The Internal Quarterly Newsletter of American University of Sharjah

Issue 65, October 2011

AUS CAMPUS REPORT Chancellor's highlights

AUS Chancellor discusses state of the university at Faculty Assembly In a comprehensive presentation on an array of topics, Chancellor Peter Heath reported on the state of the university at the Faculty Assembly held September 18. He discussed the various strategic, academic, admission and financial aspects of the university in detail. He said several factors, such as the student body, quality, tuition, as well as financial grants, were growing gradually as envisaged. The Chancellor also mentioned other important areas, including a growing faculty and staff size that he said was commensurate with the student body size, as well as increasing faculty research support and productivity.

Enrollment    in  Majors  by  College/School   2500  

2000  

1500  

1000  

500  

0  

CAAD  Enrollment  

CAS  Enrollment  

Fall  2006  

Fall  2007  

Fall  2008  

13 percent from elsewhere.

He said that around 50 percent of the total number of AUS students are from Arab nations, 20 percent from the UAE, 13 percent from South Asia, 4 percent from Iran and

Fall  2009  

CEN  Enrollment   Fall  2010  

Chancellor Heath discussed the He also shared with the faculty implementation of strategic figures depicting the increase AUS  -­‐  State  of  the  University|  Fall  2011   initiatives as well as the budget in graduate and undergraduate distribution. He told the audience headcounts, alumni, faculty and staff that the AUS School is expected to as well as breakdown of student open in 2014. enrollment in majors by college/ school.

1,200 new students join AUS

Most of the new students joining AUS this semester belong to the top 20 percent of 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 for new students and their parents at the AUS Main Auditorium on Friday, September 9.

SBM  Enrollment  

“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 finding solutions for the problems that you face,” Chancellor Heath said, addressing the students. Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, Provost, added that freshmen will also be given assistance by the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs to help start their careers. “You cannot start early enough in planning for your life after AUS. Career Services will assist you, in conjunction with your academic departments, in locating internships when that time comes. It will provide training in the skills you may need to find employment, such as how to write your resume or practice interviewing for jobs,” he said.

Say it with a card! Do you know someone who always goes out of his or her way to serve you better and ensures that your day goes smoothly? Faculty and staff can now show their appreciation with a thank you card. How it works: • The thank you cards will be distributed to each department, for staff members to give other colleagues across campus who offered great customer service. • Before the next issue of Campus Report, community members will submit their thank you cards received from others to Aida Ali, Strategic Communications and Media Department, M-256. • The person with the highest number of cards will be featured in the next issue of Campus Report.

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Have you seen our new website?

Issue 65, October 2011

New professional development courses offered For the first time at AUS, all staff are eligible to enroll in the International Computer 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.

After many months of planning, the new AUS website launched on September 18. The new website provides a platform that showcases the university’s academic excellence and its diverse campus life, as well as strengthens our online presence internationally. For this purpose, the layout has completely been redefined to support our strategic initiatives and serve the needs of our potential and existing students, their families, 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 of the comments that we received through social media.

What people think of our new website "AUS ♥ ♥............♥♥" "Mabrook! The new site looks terrific & is very well organized." "Finally! welcome to the 21st century!"

"Finally u launched it! congrats! Like the new look!"

"Great work! Slick,modern and I love the photography!" "Looks great! Congrats." "Great job guys! I miss those old days." "About time! Great Look!!"

“I encourage all employees to attend 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 of training and development. And which is the most important course in her opinion? “Customer Service, because everybody at AUS serves some sort of customer,” said Rasha.

I encourage all employees to attend at least three training sessions per year... Training for the ICDL is two-and-ahalf hours daily, for a total of seven weeks. Each of the seven modules must be passed in order to receive the certificate. Various shorter “soft skills” courses are also available, such as Customer Service, Communication, Creative Problem Thinking and Decision Making. Staff at a supervisory or managerial level can also choose courses in interviewing and motivation skills. Participants will receive a certificate upon successfully completing the course. Average class sizes for these courses ranges from 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]). The Internal Quarterly Newsletter of American University of Sharjah

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AUSCAMPUS REPORT

Issue 65, October 2011

Making a good university even better CR: What attracted you to AUS?

CR: Do you have any hobbies?

One of the things that attracted me to AUS is the multicultural environment. I’m really excited about the international community on campus, and am delighted to be here in the Middle East.

To relax, I like to hike. I have hiked in the foothills in Austria and have also done some climbing. I used to play keyboard and trumpet and once got to play with Doc Severinsen, who was famous for leading the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. I also enjoy doing yoga, workouts and other exercises.

