Campus Report-October 2011

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In a comprehensive presentation on

an array o topics, Chancellor Peter

Heath reported on the state o the

university at the Faculty Assembly

held September 18.

He discussed the various strategic,

academic, admission and inancial

aspects o the university in detail.He said several actors, such as

the student body, quality, tuition,

as well as inancial grants, were

growing gradually as envisaged.

The Chancellor also mentioned

other important areas, including a

growing aculty and sta size that

he said was commensurate with

the student body size, as well as

increasing aculty research support

and productivity.

Chancellor Heath discussed the

implementation of strategic

initiatives as well as the budget

distribution. He told the audience

that the AUS School is expected to

open in 2014.

He also shared with the aculty

igures depicting the increase

in graduate and undergraduate

headcounts, alumni, aculty and sta

as well as breakdown o student

enrollment in majors by college/

school.

AUS CAMPUS REPORT

The Internal Quarterly Newsletter o American University o Sharjah Issue 65, October 2011

Chancellor's highlights AUS Chancellor discusses state of the university at Faculty Assembly

Most o the new students joining

AUS this semester belong to the

top 20 percent o their high school

class, with their average high

school scores as a group being

about 92 percent. This was stated

by AUS Chancellor Dr. Peter Heath

at a welcome session held or new

students and their parents at the

AUS Main Auditorium on Friday,

September 9.He said that around 50 percent o

the total number o AUS students

are rom Arab nations, 20 percent

rom the UAE, 13 percent rom

South Asia, 4 percent rom Iran and

13 percent rom elsewhere.

“The most important thing that

you can learn here is how to think

clearly; how to analyze logically;

how to communicate clearly; and

how to be creative in inding

solutions or the problems that

you ace,” Chancellor Heath said,addressing the students.

Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, Provost,

added that reshmen will also be

given assistance by the Oice o

Development and Alumni Aairs to

help start their careers. “You cannot

start early enough in planning or

your lie ater AUS. Career Services

will assist you, in conjunction with

your academic departments, in

locating internships when thattime comes. It will provide training

in the skills you may need to ind

employment, such as how to write

your resume or practice interviewing

or jobs,” he said.

1,200 new students join AUSSay it with a card!Do you know someone who always

goes out o his or her way to

serve you better and ensures that

your day goes smoothly? Faculty

and sta can now show their

appreciation with a thank you card.

How it works:• The thank you cards willbe distributed to eachdepartment, or sta membersto give other colleagues acrosscampus who oered greatcustomer service.

• Beore the next issue oCampus Report , communitymembers will submit theirthank you cards received romothers to Aida Ali, StrategicCommunications and Media

Department, M-256.• The person with the highest

number o cards will beeatured in the next issue oCampus Report .

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

CAADEnrollment CASEnrollment SBMEnrollment CENEnrollment

EnrollmentinMajorsbyCollege/School

Fall2006 Fall2007 Fall2008 Fall2009 Fall2010



Issue 65, October 20112 AUSCAMPUS REPORT

The Internal Quarterly Newsletter o American University o Sharjah

New professionaldevelopmentcourses offeredFor the first time at AUS, all staff are

eligible to enroll in the InternationalComputer Driving Licence (ICDL)

course, also known as the European

Computer Driving Licence (ECDL).

The course enables you to develop

your skills in computer usage

through seven modules: information

technology concepts, computer

usage and file management,

Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint,

Outlook and Access.

“I encourage all employees toattend at least three training

sessions per year, as it will enable

you to enhance your skills and

productivity,” said Rasha Elsaid,

Human Resources Manager

in charge o training and

development. And which is the most

important course in her opinion?

“Customer Service, because

everybody at AUS serves some sort

o customer,” said Rasha.

Training or the ICDL is two-and-a-

hal hours daily, or a total o seven

weeks. Each o the seven modules

must be passed in order to receive

the certiicate.

Various shorter “sot skills” coursesare also available, such as Customer

Service, Communication, Creative

Problem Thinking and Decision

Making. Sta at a supervisory

or managerial level can also

choose courses in interviewing

and motivation skills. Participants

will receive a certiicate upon

successully completing the course.

Average class sizes or these courses

ranges rom 16 to 20.

For more information about the

training programs on offer, secure

permission from your department

manager and send an email to Rasha

Elsaid ([email protected]).

I encourage all employees

to attend at least three

training sessions per year...

Have you seen our newwebsite?

