Nanjing University’s School of Mathematics Dean, Yu Liang, has resigned, causing a stir online with the leaked resignation letter that reads, “I no longer want to continue, hence I hereby submit my resignation.”
According to screenshots circulating online, on June 17th, Yu Liang submitted his resignation application to Nanjing University. The resignation letter was brief and to the point, stating, “I no longer want to continue, hence I hereby submit my resignation. I will ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities before the new dean takes office. The handover should be completed by August 31, 2026.”
On August 6th, the topic labeled “Resignation Letter of Nanjing University’s School of Mathematics Dean Appears to Have Leaked” trended on Weibo.
Netizens commented, “The resignation letter of the Dean of Nanjing University’s School of Mathematics displays an uncommon fortitude in today’s era within universities.” “There are not many who can dismiss the title of dean without any attachment. Professor Yu Liang can definitely be seen as a unique figure in this regard.”
“I also wish to say this next time, not wanting to continue, not happy doing it, but lack of capability. A brief resignation letter went viral online, with Professor Yu Liang stepping down from the dean position at Nanjing University’s School of Mathematics. The leaked letter simply stated, ‘I no longer want to continue, hence I hereby submit my resignation,’ detailing a clear handover deadline without unnecessary pleasantries.”
“In the workplace, everyone understands that saying it this way means there is no need to please or care about anyone anymore.”
On the same day, the school responded that Professor Yu Liang had indeed stepped down from the position of dean, but they were unsure of the source of the leaked resignation letter.
The official website of Nanjing University’s School of Mathematics indicates that the dean’s position is currently vacant.
Additionally, “The Paper” reported in July 2022 that when Professor Yu Liang was appointed as the department head of the Mathematics Department at Nanjing University (which was upgraded to the School of Mathematics in July 2024), it was noted that his personal page profile picture was a distinctive hand-drawn simple sketch. However, in the past few years, the college had taken official profile pictures for faculty members to be used on the website, so his sketch was replaced with a current real-life photo.
In the afternoon of August 6th, a reporter from “Southern Metropolis Daily” reached out to Yu Liang, to which he responded, “I’m sorry, I decline the interview.”
A prestigious dean from a top-tier university like Nanjing University resigning just like that? Some analysts believe that this is far from a capricious resignation but rather the most sober self-rescue of a top scholar.
He simply disdains being caught up in administrative tasks. A pure academic at heart, he loathes endless administrative chores. These tasks consume time, energy, and patience, yielding no academic value whatsoever.
Public records show that Yu Liang is a professor at Nanjing University’s School of Mathematics and a doctoral supervisor, specializing in mathematical logic, recursion theory, and algorithmic randomness theory. In August 2020, he was selected for the National Distinguished Youth Science Fund recommended funding list. In July 2024, Yu Liang was appointed as the dean of Nanjing University’s School of Mathematics.