By Scott Pohl, WKAR
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-929530.mp3
EAST LANSING, MI –
While Michigan State University has ended undergraduate programs at its campus in Dubai, one Masters program, in Human Resources and Labor Relations, remains. Fourteen students are currently enrolled in the program.
WKAR's Scott Pohl recently spoke with the interim director of MSU-Dubai, Kevin Dunseath on a somewhat unstable phone line from the United Arab Emirates.
They talked about student morale, and how hard Dubai was hit by the worldwide economic crisis.
AUDIO:
SCOTT POHL: "My first question for you has to do with what remains at MSU-Dubai. Last year, MSU decided to end the undergraduate programs there, and you were named interim director. So, now that the fall semester is underway, what can you tell me about the still operational programs at MSU-Dubai?"
DR. KEVIN DUNSEATH: "OK. At the moment, we are offering one graduate degree program, which is the Master's program in human resources and labor relations. That was one that we started prior to moving to Knowledge Village, and we are continuing with that program and we are aiming to grow that program."
"We're also exploring the possibility of offering other graduate programs in various other subject areas. We've discussions, for example, about the possibility of offering perhaps a Master's program in public health management. We will provide research and consulting services for government agencies and businesses in the region, so that's a third strand, if you like. And, we have the intention to send students from East Lansing to Dubai on Study Abroad. The first freshman seminar abroad program in Dubai will begin, in fact, this December. On the 28th of December, we're going to welcome a group of about 16 students from East Lansing to Dubai. And then, we're also looking at internship possibilities within the region."
SP: "In that remaining functional program, what sort of enrollment do you have, and what sort of faculty staffing do you have for that program right now?"
KD: "We have 14 students registered in the program currently. They're all studying here in Dubai, and we have one resident faculty member. There is also the intention that there will be input from visiting faculty from East Lansing, and there has also been some input from adjunct faculty, too. So, it's a combination of the resident faculty member here in Dubai, visiting faculty from East Lansing, and the contribution made by adjunct faculty."
SP: "How has the staffing level of MSU-Dubai changed since last spring, altogether?"
KD: "Altogether, OK. Well, we have one faculty member now, resident in Dubai. All the others have left, either to go back to East Lansing or to move to other institutions within the region. In terms of staff, we now have four staff members her in Dubai, resident in Dubai, and work with MSU-Dubai. So, altogether then, we are five now, one faculty member and four staff members."
STUDENT MORALE AT MSU-DUBAI
SP: "What can you tell me about the morale of the remaining students, having seen the undergraduate program eliminated? Has it affected student morale in any way?"
KD: "I think that in a situation like that, there's always going to be a certain amount of doubt, a certain number of questions raised, you know, the obvious one being OK, you've closed the undergraduate program; is the next step going to be to close the graduate program as well?' And, we've done our best to reassure the students that that's certainly not the intention of MSU to do that. We also recently welcomed Jim Dulebohn, who visited from the school, to give the same reassurance to students. In fact, he met with them over last weekend, Saturday and Sunday, here in Dubai, and then he returned to East Lansing on Monday, and he gave a very clear message to the students which reinforced the message in fact that we'd been giving that there was no intention on the part of MSU to either close this Master's program or to do a teach out. In fact, the intention was the opposite, to actually grow the program."
SP: "My recollection is that the student body last year was something on the order of 80 or 90 students. Do we know yet what has become of those students? Have they dropped out of school, transferred to East Lansing, transferred to other institutions anywhere else in the region or around the world? Do we know yet what has become of them?"
KD: "Yes, we do. We know almost exactly what each student has done. The number you're referring to is 85 students, and of those 85, somewhere around 50 to 52 students either have transferred already to East Lansing or will be doing so in the spring semester, which is very encouraging. I mean, that's the largest constituency of all, and I think everybody who worked with those students was enormously gratified by their desire, their willingness to go to East Lansing and continue their studies. Now, for some students, that wasn't possible, maybe for family reasons, for societal reasons it wasn't possible for them to go and study in the States, so some other students have transferred to other institutions within the region, whether that's in Dubai; most of them would have transferred to institutions in Dubai or in one of the neighboring emirates such as Sharjah. We can account, and we have done, actually, in great detail, we can account for pretty well every single student. There may be just literally one student where we're uncertain, and that's probably because the student themselves, they're uncertain about what they're going to do. But, as I said, the biggest constituency is those who transferred to East Lansing."
DUBAI'S ECONOMY: REBOUNDING?
SP: "The region was hit especially hard by the worldwide economic recession, and that was a major factor in MSU's decision to eliminate the undergraduate programs. I wanted to ask you what your observation is in Dubai regarding the economy in Dubai and the U.A.E. Are things getting any better, and does that lead to additional optimism about the future of MSU-Dubai?"
KD: "I think there is a feeling now among residents in Dubai that things are turning the corner, that no doubt about it, Dubai was very badly affected by the global economic downturn, as every other country was, and it's gone through a process of restructuring now, and the feeling among residents here is one of cautious optimism. So, I, for one, feel that the worst is over, we're rebuilding now, both MSU-Dubai is rebuilding and the emirates generally. Dubai, generally, is rebuilding as well. There's an awful lot of progress and development being achieved here in Dubai. I mean, I can point, for example, to the Dubai Metro System, which is a phenomenal achievement for a small country like Dubai. It's the world's longest driverless metro system. It's something between 50 and 60 kilometers long, and it's just a fantastic achievement. So, I would say to people, you know, have confidence in Dubai. Dubai also has the advantage of being very close to Abu Dhabi, of course, and so it benefits from the enormous wealth that Abu Dhabi has, and that was helpful in assisting Dubai to emerge from those difficult times, but there is a feeling here now of cautious optimism."
SP: "Dr. Kevin Dunseath, interim director of MSU-Dubai, thank you."
KD: "You're most welcome. Thank you very much."