Wuhan University, in the capital city of Hubei Province, has long been known for its beautiful campus, especially when the cherry blossoms bloom in early spring. Many visitors come to Wuhan in the spring especially to tour the campus. However, this year the university announced that each visitor must pay a 20-yuan admission fee to gain entrance into the campus — and this move has led to much debate and heated discussions. Should the campus be public or private? I think it should be public.

    Wuhan University is indeed a place for scholars and students to exchange insight and knowledge — rather than a tourist spot. The increasing number of visitors only adds pressure to the school management, and noise is one of the major issues. But, like many other public universities in China, Wuhan University was created as part of a vision that includes opening up to the outside world. Good communication between the public and academia is crucial for its development. In addition, the cost of building the campus was paid by the taxpayer, so members of the public should be entitled to visit whenever they wish. Also, charging an entrance fee seems to many people just like another way for the school to increase its income, and this may raise concerns about the way the extra income is managed and could lead to accusations of corrruption.

    It would be more effective to educate the public in order to deal with the problem of noise pollution. The school can set up signs saying things like “KEEP QUIET” — and could also communicate an informal code of conduct to all visitors. It may also be a good idea to design special routes for visitors and for student volunteers to guide people around the campus.

    It is wonderful to have somewhere like Wuhan University with its cherry blossoms — and it is also essential for visitors to behave in a civilized manner.