point Code of Conduct, issued by the central government in 2012, is meant to reduce bureaucracy and improve ties with the public.

Henan province has also received similar warnings, as its officials allegedly colluded with the business sector by taking bribes during land auctions.

"Hedonism and bureaucracy are still prevalent, even though the local government is executing the Eight-Point Code of Conduct," Ouyang Song, leader of the Henan team, said when he released the findings of his team's investigation.

Related findings have been passed onto the CCDI and related departments.