There has been widespread public debate over the name of a building in Tsinghua University, as the world-famous college named the building after a popular clothing company on May 23, 2011.
Golden-colored plates bearing the name of the Hong Kong-based Jeanswest Clothing (China) Co., Ltd. are now seen on the wall of the No. 4 classroom building on the university's campus.
This disturbs many students.
A student declining to give her name told China Daily that although it was a common practice to name university buildings after prominent donors, there was no need to put the name plates on the buildings.
A Tsinghua alumnus told China Daily that in his opinion, the use of the company's name would not help the university gain academic fame, .
This April, Jeanswest Clothing agreed to make a donation to Tsinghua University, helping it to maintain a building completed in 1987 and replace old equipment. In return, the building was given the company's name.
Jeanwest Clothing said it understood the discussions among the students, but didn't say how much the company had given to the university or how long the plates will stay on the building's walls.
Tsinghua University was established in 1911. It is often ranked as the first or second best university on the Chinese mainland. The university is now soliciting hundreds of millions of yuan in gifts.