CR: What is your average working day like? My working days are typically very long— there’s a lot of multitasking and working with staff in a supporting and mentoring relationship. I enjoy working with people from different nationalities and am very team oriented. My communication style can be summed up as open and honest. Dr. Cleve McDaniel joined AUS as its new Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration this semester. Campus Report met with him in his office for a quick interview. Below is an excerpt. CR: Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m a US citizen, and have lived there all of my life. I grew up in a small mining town not far from 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 of Missouri, Columbia, while I was working at Lincoln University in Missouri. I’ve consulted outside the US but have never worked outside. CR: Tell us a little about your career. I’ve been working in the field of higher education for 28 years. In the US, I have worked in several university positions as the senior finance and administrative officer. All of my jobs have been challenging. My last position as Senior Vice President at the Desert Research Institute was fascinating, as this institute conducts environmental research all over the world—it works on five continents, including Antarctica.

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 for ways to enhance the transparency of our existing operations with an ever-increasing alignment with the university mission. I’m also very customerservice oriented. I’m looking forward to my time here, working with the Chancellor, the Provost, the other vice chancellors and vice provosts, and with all the faculty and staff. I look forward to making a contribution and to help make a very good university even better. CR: There’s a lot of talk these days about telecommuting, home offices and the like. What would you think of them being applied at AUS? We are always looking for ways to enhance the use of technology. However, in order to provide great customer service, it works better when people are on campus. As many staff and faculty live on campus, and with the staff able to take advantage of flexi-timings, there is always a lot of built-in communication. I think that we’re already a step ahead of other universities in this regard.

Library searches enhanced Summon 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 full-text books and articles, with the results ranked in a single list according to relevance.

The objective of this new implementation is to have a single search interface. “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 information, feedback or comment, contact [email protected].

The Internal Quarterly Newsletter of American University of Sharjah

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Strengthening the AUS Brand 1X

Faculty exchange offered in US and UK 1X

X

1X

1X

1X

1X

AUS now has a new Strategic she added. “AUS’s presence in online and print media is key to Communications and Media supporting our initiatives and Department under the guidance improving our brand awareness of Miriam Kiwan. The Strategic OFFICE OF THE regionally CHANCELLORand internationally,” she Communications and Media ‫ﺍﻟـﺠـﺎﻣـﻌـﺔ‬ ‫ﻣـﺪﻳـﺮ‬ ‫ﻣـﻜـﺘـﺐ‬ added. Department’s mandate now 1X 1X reflects the focus on aligning Our department aims to the AUS brand’s awareness and further strengthen the communications. “Our department aims to further 1X strengthen the university’s brand image and positioning within the MENA region while improving internal and external 1X communication,” said Kiwan. “The department also acts as a brand guardian and advises on all communication processes within 1X AUS, while aligning the strategic communications messages with the university’s overall objectives,”

university’s brand image. 1X

This year, Grafdom.com, a UAEbased digital media agency, ranked AUS first in the education sector in 1X its Social Media Report of Top 100 Brands, in terms of presence on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, and the video sharing 1X website YouTube. To contact the department, email [email protected].

1X

1X

Events Management Department assists the community 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 of events. Toufic Saifi was recently appointed as director of the department.

signings, cultural events, award ceremonies and others.

Although the department will act as the mediator between various departments as well as suppliers, the responsibility From hosting a major for delivering the event remains with exhibition to helping the event organizer.

organize a lecture

The department is involved in the organization of various types of events such as conferences, MOU

Issue 65, October 2011

For more information, contact Toufic Saifi at [email protected] or call extension 2326.

Are you a faculty member wishing to spend a semester or two teaching abroad? You now have the opportunity, thanks to the Office of International Exchange Programs at AUS. Two programs will be offered over the course of the next year: Louisiana State University (LSU), USA, and Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Scotland, UK. “These programs are both great opportunities to improve your research and teaching experience. The Office of International Exchange continues to focus on developing opportunities for faculty and staff,” said Linda Angell, Director of the Office of International Exchange Programs. Faculty interested in going to LSU can either go as a visiting professor, a research scholar, a visiting lecturer or a consultant. Those applying to Al- Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies can go on a professional visit or as a visiting professor.

Are you a faculty member wishing to spend a semester or two teaching abroad? Travel expenses and accommodation are the responsibility of the faculty members unless otherwise agreed. The offer is limited to faculty only and does not extend to spouses or dependents. Expenses of accompanying spouses or dependents are the responsibility of the faculty member. If you are interested in participating in these programs, please visit the Office International Exchange Programs on the ground floor of the AUS Main Building, email Linda Angell at [email protected] or call extension 4027.

