Can't provide any info on your school I'm afraid, but Dalian is a modern city, though quite small (for China). If you are looking for 'traditional'China I am afraid you will be dissapointed, unless you go to some tourist spots.
Just about all cities these days are concrete goliaths.

> Can anyone provide information on this school? It's a fairly new
> university, situated out of the city, and there are not many
> foreigners there. I think there's a reason there aren't many
> foreigners there, but...?
> How about Daliang? Life there, near there? Is this old traditional
> China, or is this an area that's been landscraped and newly paved?
> Cost of living around there? I'm told Guangzhou has a rather high
> cost of living compared to the rest of China (along with Shenzhen).
> Thank you in advance for any info, comments (good & bad),
> recommendations, etc.