Time universities reopened their gates

Li Zhi, an associate professor at the Peking University, has been in the news for the peculiar way he goes to work, hurdling over the barrier gates after producing his faculty card for the gatekeepers to check.

This is because he has not authorized the facial recognition system that would have made his entry a breeze.

Li's story prompted many to urge Peking University, as well as other universities, to reopen its campus to the public since the strict virus-control measures of the COVID-19 pandemic had been abolished since over a year ago.

Peking University and some universities allow a limited number of visitors every day via appointment.

Closing the gates of universities means no crowding or complaints of noise or disturbance, but it also isolates the universities from society. The merits of students growing up in such an environment are debatable.

It is time universities reopened their gates, allowing more interaction between schools and society. An open campus, if well managed, benefits all parties.