150+ Individuals Sign Letter Urging UD to Keep Academic Programs at the China Institute
Due to website issues experienced by Flyer News the week of December 2, some of the signers of this letter were unintentionally deleted. If you would like your name to be re-added, please email newhouses1@udayton.edu
Dear Dr. Paul H. Benson (Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs),
As former participants of the UD China Institute (UDCI), we are extremely disappointed by the university’s decision to end academic programs at the institute after the upcoming semester.
Even more so, we are angered that, as far as we know, none of us – students who attended the China Institute – were consulted during the decision-making process about the discontinuation of academic programs at the center. This is compounded by the fact that most of us first heard about the closure from a local news article.
It is not an exaggeration when we write that attending the UD China Institute was life-changing for all of us. By participating in a semester-long or weeks-long program, we, American students, built relationships with our Chinese counterparts. At a time when our respective governments are experiencing increased political and economic tensions, it’s inspiring to know that young people can maintain global friendships.
By ceasing academic programs at the China Institute, UD is removing itself from countless opportunities based in Suzhou (where UDCI is located), which the BBC called a “city of the future.”
We understand the concerns about recruiting faculty to teach at UDCI, persuading students to study abroad in China and allocating university resources to other important initiatives. However, there has been record-breaking enrollment for the China Institute this year. Moreover, reducing the university’s premier international center conflicts with UD’s recent widely-publicized commitment to promote diversity and inclusivity.
While many other study abroad options exist at UD, the China Institute was more financially-accessible. Unlike other programs that charge significant fees, UDCI cost the same as a student’s semester tuition and came with a scholarship that paid for additional educational trips and excursions.
We are asking you to reconsider your decision or, at the very least, be willing to discuss with some of us about what the China Institute can offer in the future.
Sincerely,
Sean Newhouse
UDCI Spring 2018
Zack Kier
UDCI Spring 2018
Sarah Smith
UDCI Spring 2018
Jake Jones
UDCI Spring 2018
Zach Gerlach
UDCI Spring 2018
Henry Gonzales
UDCI Spring 2018
Emily McAleese
UDCI Summer 2017
Meg Maloney
UDCI Summer 2017
Maddi Norman
UDCI Summer 2017
Meghan Sooker
UDCI Spring 2018
Mike Sundermeier
UDCI Summer 2018
Nick West
UDCI Summer 2018
Emily Battaglia
UDCI Spring 2018
Amanda Soanes
UDCI Spring 2018
Helen Jingshu
UDCI AY 2017-2018
Nate Borries
UDCI Fall 2017
Juli Kokenge
UDCI Fall 2017
Connor Boyle
UDCI Fall 2017
Nathaniel Neading
UDCI Fall 2017
Adam Suddarth
UDCI Fall 2017
Tara Hoffmann
UDCI Spring 2018
Max Hawthorne
UDCI Fall 2017
Isabel Cross
UDCI Spring 2018
Abby Diemer
UDCI Fall 2018
Hannah Erny
UDCI Fall 2017
Maria Diaz
UDCI Fall 2018
Grant Karda
UDCI Spring 2016
Ryan Serbin
UDCI Fall 2018 & Spring 2019
Fabiola Peniza
UDCI Fall 2018
Sam Tian
UDCI AY 2017-2018
Alan Chan
UDCI AY 2017-2018
Gavin Wolking
UDCI Fall 2018
Xuanhen Wang
UDCI Spring 2016
Chen JunTong
UDCI Fall 2018
Tianze Zhang (Luna)
UDCI AY 2017-2018
Yufen Liu (Sophie)
UDCI AY 2017-2018
Minh Hoang
UDCI Fall 2018
Matt Foote
UDCI Fall 2018
Victoria McBride
UDCI Fall 2018
Cara Rasmussen
UDCI Fall 2018
Aaron Evans
UDCI Fall 2018
Doug Greene
UDCI Spring 2018
Matt Finn
UDCI Spring 2018
Jeremy Hill
UDCI Spring 2016
Haitao Ren
UDCI Summer 2018
Jennifer Welch
UDCI Spring 2017 & Summer 2018
Emma Flanagan
UDCI Summer 2018
Christopher McDonald
UDCI Summer 2018
Emily McDonald
UDCI Summer 2013
Rachael Harmon
UDCI Summer 2018
Yuxiao Zhu
UDCI Spring 2017
Jordan Miller
UDCI Summer 2018
Gianna Pieroni
UDCI Summer 2018
Tanner Marklay
UDCI Spring 2017
Bridget Dever
UDCI Spring 2017
Sydney Li
UDCI Fall 2018
Sadie Palmer-Wilcox
UDCI Fall 2018
Lorenzo Kahan
UDCI Fall 2018
Charles Lyon
UDCI Fall 2018
Ruoyun (Silver) Sheng
UDCI AY 2017-2018
Zhaoze Zhang
UDCI AY 2017-2018
Bowen Zhao
UDCI AY 2017-2018
Siobhan Fitzgerald
UDCI Spring 2017
Alexander Wanandi
UDCI Fall 2018
Kaelin Kelly
UDCI Spring 2017
Eric Clancy
UDCI Spring 2017
Pricila Olivas
UDCI Fall 2018
Greg Molskow
UDCI Fall 2018
Christian Cubacub
UDCI Winter 2018-19
If you would like to read Provost Benson’s response, check out Flyer News’ Twitter