September 26, 2012
Vol. XLV, No. 1 September 26, 2012
In opening ceremony, Dorman stresses AUB is place where ‘journeys of exploration begin’ Frederic Abou Jaoude Staff Writer American University of Beirut President Peter Dorman officially kicked off the academic year and celebrated the university’s multicultural values in a speech before a crowded Assembly Hall on Monday. “The values of AUB are regarded as models for Lebanon,” he said. With a student body of some 8,000 students, Dorman insisted that AUB
does not provide a single education for its students, but rather “8,000 educations for each.” “AUB had always been more than a professional training school,” he said. “It is where personal journeys of exploration begin.” In a year when its student body has continued to grow, AUB leapfrogged 50 universities to reach the No. 250 on the QS World Rankings, Dorman said. He also praised the success of AUB graduates and
recited what he called his favorite quotation from an alumnus. “I learned at AUB how much I have in common with people all over the world,” he quoted. Though Dorman admitted that the rigorous courses at AUB may limit students’ chances for community involvement, he stressed the importance of reading, which he said allows students to “sharpen their minds [and] fill their hearts.” Continued page 2
Photo Credits: Pia Chaib
Car accident claims former AUB student The annual president’s reception Heather Jaber Editor-in-Chief “Give me my whiskey back, my free speech, my decadence, reason and empathy, and I’ll leave you all alone.” -Quote from Wajih Ajouz’s Twitter bio AUB alumni and activist Wajih Ajouz was killed in a car accident on September 14, leaving behind a vocal community of friends and family working to preserve his memory. Ajouz, a producer at Al-Arabiya and researcher
Content:
Karim Zahed Staff Writer Many old and returning AUB students are wondering about the large number of new faces on campus. Others are talking about AUB’s recently increasing international rankings. These questions were anPhoto Credits: Wajih Ajouz’s facebook profile swered last Wednesday at the annual President’s Rewith the Samir Kassir Eyes at the time and that he ception for new students. Foundation, was involved actually drove a Polo, not The president, provost, in a collision with a large a Volvo, as some reports and fellow deans welcomed truck in Jal el Dib. claim. freshmen and sophomores Ajouz’s sister, Lara, a She also said that secumanagement student at rity tapes show that he was to the reception, which began at 7 p.m. on the Green LAU, maintained that her Oval. brother was not speeding Continued page 4
Campus News 1 -The annual president’s reception 2 -New faculty 3
Columns 8 View Points 10 Enterntainment 12 Arabic Content 13
Park(ing) Day
8
President Peter Dorman reported that the number of new students was “almost the same number of students as before.” Provost Ahmad Dallal added that “the number of acceptances might be a little bit more, but this always depends on the numbers from the previous year.” He explained how the acceptance numbers are finalized by saying that last year’s actual percentage of enrollment was lower than the expected standard. That was why a fairly Continued page 2