Introduced to the School of Ecology and Environment of Nanjing Forestry University as a high-level talent, associate professor Song Kai was found to have committed suicide at home on April 2 this year after failing the assessment of the school's first employment period.
According to the information on the school's official website, Song Kai, born in 1986, graduated from Tianjin Polytechnic University with a bachelor's degree, a master's degree from Peking University, and a doctorate and postdoctoral fellow from UBC in Canada. In 2019, Song Kai, then 33 years old, was introduced to the School of Ecology and Environment of Nanjing Forestry University as a high-level talent.
Song Kai on the Google Scholar page
Yang Yue, who knows Song Kai's situation, told The Paper that before Song Kai committed suicide, he did not pass the assessment of the first employment period, and his score was unqualified. Song Kai's tutors and students recalled that Song Kai was hardworking, gentle, and friendly, and always had a smile on his face. Song Kai and his wife have a child and bought a house in Nanjing, but the loan has not been repaid. Song Kai's relatives said that Song Kai suffered from depression. For a long time, Song Kai was busy with work and writing funds (project applications). As to whether he committed suicide because he failed the assessment, the relative said that it was not clear.
In this regard, the relevant person in charge of the School of Ecology and Environment of Nanjing Forestry University responded to the media on May 13 that the teacher surnamed Song had indeed passed away, but the information spread on the Internet was seriously inconsistent with the facts. A staff member of the personnel department of Nanjing Forestry University said that Song Kai had indeed died and suffered from depression, and that Song Kai had not been demoted. The staff explained that Song Kai refunded the 10,000 yuan settling-in fee because he did not meet the school's assessment requirements, which was the terms agreed by the school in the employment contract at that time. After Song Kai's death, the school will give his family a pension.
On the same day, The Paper repeatedly called the Personnel Department and the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of Nanjing Forestry University, but no one answered. The relevant staff of Nanlin University responded to the surging news, saying, "This matter is not what you think, and I will call back later." As of press time, it has not called back.
Failed assessments
Yang Yue, a person familiar with Song Kai's situation, said that he learned of Song Kai's death five days after the incident. Yang Yue said that in his impression, Song Kai was humble and always with a smile.
He said that Song Kai did not pass the assessment of the first employment period, was reduced to salary, demoted, and returned part of the house purchase subsidy and settling-in fee. "It's not just a matter of money, it's a kind of face-saving negation that intellectuals value very much." He said that Song Kai belongs to the introduction of talents with a system, although it is not "either promoted or left", but the situation he faces is similar.
In this regard, on the afternoon of May 13, a staff member of the personnel department of Nanjing Forestry University said in an interview with the Beijing News that Song Kai returned 10,000 yuan of settling-in allowance because he did not meet the school's assessment requirements, which was the terms agreed by the school in the employment contract at that time. At the same time, the staff member said that Song Kai was not demoted.
According to the official website of Nanjing Forestry University, Song Kai is a doctor of science, a master's supervisor, and an associate professor of the School of Biology and Environment. He received his master's degree from the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, and his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Since 2019, he has been working in the College of Biology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University.
Whether the assessment is passed or not is often related to the teacher's treatment and professional title.
The Paper noted that in 2023, Nanjing Forestry University issued the "Nanjing Forestry University High-level Talent Initial Appointment Period Assessment Measures" shows that the measures are applicable to the high-level talents of class F and above introduced by the school, and the initial employment period is generally 3-4 years. The school and the introduced talents signed the "Agreement on the Introduction of Teachers from Nanjing Forestry University", and the assessment was carried out according to the agreement.
The measures stipulate that the total score of the assessment is 100 points, of which 50 points are for scientific research projects and 50 points for papers. Among them, for scientific research projects, it is agreed in the approved agreement that all projects will be awarded 50 points, otherwise no points will be awarded.
The agreement stipulates that passing is an assessment score of 100 points, basic passing is an assessment score of 75 points or more, and failing is an assessment score of less than 75 points. If the assessment is qualified, a one-time subsidy will be issued for the remaining house purchase, and the remaining house purchase subsidy will not be issued if the basic qualification is qualified, and those who enjoy the treatment will be demoted and appointed. If you are not qualified, you will not be re-employed; or the conditional downgrade and appointment shall be made by mutual agreement between the two parties, and the remaining housing purchase subsidy will not be issued, and the difference between the settlement fee and housing purchase subsidy will be refunded at the same time for the introduction of talents in the next level.
According to the terms of the Agreement on the Introduction of Talents above Class F of Nanjing Forestry University, Party A (the school) subsidizes Party B to purchase housing in Nanjing in the form of loans, and provides Party B with housing purchase subsidies and settling-in allowances. If Party B applies to pay for the purchase of the house with the housing purchase subsidy and the settling-in allowance, the settling-in fee can be paid in full, and the amount of the housing purchase subsidy shall not exceed 60% of the total amount. After passing the assessment during the initial employment period, the remaining 40% of the housing purchase subsidy will be issued at one time. Specifically, it shall be performed in accordance with the "Nanjing Forestry University Loan Agreement for the Introduction of High-level Talents for Housing Purchase" signed by both parties.
"In terms of assessment standards, if teachers don't have national-level projects in their hands, it's very difficult to meet them." Yang Yue said that the project is a core indicator, and it is necessary to get the National Natural Science Foundation of China project, plus the paper, in order to be basically qualified. Although Mr. Song sent some papers, he did not get the project.
The annual projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China include general projects, key projects, youth projects, etc., which are very important for the development of young teachers.
