Control Yuan: Four Professors at NCUE Involved in Gender Equality Cases; Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health and Welfare Should Review and Supervise

(Taipei, June 18 — Reporter Kao Hua-chien) Control Yuan members stated today that the Department of Counseling and Guidance at National Changhua University of Education (NCUE), a key institution for training psychological counselors, has seen four professors implicated in gender equality violations, including sexual harassment and assault. While three have already been impeached, the Control Yuan urged the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health and Welfare to review and supervise teacher training and professional ethics oversight due to systemic issues such as incomplete investigation procedures and students’ difficulty in seeking help within hierarchical mentor-student relationships.

On June 11, the Control Yuan passed an investigation report submitted by Control Yuan members Chi Hui-jung and Yeh Ta-hua titled 'Multiple Senior Professors at the Department of Counseling and Guidance, National Changhua University of Education, Involved in Gender Equality Cases.' Chi and Yeh held a press conference today to present the findings.

Chi Hui-jung stated that three professors from NCUE’s Department of Counseling and Guidance were involved in serious misconduct, including inviting alumni to watch pornographic videos and requesting underwear, hugging students, and requiring students to accompany them on hot spring trips and massage their bodies—acts constituting sexual assault. Given the severity, impeachment motions against the three were approved and forwarded to the Disciplinary Court for adjudication. A fourth professor was found to have sexually harassed students, but since he held no official administrative position, the Civil Servants Service Act did not apply, and thus impeachment was not pursued.

Yeh Ta-hua pointed out that according to an August 2019 directive from the Ministry of Education, NCUE should proactively forward investigation reports confirming sexual assault cases to prosecutors or courts. However, although the university’s Gender Equality Committee confirmed the report in June 2025, it was not delivered to the local prosecutor’s office until January 2026. The Ministry of Education should strengthen awareness campaigns for schools and local education authorities to prevent interference with criminal investigations.

Yeh noted that some victims, while still students, reported suspected harassment to NCUE faculty but received only the response, 'Be careful on your own.' NCUE should continue investigating the failure of relevant personnel to report, and the Ministry of Education should supervise the university in reviewing these lapses.

Yeh emphasized that several of the involved faculty members held professional counseling licenses or served as clinical supervisors, warranting a review of potential violations of counseling ethics and the Psychologist Act. During the Control Yuan’s investigation, the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated, 'To date, we have not obtained official documents from NCUE confirming administrative penalties or other proof regarding the four individuals for sexual harassment or assault.' This indicates that oversight mechanisms for counseling professionals violating ethical standards remain inadequate. The Ministry of Health and Welfare should collaborate with the Ministry of Education to develop a comprehensive management framework.

Yeh stated that while the incident erupted within a university, it profoundly affects public trust in the counseling and guidance profession. Moving forward, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health and Welfare must jointly address teacher training, professional licensing supervision, and ethical oversight to restore trust among victims and the broader public in counseling services. (Edited by Su Chih-tsung) 1150618