The Internal Quarterly Newsletter of American University of Sharjah

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AUSCAMPUS REPORT

Issue 65, October 2011

Youth Center construction underway Director of the Wellness Center. “We all look forward to the building being finished and to opening the doors to our campus youth,” she added. As skateboarding and rollerblading have been popular activities for on-campus youth for a long time, the center has been designed with matching facilities in mind. The center looks out onto an outdoor skate park featuring ramps, rails and half pipes. Set for launch next year and comprising a total area of 934 square meters, the AUS Youth Center will provide children and youth of all faculty and staff with recreational activities during weekends and after-school hours. The center aims to have something for everyone, from toddlers to teenagers, with the indoor area being equipped with the following facilities: • homework/study area • kitchen area • arts and crafts area

• lounge area • drama and music area • computer/TV/game room • climbing wall “I am very excited to see the Youth Center coming together. It will enrich the lives of AUS children and help them to develop into healthy and well-rounded adults,” said Marianne Heath, former chair of the Residential Life Committee who spearheaded the project with George DeBin, former Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, and Lee Mitchell,

“It’s going to be pretty amazing having a skate park on campus. It’s going to open up a world of opportunities,” said Mohammed Khallaf, a high school student living on campus. The center is currently planned to be largely self-running, with the older youths being given the opportunity to supervise their peers. Additionally, staff appointed to run the center will be fully first aid certified. There will also be ample opportunities for residents who are interested in running activities at the center or just generally helping out.

More than filling in surveys Meaningful, concise surveys enable real change to be enacted on campus. And that is just one of the ways that, with your help, AUS is able to develop. In May, Dr. Cindy Dutschke joined AUS as Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning. She worked for 13 years as Assistant Vice President for Institutional Studies at Texas A&M University. Her mission at AUS is to ensure that the university continues to fulfill its objectives effectively in regards to accreditation, strategic planning and assessment. As part of the planning and assessment cycle, each academic program and administrative unit will

be charged with creating its own Annual Institutional Effectiveness Plan. In the fall of each year, a plan will be developed that contains a mission, goals, outcomes and/or objectives, means of 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 office offer? “Some surveys being developed include those on staff satisfaction, faculty satisfaction, early leaver rates and others that

will gather opinions about the level of service offered by different administrative units,” said Ahmed Aboubaker, Associate Director of the Office. All surveys are strictly confidential and the information gathered allows the department to analyze trends. The results from any survey, including ones with spaces for respondents to type in additional remarks, will not be traced back. In addition, the office provides consulting services to faculty and staff members. If you would like more information about the services, please email Flora Guirguis at [email protected]. The Internal Quarterly Newsletter of American University of Sharjah

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60 seconds with Walid Dafallah, Human Resources Officer

Home: Khartoum,Sudan Family: Wife and ten-month-old son What was your first job? Marketing Specialist What was your worst job? Social worker in Sudan What job did you want to do as a kid? Be a famous pianist What do you enjoy most about working at AUS? Seeing AUS move toward further success and to be involved in its growth What is your best advice for success in the workplace? Teamwork and coordination with other departments I couldn’t do my job without: Professional management What is your favorite food? Japanese What’s your ideal holiday spot? Venice What’s the best place to visit in your home country? The Sudan countryside because of its pace of life and greenery With what famous person, living or dead, would you like to have dinner? Barack Obama What are some of your hobbies? Playing the piano, pool and table tennis Last book read: A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn Last movie watched: The Debt Favorite pastime: Golf Favorite place in the UAE (or Middle East): Musandam in Oman If you could go back in time, what period would you choose and why? I would go back 20 years and study business administration instead of IT If you could change one thing at AUS, what would it be? Add shelters between all of the buildings What is your favorite song? "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion What would you like your tombstone to read? Nothing is impossible

Issue 65, October 2011

Walk more to keep healthy

During the academic year, members of the campus community can take part in fun runs and walks organized by the Wellness Department. Each month has a different theme, such as road safety or having a healthy heart. “This semester the Wellness Program will be challenging members of the AUS community, to really push themselves,” said Lee Mitchell, Director of 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 benefits of losing weight, lowering blood pressure and strengthening the bones. Taking walks for leisure can also improve your state of mind, give you more time with your family and help you relax,” he added.

Here are some suggestions to help you reach this target: • Take the stairs instead of the elevator. • If you live on campus, walk to work. • If you live off campus, park your car as far away as possible. • During your leisure time, stay active and take a walk with family or friends. • Leave the car key in the office and walk to your exercise classes. The next fun run/walk is set for Saturday, October 22 at 5:45 p.m., starting from the Airport Road entrance of AUS. To see a list of upcoming Wellness events please visit www.aus.edu/ wellness. For more information, please contact Lee Mitchell at lmitchell@ aus.edu or extension 2240.

We’d love to hear from you! We are always looking for interesting news content for our next issue. If you have a story of interest to AUS faculty and staff or just general comments and suggestions, don’t hesitate to contact [email protected].

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. The Internal Quarterly Newsletter of American University of Sharjah