In China, as in many Asian countries, the name of the school you graduate from is permanent tattooed on your career. Your salary, your mobility and the perception of your abilities are often forcibly tied to the reputation or ranking of your college.
…So, it is easy to see why 5-10,000 collegians at the Shengda Economics, Trade and Management College, who are now under police watch and a gag order, vandalized cars, bicycles, a bank and a supermarket. They rebelled because they were told the diplomas they would receive would come, not from the school promised them, but rather their parent institution, Zhengzhou University, which is far less prestigious than Shengda. [Full Text]
See also:
– “Campus riot in China reflects fears on jobs” from the International Herald Tribune
– “Students riot after football blackouts” from The Standard
– related news about the students’ riot via CDT