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AMERICAN UNIVERSITY Of BEIRUT, APRIL 16, 1970
At General Faculty Meeting:
Kirkwood Discusses Details of April 6 Incidents T be following is the text of tbe message of President Samuel B. Kirkwood delivered during the general faculty meeting in the Assembly Hall on Friday, April 10. The events that took place in front of West Hall on Monday, April 6, are regrettable. I deplore any attempt by a group of students or any group to prevent by force another group from holding legitimate functions and activities. While there may be deep emotions involved, nevertheless, I would expect all students to demonstrate a spirit of tolerance and respect for the rights of others. Whenever any group of students has serious obJections to an activity planned by another group they cannot take the law into their own hands but must submit their views to the University authorities. Last Monday, I had to cancel a photographic exhibition by one group of AUB students. It appeared clearly that this was the only way to avoid violence. I did not call in the police. It would have been a mockery of all that the University has tried to uphold to conduct a scheduled event on its own campus under police protection. I am deeply disturbed by this evidence of breakdown m the standards of University conduct and, in fact, in this challenge to the mission of this University. Perhaps "challenge" is too strong a word. What I mean to say is that the University would seem to be one place remainmg today where tolerance on all sides would permit a meeting of nationalities, and even ideologies, on the basis of respect or, at least, acceptance of mutual
Naimy Speaks To English Class Mr. Mikhail Naimy, a leading Arab writer, spoke Wednesday, April 8, in a course about Lebanese-American literature (English 292). Though he writes primarily in Arabic, in which he has introduced a number of new trends, Mr. Naimy spoke mainly of hIS English works. After a short interview conducted by Dr. Suhail Bushrui, who is resportsible for the course, Mr. Nalmy answered questions posed to him by the class. Mr. Naimy will be the guest of honor at the Gibran International Festival, scheduled for May 23-30 of this year. He was Khalil Gibran's closest friend, and biographer, and spoke of him for the remaining part of the time.
rights. Once before, not too long ago, I spoke to you after another episode on campus that brought similar concern. Last Monday's action sprang from other roots, but the ultimate significance is the same. The University has been placed in an exceedingly difficult position, for it has been made unable to protect by its own peaceful means an actIvity of one of its student groups. By implication, this applIes to all student groupings ,:~o which another may take exception. The action occurring on our Campus has brought serious strain in the relatIons between two friendly countnes. I hope this can be relieved, but I can never forget that we were, as a UniverSIty, the center of the action. The great advantage the AUB has is the opportunity it offers its students of so many nations to meet each other and to learn of their cultures. The exhibits of national culture given by the students from various countries in the past have greatly enriched our life here on campus. In their way they form an important part of our educational program. This is threatened now. I am disturbed also by the indication on Monday of outside influence on the assembled group. We have clear evidence that such was the fact. It is some consolation to feel that our own students would not have inibated such a course of action, but also discouraging that such external pressures can be made so effective against our campus activities. I regret, too, that people seem so willing to believe the worst of others. Why this needs to be so on this campus, where we live in daily observation of each other, is bard to understand. What I do understand, however, is that the atmosphere is tensein Beirut, Lebanon, and the Middle East, and, in fact, in the whole world. Nerves are edgy, and actions and words that otherWise would go unnoticed, or would be judged with tolerance, now cause reactIOn that is often more charged with emotion than rationality. Under these circumstances, individual and national feelings rise quickly to the surface. What we must understand is that this kind of response cannot continue on this campus without in turn destroying the essence of our University. I hope I do not seem ,dramatic in this statement. The AUB, of course, will continue, but we cannot allow it to lose its purpose or its prinCiples and its ideals.
As I have said, the policy of the University has been to encourage cultural and social activities by national groups of students. However, in view of the rising emotions and growing tensions in the community and the area, I have decided, as of next Monday and until further notice, to suspend the holding of all functions with a national orientation or purpose. This deciSIOn is motivated solely by the necessity of protecting the integrity and the educational mission of the University. I regret having to take a step of this nature, but I feel it necessary under present circumstances. I hope--I am sure--that
this can be a temporary measure, and that we will return soon to our full program, with a realization of what we have missed, and a determination not to lose it again. This is not intended to eliminate all University functions. Certainly, we will, as Lebanese residents, celebrate those days which are the concern of all Lebanese citizens. And we will continue those events of general interest. I would ask, finally, that all activities on campus be conducted in keeping with the dignity of the UnIversity and respect for the feeling of all members of our community and of this region.
Dr. Ziadeh Visits Saudi Arabia, Lectures at Three Universities Dr. Nicola Ziadeh, professor of modern Arab history, visited Saudi Arabia from March 20 to March 31 where he gave a number of le:tures at the College of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, the University of Riyadh, and the AbdulAziz University in Jeddah. Dr. Ziadeh lectured on the subject of "Arab Geographers" at the College of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran. ThiS college is an institute of higher learning aimed at producing Saudi scientists and experts in petroleum engineering and minerals. Enrollment at present is about 300. The Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals which runs the College has plans, however, to expand the College until it will eventually have a capacity of 3000 students. At the University of Riyadh, Dr. Ziadeh's lectures included: "Modern Arabic Literature in North Africa," "'Turning Points in Arab History," and "Arab Geographers." ThiS UnIversity has eight colleges: Arts, Sciences, Pharmacy, Engineering, Agriculture, Commerce, Education, and Medicine. The oldest of these colleges, the College of Arts, was founded just over ten years ago. This rapidly expanding University has a present enrollment of about 2800 students, and is being given full support and attention by the Saudi educatIOn authorities. The deans and the faculty of the University are mainly Saudi nationals, 34 of whom are the holders of Ph.D. degrees. The University has a budget of 50 million Riyals in current expenses and plans are underway for the completion of a large modern campus just outside Riyadh which is to be completed over a period of eight years. The private Abdul-Aziz Univer-
sity, where Dr. Ziadeh lectured on the subject of "Arab Geographers," was established on funds contributed by Saudi cibzens. They have raised about 10 million Saudi Riyals for the University. The late Abdallah Salman donated buildings and land for the University estimated to be worth about 2-3 million Riyals. The University has two colleges so far: Public and Business AdministratIOn and a nucleus of a College of Arts. Dr. Ziadeh also visited both alQatif and al-Hassa in the Eastern Province, as well as Dari'yeh, the capital of the first Saudi State, in the neighborhood of Riyadh, during his visit to Saudi Arabia.
AUC's Prof. Jones To Lecture on Arab History at AUB Prof. Marsden Jones, of the American University at Cairo, will be a visiting lecturer at the department of history and archaeology during the last week of April and the first half of May. Prof. Jones will give a number of lectures on Sira and Maghaz Literature and on Omayyad history. Earlier, the department held a luncheon at the Alumni Club, on Tuesday April 7, in honor of Prof. Dr. Hans Kruse who spent a month at AUB as Visiting Professor of History. After a four-week stay at the University during which he held a seminar on al-Barni, a 14th Century Muslim jurist, and gave a series of lectures on Islam in India in the Middle Ages, Prof. Dr. Kruse left Beirut last Friday for the University of Bochum, West Germany.