1. Shaanxi education authorities are investigating the death of a university professor who left a letter alleging research targets forced teachers to pay out of pocket to meet quotas and publish papers. [para. 1] Bai Baoguo, 54, an associate professor at Yan’an University’s Lu Xun School of Arts, died in October after the university threatened to downgrade or reassign him for failing evaluations over two appointment periods. [para. 2] Meeting corrective requirements would have meant paying 150,000 yuan for a commissioned project and 50,000 yuan for publishing, which he called “academic and research fraud.” [para. 3] The education department confirmed his death on Nov. 4 and formed a joint investigation team; allegations remain unverified. [para. 4][para. 5] The university did not respond to Caixin, and students were told not to talk to media. [para. 6]
2. Bai’s letter alleged that most teachers met funding requirements by routing their own money through cooperating companies into university accounts and recovering it via financial procedures, involving inaccurate accounting. [para. 10] He criticized an evaluation system based on fixed funding and paper quotas, arguing arts faculty should be assessed on teaching quality, student development and stage performance. [para. 9][para. 11] He also alleged unequal attendance enforcement—some long-absent employees passed evaluations while late teachers faced severe penalties. [para. 12] During his corrective period, his attendance records were never corrected despite student statements. [para. 13]
3. Several teachers told Caixin that using personal funds for commissioned research targets is common, particularly at local public universities where arts disciplines have few corporate opportunities. [para. 14][para. 15][para. 16] Wang Zhi of a Shandong university said annual targets were about 100,000 yuan per teacher, often met by self-funded transfers with reimbursement. [para. 17][para. 18][para. 19][para. 20] Management fees of 5% to 10% were often deducted. [para. 21] Li Mu in Shanxi said “paying to work” is a common predicament, citing a teacher who borrowed money but failed promotion. [para. 22][para. 23]
4. Yan’an University’s 2026 standards convert commissioned projects into points: Category A starts at 80,000 yuan (state bidding) or 50,000 yuan (other), earning 15 and 12 points per 10,000 yuan; Category B earns 12 and 10 points and no performance incentives. [para. 24][para. 25][para. 26][para. 27] Rules revised in 2025 impose a 4% management fee on funds up to 1 million yuan, split between university and school, prohibiting false contracts or invoices. [para. 28][para. 29][para. 30]
5. A 2026 survey found nearly 90% of 117 teachers perceived gray-area practices, with 17.95% having participated, and intermediaries arranging fictitious projects. [para. 31][para. 32] Legal expert Bai Changqian said such arrangements do not constitute criminal embezzlement because funds came from teachers, but they violate research rules. [para. 33][para. 34]
6. The Shaanxi education department ordered provincial universities to review commissioned project management; one institution’s notice required reviewing all projects since 2023. [para. 35][para. 36][para. 37] A provincial party inspection team is stationed at Yan’an University for 50 days. [para. 38][para. 39]
7. Bai taught piano for over 30 years after graduating from Wuhan Conservatory, serving in music associations and as a competition judge. [para. 40][para. 41] Students remembered him as stern but enthusiastic; a classmate praised his diligence. [para. 42][para. 43] The Lu Xun School of Arts, with origins in 1938, had 1,608 undergraduates and 187 graduate students as of May 2025. [para. 44][para. 45][para. 46]
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