University asked to stop leasing seats to students

The University of Jinan in Shandong province has ordered a contractor to stop leasing seats to students in the teaching building after local media exposed the practice.

According to a report by Qilu Evening News, students can pay 15 yuan ($2.35) per day or 360 yuan a month to get a seat for studies in two classrooms in the school's teaching building - which is supposed to be a place for the school's students to study free of charge.

As of Thursday afternoon, most of the desks that had been occupied by books and cups were already empty. A couple of students were collecting their belongings to move out of the so-called study room.

A student who refused to give his name expressed his reluctance to move out of the room, saying he rents the desk out of his own willingness.

The two rooms on the first floor of the No 11 teaching building at the University of Jinan were originally used as a shop to sell souvenirs by the contractor.

As most of the teaching buildings are closed during the summer break, the two rooms were converted into study rooms to be rented out to those looking for a place to study over the break.

Students can reserve a seat and a desk for 15 yuan a day or 360 yuan per month. The rooms have free hot water and air-conditioning.

The business sparked a heated debate, with most people opposed to it.

"As public resources at the campus, the study rooms shall be free to students. The behavior of renting study rooms is commercialized which runs counter to the essence of college education," online commentator Wang Chao said on cnhubei.com, a news portal run by Hubei Daily Media Group.

"The behavior of renting study rooms is an indication of a degenerate trend of college education," online commentator Zhang Shixuan said on the website.

The University of Jinan is not the only university to rent seats and desks on university campuses.

In March 2011 Huazhong Agricultural University leased desks and seats in their library for 40 yuan per month.