MUNCIE, Ind. – A Ball State University delegation which left for China Sunday is expected to make all of its scheduled visits, said Sung-Jae Park, director of the Far East Asia Exchange Program.

"Of course we were all concerned here," said Park, following the unintentional NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, and subsequent violent protests at U.S. embassies in Beijing and other Chinese cities.

Park contacted administrators of the Shanghai Teachers University and Wuhan Physical Education Institute, host schools for the delegation, to check on the group’s safety.

"They both said don’t worry. They both assured me that they would be safe," said Park.

The delegation consists of 10 students and six faculty members and is led by Dean of Students Don Mikesell. They are representing the university, the city of Muncie and the state of Indiana during a five-week summer study in China, Korea and Japan.

The group plans stops in Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, Wuhan and Hong Kong during its 18-day stay in China. Park said he will be in contact with the delegation and the host schools. Together they will keep an eye on any developing situations.

"Our contingency plan is to fly them immediately to South Korea," he said.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Park by e-mail at jpark@bsu.edu or by phone at (765) 285-1458. To learn more about the Far East program, visit the Far East Programs web site.)