City College of Dongguan University of Technology had 5,000 freshmen sign contracts on Sunday (Sept. 16) stipulating that the university would not be held responsible in the event of suicide or injury, China Daily reports.

The university denied reports in local media that the contract came after a male student stabbed and injured a female schoolmate in a university dormitory after she refused to be his girlfriend last school term.

Some students defended the move, saying that not all student suicides were the result of study pressure. According to The Journal of Adolescent Health, family factors are the main cause of suicide attempts among adolescents. Relationship and financial problems are also common factors.

However, the contract is controversial:

Still, many parents see the contract as a way for the college to shun responsibility.

A father, who didn’t want to be named, said he sent his child to the university because he trusted it would ensure a safe environment for students.

“The university shouldn’t pass the buck when things happen on campus,” he said.

Suicide is among the leading causes of death among adolescents in China. The Daily Telegraph wrote in 2009 about the wave of suicides among students set to graduate into a difficult job market. This year’s students graduated into the most competitive job market of recent memory so don’t expect the suicides to rapidly decrease.