The Institutionalization Of University Autonomy:an Historical Study Of Public Universities In Taiwan(1987-1994)

Since the late1980s, the public universities in Taiwan had experienced a fundamental transformation from political dependency to university autonomy, and the establishment of the legal basis by amending the University Law could be viewed a landmark in the institutionalization process of university autonomy.This dissertation explores the historical process of institutionalization with reference to timing and sequencing, examines the autonomous status of public universities in a dynamic context and interactive relationships, and reviews the contents and weaknesses of institutional outcomes with the basic concept of university autonomy.The main research findings are as follows:1. Previous to the fourth amendment of University Law, there was inherent contradiction between the constitutional norm of academic freedom and political dependency in public university practices. The Legal Effect of Constitution made this contraction one of causes of institutional change experienced by public universities in Taiwan.2. The institutionalization process of university autonomy took its departure in the Student Movement since the mid-1980s; the protesting action of students generated the initially institutional crisis, but didn’t produce a marked effect in the construction of institutional content.3. The critical junction in the institutionalization process was the Teachers’Day (Sept.28th) Parade in1989, which was jointly launched by teachers and students in universities; The Parade greatly influenced the amending process of University Law and the ultimate institutional outcomes.4. Since the restriction on newspaper licensing was lifted in1988, the mass media had created common space for the communication between authorities and civil society, and actively participated in the institutionalization process of university autonomy with media strategies.5. Although political transition was one of the causes of institutionalization of university autonomy, the latter was not the automatic result of the former. The legislator with democratic validity was the most important connection mechanism between the political field and university field.6. The University Law did not define the clear boundaries of university autonomy, and reserved a significant degree of supervisory power to the Ministry of Education. The Grand Justices of Judicial Yuan gave further interpretation of the essence and scope of university autonomy, and clarified university autonomy as a constitutional right.