From: xiong@bsu-cs.bsu.edu (Bo Xiong)
Subject: FWD: Zhengzhou University Revisited
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 05:32:52 GMT

The following is carried in CND-Europe/Pacific October 8, 1992:

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4. Zhengzhou University Revisited ..................................... 192
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From: BingLin Young <YOUNG%ISUHEP@vaxld.ameslab.gov>
Translated by: Jun Li, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 10/6/92

Thanks to "the First Conference of Overseas Young Scholars from Zhengzhou
University (Zhengda)," I had an opportunity to go back to Zhengda for a
couple of weeks this past June.  This was my first visit to my Alma Mater
since I came to the United States in 1987.

The Conference lasted for a week (June 8--June 15) and was packed with
activities.  Most of the first two days of the week were occupied with paper
presentations.  Since all the presenters (those of us who were able to
accept the invitation and finally make this trip) were either from the field
of Physics (5 persons), or Chemistry (1 person), or Foreign Languages (1
person). An eighth participant is a physicist who has his BS from Henan
Normal Univ. The audience were faculty members and students from those
departments. We spent the remaining four days primarily meeting with the
Party and government officials from various branches (the provincial
Education Commission, the provincial Commission of Science and Technology,
etc.), the University Administration, students and faculty from our
respective departments, and touring Zhengda's newest research and
instructional facilities.  Arrangements were also made for us to visit the
"Developmental/Exploratory Zone for High- and New Technology" located in
West Zhengzhou (the Xiliu Lake area for those of you who are familiar with
Zhengzhou's geography) and the "Central China Chemical Fertilizer Company"
located in Puyang City.

Having been away from home (Henan and Zhengda) for five years, I found
Zhengzhou to be a bigger city with wider streets, taller buildings, and more
cars.  Although construction is still seen everywhere, the overall outlook
of the city is more enjoyable.  I believe such a description applies to
almost every place in China.

What I want to share with you most, however, are a few personal observations
of Zhengda and of what I perceive as positive changes in its guiding policy
as was reflected in the words of its top administrators.  To a certain
degree, these changes mirror a bigger and improving environment for us who
are currently studying/working outside China.

I.   Today's Zhengda

Currently, Zhengda has altogether 21 departments and 5,700 full time
undergraduate students.  It also has a number of research centers and a
growing number of graduate students in various fields.  With a new addition
of College of Engineering (due to the acquisition of Huanghe University),
Zhengda is striving to become THE lead post-secondary institute (in Henan)
characterized by its excellence in teaching, research, and service to the
public and local industry.  An immediate result of Zhengda's current
endeavor, it seems, is that the University is very likely to be elevated to
"key" university status by the State Education Commission effective in the
fall of 1993. Still growing in size (the goal for enrollment is 8,000 to
10,000), the University is directing more resources to enhancing the quality
in all three areas: teaching, research, and service.  A tangible sign of
this effort is a 120 million (Renminbi) project currently underway, the
center piece of which is a new library which would accommodate 4,000 persons
(4,000 seats, in other words).  The library is scheduled to be put in use in
1996.

President Che and his cabinet (and certainly the Party) seem to have a very
clear idea about the kinds of graduates Zhengda should turn out.  "Zhengda's
top concern," according to the President, "is to graduate students with
knowledge and skills readily applicable to their perspective work
situations." "But we do not discourage those who are interested in basic
research," President Che added.

To further enhance the quality of its graduates, Zhengda has refined its
"three-semester" system which was first adopted by the University in 1987.
During the four years at Zhengda, a student has three "short semesters"
(i.e. three summer semesters. Freshmen come in at the end of August and,
therefore, do not have a short semester).  Instead of filling up the three
short semesters with any courses in any areas or fields, students now must
concentrate their three short semesters' time on a single subject area
outside the area of their major study.  Three summer semesters' concentrated
study of a subject area would accumulate enough credits to earn them a minor
on a particular subject of their choice.

A slight change as it might appear, the practice of marrying
"three-semester" with "major-minor" systems, a top administrator told me,
had put Zhengda on the forefront of educational reform in the country.
"Zhengda was the first to have pioneered this practice in the country,"
acclaimed the administrator with all duly pride.

Facing the dwindling funding from the government, the University
administration finds itself more and more business- minded.  The faculty has
to be grouped into three categories by their own choice and/or by their
demonstrable expertise: some whose top priority is to teach, others to
conduct research, and still others to provide services to the community
and/or local businesses ("making profit" is the word for word translation
for what is known as "services" on American campuses.)