Zhao Lin, a university professor who has experienced "either promotion or leaving", said that the project is a stepping stone for teachers to stay in school and be promoted, and he knows that some teachers have failed to apply for the national fund project twice, and there is a lot of pressure. In addition, it is also common to fail to complete the assessment, and it is also a common situation to go without promotion. "There is a school and a college that recruits dozens of postdoctoral fellows, and they are all about the same, and only a few are left." He said.
He mentioned that youth projects are a bit easier than general projects (i.e. general projects). However, the youth program requires male applicants to be under the age of 35 and female applicants to be under the age of 40.
Relatives and friends: Song Kai suffered from depression before his death and was under great pressure at work
Zhang Ping, a relative of Song Kai, said that on the morning of April 2, Song Kai's wife found Song Kai dead by suicide. As far as he knows, Song Kai did not leave a suicide note.
He said that Song Kai's original family was not happy, but his own character was "too good to be true". Song Kai and his wife are very affectionate, and his wife's family loves Song Kai very much. The two had a son after marriage, bought a house in Nanjing, and are still paying off the loan.
"After a year, he said that he had to submit a fund project (application), and he was very busy." Zhang Ping said that as far as he knew, Song Kai had drowsiness in the last few months before his suicide, often got up at night to work, and did not go out much for nearly a month and could not eat on time. Zhang Ping said that Song Kai mentioned the fund project, saying that his mind was blank and he couldn't write, and he still muttered "it's too late". When he was depressed, his family once said to Song Kai: "You can't go that way, you can't be sorry for me." "Song Kai said at the time that he would not (take the road of suicide).
"But in the end, I went down that path." Zhang Ping said.
Zhang Ping said that Song Kai's family had taken him to the hospital for a physical examination, but nothing was wrong, and later found Song Kai's medical records, only to know that Song Kai had suffered from depression since high school.
In the eyes of former students and teachers, Song Kai is a hardworking and gentle person.
"The news is undeniably sad." Song Kai's mentor at UBC, Fariborz Taghipour, told The Paper that Song Kai is an excellent researcher, and a hard-working person with a good personality, maybe Song Kai is a little shy, but this is not uncommon in Asian culture.
Fariborz said Song Kai had published a review paper on the use of UV-LED systems for water treatment, which has been cited 800 times. "Three other scientific papers he and I have published together have received more than 100 citations, all of which are a clear indication of his contributions to the field." He said.
In February, Fariborz said, he sent Mr. Song an email greeting the New Year, which was the last time they communicated.
He said the incident was heavy and difficult to accept.
Song Kai's former student Xiao Xia (pseudonym) was very impressed by him.
Xiao Xia said that for every question of the students, Mr. Song will answer them carefully, and the experiment will be done by himself, which is very sincere and healing. "He gave me strength." Xiao Xia said that Teacher Song's social skills may be lacking, and (thinking) is more in teaching and scientific research. Another graduate said that Mr. Song used to be his homeroom teacher and was very kind to his students, not very strict, but very strict and relaxed.
The dilemma of "youth education".
"It's not a school problem, it's a common problem." Yang Yue believes that the good colleges and universities are desperately applying for projects in order to rush the rankings and doctoral points, the second book in order to promote the first one, and the junior college in order to promote the undergraduate, rather than really doing scientific research, and does not reflect the importance of talent training and the affirmation of those teachers who devote themselves to teaching and educating people.
She said that Song Kai was alone in school, although he also had his own laboratory, but he only had a few graduate students under his hands, and there was no "big bull" in the team.
In the eyes of Zhao Lin, a college teacher who has experienced "either promotion or leaving", Song Kai is not alone.
Zhao Lin had taught at a university in Nanjing, but a few years later, he "became one of many losers" and left the school.
But not all schools do that, he said. Zhao Lin said that most schools still want teachers to stay, and some schools will not expel them directly, at most they will continue to hire them for a cycle if they can continue to stay in school and wait until they get the fund. If you don't make achievements in school, if you don't have funds and no results, it's not easy to jump ship.
He said that if the paper is done well, it may not be published in a good journal, and if the book (application) of the Youth Fund is well written, it may not be able to win the project. "Maybe you've struggled for many years before you start from the same place as others." He said.
Zhao Lin said that in many cases, colleges and universities are similar to companies, focusing on harmony, forward development and efficiency first. If teachers want to take root in colleges and universities, they need to be like employees, try their best to complete the assessment requirements, and if they can't complete it, they must also be psychologically prepared and self-regulated. "The school has to rush the assessment, each teacher will be apportioned indicators, and it will rise year by year, there will always be some people who will not be adaptable, and the differences and frictions that occur during the period are normal, and there is no need for the people around them to be like that, and they must be like that." He said.
Previously, Wang Siyi, an associate professor at the Institute of Educational Management and Policy at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, who has long studied higher education management and policy, teacher evaluation and development, said in an interview with The Paper that the "promotion or departure" system implemented by the mainland is more mandatory from top to bottom in order to break the traditional lifelong employment system under the career establishment system, promote the flow of talents, and stimulate the vitality of teachers' work. However, there is a lack of adequate game and consultation process among various stakeholders, and teachers, as important stakeholders, lack the opportunity to express their opinions, so it is very easy to lead to conflicts of interest. For mainland universities, the goal of introducing the "either promotion or leaving" system is not to protect teachers' academic rights, occupational safety or protect dedicated research, but to enhance the professional pressure and work vitality of teachers by strengthening the competitiveness and selection of the appointment and promotion system, and to establish a flexible employment mechanism for people who can go up and down, and who can enter and exit.
Source: The Paper