Faculty Asks Attorney General To Look Into Shady Asian Dealings At KSU

Kennesaw, GA
Faculty members at Georgia's Kennesaw State University have asked State Attorney General Thurbert Baker to conduct a criminal investigation into the conduct of Yiping Wan, who resigned as dean at the college in late February.

Although the Attorney General's office has acknowledged receiving the letter from faculty members which states, "It is now time to move forward with a thorough criminal investigation that we are certain will uncover fraud, graft and corruption involving state funds," a spokesman for the office gives no indication that the State will in fact investigate the matter.

An internal audit released last month by the Board of Regents at KSU states that Wan:

• Granted 16 international students out-of-state tuition waivers worth $75,438 in "a potentially incorrect application" of guidelines for such waivers. After three semesters at KSU, nearly half the 16 have yet to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

• Authorized more than $115,000 in expenses "with minimal reporting ... or oversight." The $115,000 — including some state money — came through an association housed at KSU that seeks to improve teacher education in China and the United States.

• Steered $500 in state money to WM Group LLC, a company his wife founded, for consulting services — which "consisted of making a phone call ... to arrange a meeting" and translating during that meeting.

• Failed to account for money spent during a trip to China. More than $34,000 in state money paid for that 17-day trip, which included two days at an education conference "but largely consisted of touring various cities in China." The report says "Wan personally collected and held cash funds to cover a portion of the trip expenses, but he was unable to substantiate that all of these funds were expended for that purpose." Trip deposits in prior years were made payable to his wife's company.

• Received reimbursement for meals at upscale restaurants, such as $424 at Ray's on the River in Atlanta, $462 at Aqua Blue in Roswell and $660 for seven people dining at a restaurant in Las Vegas.

Controlled media articles related to this story can be seen HERE and HERE.