Ater many months o planning, the new AUS website launched on

September 18.The new website provides a platorm that showcases the university’s

academic excellence and its diverse campus lie, as well as strengthens

our online presence internationally. For this purpose, the layout has

completely been redeined to support our strategic initiatives and serve

the needs o our potential and existing students, their amilies, our

alumni, our partners and sponsors.

The website is a continuously evolving part of our communications. We

hope that you enjoy the new layout, keeping in mind that this is an

ongoing project, which we will continue improving in the next few months.

Below are some o the comments that we received through social media.

"Great work! Slick,modern andI love the photography!"

"Looks great! Congrats."

"Great job guys! I miss

those old days."

"Finally! welcome tothe 21st century!"

"About time! GreatLook!!"

"Mabrook! The new sitelooks terrifc & is very well

organized."

"AUS ♥ ♥............♥♥"

"Finally u launched it!congrats!

Like the new look!"

What people think of our new website





Dr. Cleve McDaniel joined AUS as

its new Vice Chancellor or Finance

and Administration this semester.

Campus Report met with him in his

oice or a quick interview. Below is

an excerpt.

CR: Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a US citizen, and have lived there

all o my lie. I grew up in a small

mining town not ar rom St. Louis,

Missouri. I went to undergraduate

school at Washington University in

St. Louis, then got a master’s degree

at Southern Illinois University. I got

my doctorate at the University o

Missouri, Columbia, while I was

working at Lincoln University in

Missouri. I’ve consulted outside theUS but have never worked outside.

CR: Tell us a little about your career.

I’ve been working in the ield o

higher education or 28 years. In

the US, I have worked in several

university positions as the senior

inance and administrative

oicer. All o my jobs have been

challenging. My last position as

Senior Vice President at the Desert

Research Institute was ascinating, as

this institute conducts environmental

research all over the world—it

works on ive continents, including

Antarctica.

CR: What attracted you to AUS?

One o the things that attracted

me to AUS is the multiculturalenvironment. I’m really excited

about the international community

on campus, and am delighted to be

here in the Middle East.

CR: What is your average workingday like?

My working days are typically

very long— there’s a lot o

multitasking and working with

sta in a supporting and mentoring

relationship. I enjoy working withpeople rom dierent nationalities

and am very team oriented. My

communication style can be summed

up as open and honest.

CR: What plans do you have for AUS?

With an autocratic approach, you

tend to hold things close to your

chest. That’s not my aim—I’m

looking or ways to enhance

the transparency o our existingoperations with an ever-increasing

alignment with the university

mission. I’m also very customer-

service oriented. I’m looking

orward to my time here, working

with the Chancellor, the Provost,

the other vice chancellors and vice

provosts, and with all the aculty

and sta. I look orward to making

a contribution and to help make a

very good university even better.CR: There’s a lot of talk these daysabout telecommuting, home officesand the like. What would you thinkof them being applied at AUS?

We are always looking or ways

to enhance the use o technology.

However, in order to provide great

customer service, it works better

when people are on campus. As

many sta and aculty live on

campus, and with the sta able totake advantage o lexi-timings,

there is always a lot o built-in

communication. I think that we’re

already a step ahead o other

universities in this regard.

CR: Do you have any hobbies?

To relax, I like to hike. I have hiked

in the oothills in Austria and havealso done some climbing. I used to

play keyboard and trumpet and once

got to play with Doc Severinsen,

who was amous or leading the

NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show

Starring Johnny Carson. I also enjoy

doing yoga, workouts and other

exercises.

Making a good university even better

Library searchesenhancedSummon is a new discovery tool

that lets you search the AUS

Library’s physical and digital

collections in just one step. Using

a single search index, Summon

includes all items in the library’s

collection including ull-text books

and articles, with the resultsranked in a single list according to

relevance.

“Summon was selected after an

extensive evaluation process.

The objective of this new

implementation is to have a single

search interface that will make

finding library resources easy and

simple,” said Daphne Flanagan,

Interim University Librarian.

Many users will find that Summon

points them to all the information

they need. Other researchers will

want to dig deeper or use search

tools not available in Summon.

Specialized databases and the

Classic Catalog will still remain

available.

For more inormation, eedback or

comment, contact

[email protected].

The objective of this new

implementation is to have

a single search interface.





