Varsities move to get staff studies open to the outside and discourage private meetings between faculty and students

Twenty-six universities are brainstorming ways to counter a front-page scandal implicating a lecturer in a sex-for-grades scandal.

The Council of University Presidents says 26 schools will attend a summit at Ubon Ratchathani University to ponder the recent allegations of improper conduct between staff and students.

In the meantime, the council says lecturers' studies should be open to view and staff should keep an eye on one another to protect against improper behaviour.

It's encouraging all campuses to take steps to discourage misbehaviour between teachers and students, council president Associate Professor Mondhon Sanguansermsri says.

Office interior

"Office interiors should be visible to people outside, and teachers should keep an eye on each other more," he says.

Police arrested a Thammasat University lecturer on Wed-nesday for giving good grades to two female students in return for oral sex. Another student refused his advances and levelled allegations against him.

Prince of Songkhla University president Boonsom Siribumrungsukha will raise the issue at its next meeting. He'll look into how staff studies are visible to others.

"I'll ask all deans to pay more attention to faculty they supervise," Boonsom says.

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce is warning staff of what happened at the Thammasat Rangsit campus and calling for proper behaviour at all times, president Chiradet Ousawat says.

Student's dressing

"We will be more strict about how female students dress, too. However, normally we are very strict when recruiting lecturers. We get them to take an emotional-quotient test and have their behaviour monitored by peers. We have an open room for staff and students to meet," he says.

Khon Kaen University president Sumon Sakolchai says he's asking staff and students to help stop improper behaviour.

"This university screens lecturers strictly, and its teachers' rooms are not concealed," Sumon says.