Analyze students' actions wisely

A postgraduate medical student of Shanghai's Fudan University charged with poisoning his roommate last April was sentenced to death on Feb 18. In a similar incident in an art school in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in January, a female student has been accused of poisoning her roommates by mixing chemicals in their water dispenser, says an article in Beijing Youth Daily. Excerpts:

The motive behind both crimes is the same: anger against being ill-treated or insulted. In the Guangxi case, for instance, the student accused of poisoning her roommates has reportedly said that she could not take the sneering of her roommates any longer.

That students are taking extreme measures to deal with conflicts, some even trivial, shows their poor psychological make-up. What is equally disturbing is that some universities ignore this problem.

It's the duty of university administrations to monitor students' actions and behaviors, and take measures to correct them if they are not right. Universities should also establish a tutorial system for students to highlight the necessity and importance of communication between tutors and students. And if possible, they should appoint professional psychologists to counsel students.

Besides, teachers or other third parties should intervene in conflicts between students to prevent permanent bad blood. And the media should not reveal too many details of crimes committed on campuses so as to prevent other students from copying them. Rationally analyzing students' actions rather than just blaming them for committing a crime can serve as a better warning for others.

(China Daily 02/21/2014 page9)