Faculty exchangeoffered in US andUK Are you a aculty member wishing

to spend a semester or two

teaching abroad? You now have the

opportunity, thanks to the Oice o

International Exchange Programs at

AUS. Two programs will be oered

over the course o the next year:

Louisiana State University (LSU),

USA, and Al-Maktoum Institute or

Arabic and Islamic Studies, Scotland,

UK.

“These programs are both great

opportunities to improve your

research and teaching experience.

The Oice o International Exchange

continues to ocus on developing

opportunities or aculty and sta,”

said Linda Angell, Director o the

Oice o International Exchange

Programs.

Faculty interested in going to LSU

can either go as a visiting proessor,

a research scholar, a visiting lecturer

or a consultant. Those applying to

Al- Maktoum Institute or Arabic

and Islamic Studies can go on a

proessional visit or as a visiting

proessor.

Travel expenses and accommodation

are the responsibility of the faculty

members unless otherwise agreed.

The oer is limited to aculty

only and does not extend to

spouses or dependents. Expenses

o accompanying spouses or

dependents are the responsibility o

the aculty member.

If you are interested in participating

in these programs, please visit

the Office International ExchangePrograms on the ground floor of

the AUS Main Building, email Linda

Angell at [email protected] or call

extension 4027.

From hosting a major exhibition

to helping organize a lecture, the

Events Management Department

at AUS assists the university in

the planning, coordination and

implementation o events.

Touic Saii

was recently

appointed as

director o the

department.

The department is involved in the

organization o various types o

events such as conerences, MOU

signings, cultural events, award

ceremonies and others.

Although the department will act

as the mediator between various

departments as well as suppliers,

the responsibility

or delivering the

event remains with

the event organizer.

For more

inormation, contact Touic Saii

at [email protected] or call extension

2326.

Are you a faculty member

wishing to spend a semester

or two teaching abroad?

AUS now has a new Strategic

Communications and Media

Department under the guidance

o Miriam Kiwan. The Strategic

Communications and Media

Department’s mandate now

relects the ocus on aligning

the AUS brand’s awareness and

communications.

“Our department aims to urther

strengthen the university’s

brand image and positioning

within the MENA region while

improving internal and externalcommunication,” said Kiwan.

“The department also acts as a

brand guardian and advises on all

communication processes within

AUS, while aligning the strategic

communications messages with

the university’s overall objectives,”

she added. “AUS’s presence in

online and print media is key to

supporting our initiatives and

improving our brand awareness

regionally and internationally,” she

added.

This year, Gradom.com, a UAE-

based digital media agency, ranked

AUS irst in the education sector inits Social Media Report o Top 100

Brands, in terms o presence on

social networks such as Facebook

and Twitter, and the video sharing

website YouTube.

To contact the department, email

[email protected].

Strengthening the AUSBrand

Our department aims to

further strengthen the

university’s brand image.

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From hosting a major

exhibition to helping

organize a lecture

Events Management Departmentassists the community





Set or launch next year and

comprising a total area o 934

square meters, the AUS Youth

Center will provide children and

youth o all aculty and sta with

recreational activities during

weekends and ater-school hours.

The center aims to have something

or everyone, rom toddlers to

teenagers, with the indoor area

being equipped with the ollowingacilities:

•homework/studyarea

•kitchenarea

•artsandcraftsarea

•loungearea

•dramaandmusicarea

•computer/TV/gameroom

•climbingwall

“I am very excited to see the

Youth Center coming together.

It will enrich the lives o AUS

children and help them to develop

into healthy and well-rounded

adults,” said Marianne Heath,

ormer chair o the Residential LieCommittee who spearheaded the

project with George DeBin, ormer

Vice Chancellor o Finance and

Administration, and Lee Mitchell,

Director o the Wellness Center. “We

all look orward to the building

being inished and to opening the

doors to our campus youth,” sheadded.

As skateboarding and rollerblading

have been popular activities or

on-campus youth or a long time,

the center has been designed with

matching acilities in mind. The

center looks out onto an outdoor

skate park eaturing ramps, rails and

hal pipes.

“It’s going to be pretty amazing

having a skate park on campus.

It’s going to open up a world o

opportunities,” said Mohammed

Khalla, a high school student living

on campus.

The center is currently planned to be

largely sel-running, with the older

youths being given the opportunity

to supervise their peers. Additionally,

sta appointed to run the center

will be ully irst aid certiied. Therewill also be ample opportunities

or residents who are interested in

running activities at the center or

just generally helping out.

Youth Center construction underway

Meaningul, concise surveys enable

real change to be enacted on

campus. And that is just one o theways that, with your help, AUS is

able to develop.

