Wuhan University revokes student's demerit following court ruling

Wuhan University has revoked the demerit of a male student, surnamed Xiao, according to a statement released on Saturday.

The university in Central China's Hubei province said it respects the judicial ruling and, based on a reinvestigation, has revoked Xiao's disciplinary record.

On the same day, the Wuhan Intermediate People's Court upheld the first-instance judgment in a sexual harassment lawsuit, dismissing all claims brought by Yang, a female student, on July 25.

The statement also clarified that the university had reinvestigated Yang's thesis in August amid public concerns. After a blind review, the university upheld the decision to grant her degree, based on academic regulations and relevant rules.

Blind reviewers noted "numerous standardization issues" in the thesis and suggested revisions. While the defense committee requested changes, Yang made only partial revisions. Her supervisor failed to ensure rigor, and the college committee did not strictly review the thesis, resulting in persistent standardization issues.

The statement further dismissed rumors about Yang's thesis being rated "excellent" in 2024, as well as false claims regarding her uncle being an academician, nepotism in interviews, and collaboration with Deng Moumou. It also refuted reports of Xiao's "grandfather's death or vegetative state" due to online harassment and clarified that Xiao's studies were not affected by online harassment.