Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian is a dual management private school with western director^[3].

History

In June 2000 ^[4], Missouri State University entered into an agreement with Liaoning Normal University of the People's Republic of China. This established the Missouri State Branch Campus (LNU-MSU College of International Business) on the campus of LNU.

Accreditation

The Branch Campus programs are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. MSU Branch Campus students have an equivalent degree as MSU students graduating from any other campus.

The American Council on Education ^[5] has reviewed MSU Branch Campus Dalian. Ann Woolford-Singh reported that MSU was very generous ^[6]:

University officials welcomed us warmly, eager to show us Chinese hospitality at its best...Later, President Qu and his leadership team hosted the Fellows for a traditional Chinese dinner. The last stop on our trip was Beijing. The ACE Fellows saw many of the important cultural sites in that city, including the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Summer Palace, and the Imperial Palace, and we attended a Chinese acrobat show. Missouri State’s Baker also provided an overview and history of the development of various types of partnerships with institutions in China.

A similar fact finding mission ^[7] reported that

When we arrived in Dalian we saw a familiar sight, an SMSU baseball cap believe it or not. Our driver, Houhui Wu was wearing this baseball cap and he took us from the airport to our hotel.... We actually did not get to spend very much time on the campus... we spent the afternoon visiting some local tailors. The men who are here in Dalian from the Springfield delegation, several of them had suits custom made and the women had jackets and dresses custom made. Those will get picked up tomorrow so that they can go back to the States with the folks. Incidentally, those custom made items are greatly discounted from what you would expect a custom suit to cost in the States so that was really sort of a fun opportunity for the delegates to interact with the local people and also to get some nice clothes. After the stop at the tailor's the delegation went to a dinner.

Karen Solomon, associate director of the Higher Learning Commission acknowledges that no one from the commission has ever visited Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian. Instead accreditation is based on self reports by Missouri State University administrators and a review by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). AACSB denies they have made such a review. ^[8]

Jerry E. Trapnell, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer for AACSB International has commented on issues that would be raised in a hypothetical review of Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian:

• academic quality,
• admissions,
• program review,
• student qualifications, and
• faculty qualifications.

"That would be a concern," he [Trapnell] says when told of the lower qualifications of the instructors in Dalian, "because one of the things we worry about is that the school is expected to deploy qualified faculty."

^[9]

Academics

Students

Chinese Students

Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian has a diverse student body. Many critics ^[10] believe that schools like Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian

unceremoniously impose themselves upon the local education scene. This imperialist approach seems to be antithetical to the academic values of liberal American institutions. An affiliated campus would provide competition to local universities, limiting and hindering the development of domestic programs, as highly qualified students opt out of domestic programs in favor of a "superior" American degree.

In fact, this program ^[11] particularly appeals to those students who failed to make the requisite score in the National Entrance Exam. So in contrast to Ansari's hypothesis, Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian students are less qualified than students in domestic Chinese programs. By culling weak students, Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian promotes the development of domestic programs. Approximately half the students can not function in a university environment ^[12]

International Students

In addition to Chinese students, there are students from all over Asia, especially Korea ^[13], ^[14] currently attending the Branch Campus.

Cheating

In order to accomodate less qualified students teachers make their courses less rigorous and students cheat. One student who admitted cheating said

I've got a 3.3 GPA, but I've learned nothing.

^[15]

In retaliation for being caught cheating, student Qing Lin (AKA King) threatened teachers with violence. For this misbehavior, Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian gave Lin one year's probation. This does not prevent Lin from participating in university activities over the course of the year. ^[16]

Instructors have confirmed that cheating is a "major problem." Stephen H. Robinette (director of academic outreach for the College of Continuing Education and the Extended University) acknowledges that cheating takes places but maintains that it is no worse than at the main campus in Springfield, Missouri. ^[17]

Faculty

Turnover

In 2007, a typical year, the turnover rate among faculty was well over 50%. It is difficult to recruit teachers willing to relocate to China. A typical instructor at Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian earns approximately $13,680USD. In contrast, a typical instructor at the University of Nottingham campus in Ningbo earns about $40,000USD. ^[18].

Past and present teachers at Missouri State University - Branch Campus Dalian include:

Finance

• Walt Nelson, PhD

Law

• Robert Calvert, JD
• Jack Garrett, JD
• Martin Wolff, JD

Facilities

Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian is located in a building on top of a small hill on the campus of Liaoning Normal University. Most computer are broken. Desks and chairs are wobbly. Classrooms are neither heated nor air conditioned. Students wear winter clothing inside for most of the year. ^[19]

Notes

References