In May, Dr. Cindy Dutschke joined

AUS as Director o the Oice o

Institutional Eectiveness and

Planning. She worked or 13 years

as Assistant Vice President or

Institutional Studies at Texas A&M

University.

Her mission at AUS is to ensure that

the university continues to ulill itsobjectives eectively in regards to

accreditation, strategic planning and

assessment. As part o the planning

and assessment cycle, each academic

program and administrative unit will

be charged with creating its own

Annual Institutional Eectiveness

Plan.In the all o each year, a plan

will be developed that contains a

mission, goals, outcomes and/or

objectives, means o assessing those

outcomes, as well as the criteria that

will determine success.

During the year this plan will be

implemented and assessed to make

changes in the academic programs

or administrative unit.

What other services does the

oice oer? “Some surveys being

developed include those on sta

satisaction, aculty satisaction,

early leaver rates and others that

will gather opinions about the

level o service oered by dierent

administrative units,” said AhmedAboubaker, Associate Director o

the Oice.

All surveys are strictly conidential

and the inormation gathered

allows the department to analyze

trends. The results rom any survey,

including ones with spaces or

respondents to type in additional

remarks, will not be traced back.

In addition, the oice provides

consulting services to aculty and

sta members.

If you would like more information

about the services, please email Flora

Guirguis at [email protected].

More than filling in surveys





60 seconds withWalid Daallah, HumanResources Ofcer

Home: Khartoum,Sudan

Family: Wie and ten-month-old son

What was your frst job? MarketingSpecialist

What was your worst job? Socialworker in Sudan

What job did you want to do as akid? Be a amous pianist

What do you enjoy most aboutworking at AUS? Seeing AUS movetoward urther success and to beinvolved in its growth

What is your best advice orsuccess in the workplace? Teamwork and coordination with otherdepartments

I couldn’t do my job without: Proessional management

What is your avorite ood?

JapaneseWhat’s your ideal holiday spot?Venice

What’s the best place to visit inyour home country? The Sudancountryside because o its pace o lieand greenery

With what amous person, livingor dead, would you like to havedinner? Barack Obama

What are some o your hobbies?Playing the piano, pool and tabletennis

Last book read: A People’s History of

the United States by Howard Zinn

Last movie watched: The Debt

Favorite pastime: Gol

Favorite place in the UAE (orMiddle East): Musandam in Oman

I you could go back in time, whatperiod would you choose and why? I would go back 20 years and studybusiness administration instead o IT

I you could change one thing atAUS, what would it be? Add sheltersbetween all o the buildings

What is your avorite song? "My

Heart Will Go On" by Celine DionWhat would you like yourtombstone to read? Nothing isimpossible

To submit news or to make inquiries, please contact Farid Alvie (ext. 2210, [email protected]). Campus Report is published by the Strategic Communications and Media Department.

We’d love to hear from you!We are always looking or interesting news content or our next issue.I you have a story o interest to AUS aculty and sta or just generalcomments and suggestions, don’t hesitate to contact [email protected].

Walk more to keep healthy

During the academic year, members

o the campus community can

take part in un runs and walks

organized by the Wellness

Department. Each month has a

dierent theme, such as road

saety or having a healthy heart.

“This semester the Wellness

Program will be challenging

members o the AUS community,

to really push themselves,” said

Lee Mitchell, Director o Wellness.

“Many people walk 6,000 or so

steps per day, and that’s great. But

by walking 10,000 steps, you’re

more likely to get the beneits

o losing weight, lowering blood

pressure and strengthening the

bones. Taking walks or leisure can

also improve your state o mind,

give you more time with your

amily and help you relax,” he

added.

Here are some suggestions to help

you reach this target:

•Takethestairsinsteadofthe

elevator.

•Ifyouliveoncampus,walkto

work.

•Ifyouliveoffcampus,parkyourcar as ar away as possible.

•Duringyourleisuretime,stay

active and take a walk with

amily or riends.

•Leavethecarkeyintheoffice

and walk to your exercise classes.

The next un run/walk is set or

Saturday, October 22 at 5:45 p.m.,

starting rom the Airport Road

entrance o AUS.

To see a list o upcoming Wellnessevents please visit www.aus.edu/

wellness.

For more inormation, please

contact Lee Mitchell at lmitchell@

aus.edu or extension 2240.

Documents

Campus Report-October 2011