As the University has to depend increasingly more on self- generated funds
for its survival and bettering the employees' fringe benefits, conducting
applied research and rendering technical/educational services to the local
community seem to be occupying much more important places on the
administration's priority list than do other functions of a university.
President Che's words may shed some light on the situation.

"Entrepreneurship in our faculty must be encouraged and awarded.  Without
resourceful financial support, we cannot even keep from loosing many of our
own quality faculty members, not to say attracting more such personnel."

II.  Some Positive Changes in Policy

Many changes are noticeable in the policy arena.  But I want to focus on
only one aspect which will be of most interest to us.  That is, the
University administration's expressed attitude toward those currently
studying/working outside China.  If there is ONE message that the
administration wants to get across to these people, it would have to be the
principle of "unrestricted pass into and out of China."

Some readers may question the government's sincerity in carrying out this
promise and use Dai Qing's recent personal experience as a case in point.  I
believe that Zhengda (and some top officials in the provincial government
for this matter) administration would like to enforce this principle to the
extent that its authority and influence could afford.  The following words
from some of Zhengda's top administrators might offer some evidence for my
above observation:

President Che:  You (referring to any overseas student/scholar) will
certainly be welcomed if you want to return to Zhengda upon the completion
of your study.  But you are also welcomed to come back as a (short-term)
visiting lecturer, researcher, or simply as a visitor.  The bottom line is
that we want you to be life-long Zhengda associates wherever you are now and
wherever you will be in the future.

Mr. Wang (the Party Secretary):  ...I hope that you will visit Zhengda more
often from now on; that you will supply Zhengda with new ideas and
information to help facilitate our reform.

Vice-president Cao (Cewen):  Your whereabouts is for you to decide; what we
hope is that you'll do your part to make Zhengda one of the best
universities.  But please do not interpret the University's interest in
seeking your support as dragging you to come back to Zhengda.  No!  That
would be too narrow a vision for the administration to have.  Why would we
want to drag you back at a time when we are trying very hard to send more
people out to advance themselves in knowledge and skills?

In our effort to make Zhengda a "key" university, we must have access to
cutting-edge knowledge, information, and skills in advanced world.  We would
like for you to be our ambassadors.

President Che:  There are things one CANNOT claim to have the ownership even
if he/she had them in his/her pocket.  Then there are things one CAN claim
the ownership even when he/she does not have them in the pocket.

The above paragraphs are just some statement made by the top administrators
of the University.  They suggest a big step forward in the right direction
in the University's attitude toward the issue of the future whereabouts of
overseas students/scholars.  Rosy as the picture might appear to those who
still second guess the government's sincerity, it is nevertheless the
picture that the University administration would like to present to its
overseas "associates."  It is my belief that the provincial government
shares the same view. And together, they have begun to back up their words
with action--the quite successful completion of this "First Conference of
Overseas Young Scholars from Zhengzhou University."  I have already got
words that "the Second Conference of Overseas Young Scholars from Zhengzhou
University" will be held in the summer of 1993 and on a larger scale.

In addition to the provincial Commission of Science & Technology and the
Education Commission which funded the Conference, and Zhengda where the
Conference was hosted and the "guests" entertained, there is another
"invisible" person who was responsible for planting the seeds and ensuring
the success of the Conference.  That person is Dr. Bing-Lin Young, a Physics
professor of Iowa State University at Ames and a long time supporter (since
early 1980s) of Zhengda.

SOME PERSONAL THOUGHTS:

Throughout our stay at Zhengda, I was excited about some of what I heard
and/or saw, puzzled by others, concerned with still others.  I was even
frustrated at times.  As I am able to distance myself emotionally away from
all I have heard, seen and experienced while visiting home (China), a
bigger, more positive picture began to emerge.  In the picture, I see
Zhengda become one of the best universities in the country; I see Henan move
steadily to the top in the nation's educational and economic and other
indexes; and I see China with more vitality and, possibly, a much brighter
future.

Certainly, bureaucracy still plagues the effective functioning of many parts
of the social mechanism; corruption makes the situation even worse; and the
public morale often times demonstrates itself in rather undesirable ways.
Much remains to be done in order to revitalize the nation.  Then, I hear
Professor Young's words echo in my ear: "if one intends to do a few things
for China, he/she must have the capacity to put up with the many
inconveniences and frustrations.  He/She then will be able to focus on the
bigger picture and accomplish the most which his/her ability and skills
allow him/her to accomplish."

[Note: All personal remarks cited in this article are translated by Li Jun
and used without prior consent of the speakers.  Consequently, Li Jun is
solely responsible for the content and the accuracy of the translations.]

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