Mind Soup

Interview with Leila Khauli Hanna, a pioneer in social media adoption in the Lebanese classroom Leila Khauli Hanna is a full time Instructor of Marketing Management at AUB’s Sulaiman S. Olayan School of Business since the year 2000.  She holds a Masters of Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing and Econometrics from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. Ms. Hanna has taught courses at the Undergraduate and Graduate level in the fields of Marketing and Economics in the US, Lebanon, and France.  She has introduced and coordinated several highly specialized and cutting edge courses at the school and was nominated three times for the teaching excellence award at AUB. Her research interest lies in the Creative Industry of Lebanon and the Digital Transformation of businesses in the region.  Ms. Hanna was the first to introduce full-fledged social media integration into her courses in Lebanon. Her students use these tools to com...

Two weeks ago, I was attending the Arabnet Digital Summit and I insisted to attend the sessions about Education to understand more about the view of professionals and educators towards the use of technology in education. Needless to say, I was disappointed with what most of them had to say. The speakers still had a traditional approach to education, a Web 1.0 approach as I like to call it. They only cared about using technology to push material to their students rather than stimulate and encourage them to learn. They were promoting 20-year-old technologies such as Blackboard and Moodle (which are basically sites that host the lectures and are traditionally structured to minimize interaction). Some were bragging that they  have implemented these programs in their schools and universities as if it was the most advanced technology and will bring great benefit to their students. Others were promoting them because they sell these programs for millions of dollars to Arab educa...

I was recently contacted by Tomooh to spread awareness about a scholarship that has been going unnoticed. PepsiCo has an ongoing scholarship program since the past 6 years called Tomooh. It is a scholarship program funding the education of those with high academic performance. It gives partial scholarships starting $500 up to $5,000 depending solely on the academic performance and financial needs of the applicants. Only 500 students are applying each year and more than 200 are getting scholarships; they believe that much more deserving students would apply if they were aware and informed about the scholarships which have become close to 300 this year. For the past two years, the program has been dedicating 10% of its funds for students with special needs. Hopefully this year even more students will benefit. The program is active in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, and have given partial scholarships to more than a 1000 students in Lebanon so far, it's their 6th year and deadline f...

After four years of studying at AUB, I think it's time to breakdown a list of typical AUB students that you are bound to meet here: The Westies : are students who have nothing better to do in life but sit outside and around West Hall and socialize 24/7. Some of them even come as early as 7:00 AM even though their first class doesn't start before 2:00 PM.. The Fiskies : are usually the weird English/Philosophy students who hang out outside Fisk Hall and are very culture-oriented. By that, I mean afro hairdos, weird facial hair, slippers, and I'm fairly certain they are high on something other than knowledge. (Also know as the hippies) The Zoo-keepers : are the students who basically live in the area known as the "zoo" which is a small park area facing the AUB cafeteria where they hang out to smoke, cluster, and discuss one-sided politics. The sunbathers : are the students who skip classes to lay down on green oval and get tanned when the sun it out. They are...

Via Maurice Salem , from Cyanide & Happiness (my favorite comics website).

The following article is a repost from Farfahine blog. ( link ) AUB Strike: PCC & BDS withdrew. "We won't tolerate the USFC's irresponsible, ill-mannered & racist behavior" Here what I got from the PCC and the BDS. Waiting for further clarifications: After a series of events today, during which the leadership of the USFC strike did not stick to the plans that were decided upon during the meetings the night before and during which USFC VP Elias Ghanem unilaterally demanded Palestinian Cultural Club be kicked out of the strike, we have decided to withdraw our participation from this strike. These "leaders" from the UCSF "organizing" this strike are not serious; they do not represent us. While USFC members show up with their speeches on the megaphone once the crowds have gathered, they go to classes once the crowds have dispersed. This hypocrisy is not worth our time, hard work, effort, and resources. Despite clear support from other clu...

Below are some articles from renowned newspapers and blogs across Lebanon and the region that discuss the Student protest at the American University of Beirut due to the shift from the 12-credits system to the 15-credit system which increase the tuition for newly enrolled students (as of Fall 2010) up-to 25%. English Daily Star: AUB students hold strike against hike in tuition fees ( link ) Star Scene: AUB students protest against tuition increase  ( link ) Now Lebanon: Strike at AUB ( link ) Demotix:  Students of AUB university in Lebanon protest rise in tuition fees ( link ) This is Beirut:  Empty classrooms a week before finals at AUB! ( link ) iloubnan: AUB students go on strike protesting increase of tuition ( link ) Gino's Blog: The AUB Problem Breakdown ( link ) Farfahine:  Letter from AUB students: Support us to take our campus back. ( link ) Blog Under Construction: AUB Students Boycott Classes ( link ) Sawt Al Niswa: Stike: It is your rig...

Dear AUB Students, I’d like to congratulate the organizers of the demonstration yesterday for an event that was well organized and well executed, making a number of deep concerns to our students known to the administration. I especially appreciate the commitment by the organizers—representing the USFC and the Campaign for an Affordable Acceptable Education—that their aims are “ voluntary, nonviolent, and progressive .” The event was carried out in a manner consistent with that pledge, and I applaud both the intention and the outcome; it reflects the best traditions of free speech and the dynamics of a responsive academic setting. Yesterday I had the chance to talk with a number of students who had relevant questions about the new tuition policy. One question needs to be laid to rest immediately. A good number believed that they would have significantly higher tuition costs next year and were worried about how they or their families could afford it. Nothing could be further from the ...

Below is a message sent from the USFC Student Vice President Elias Ghanem to AUB Students about continuing the strike tomorrow (Thursday) For the whole album of photos from today's protest, check this facebook album. Dear AUB Students, After our highly appreciated success with the strike today, I send my fellow students the warmest cheers and sincere admiration of your commitment in raising our concerns to the administration. However, this is just the BEGINNING. Following today's movement, we are calling for a second day of strike that will continue with no turning point until our demand is met. We will escalate the intensity of our movement with absolute commitment. We believe in AUB students! You will not turn us down! Meeting point: 7am, West Hall. All students are requested to participate. Gathering at 12:00pm, Main Gate. Elias Ghanem VP-USFC AUB Students' Movement

Dear Students, Today we have witnessed major student protests across the campus against the proposed changes in tuition fees that are due for implementation next year. AUB has in its long history not only tolerated the right of students to express their views but has explicitly promoted this right. Over the years this has been done in many ways, whether through the USFC, Outlook, protests and sit-ins. For students who are participating in the protests against the tuition fees changes, or thinking of doing so, I urge you to do so while fully respecting the rights of other students who wish to attend classes, or study in the libraries in peace, or go about their day-to-day business without disruption. Likewise it is important to remember the other valuable segments of our community, including faculty members and staff, who feel a personal duty to carry out their duties to the University and its community. They too have a right to disagree with the strike action or if they agree with i...

Today, I attended the tuition increase town meeting that was held by members of the AUB Administration (President Dorman, VP Kenny, Provost Dallal, Dean Kisirwani, etc) and I was reporting the event live on twitter via @ mhijazi . This was my first experience with twitter reporting, and I am glad to say it was very enjoyable. Tomorrow, I will be covering parts of the protest via twitter also, and between my classes. (No, I am not skipping classes, here's why ) Below are the tweets related to today's meeting from newest to oldest, so I would recommend that you read from bottom to top.

I am officially not supporting the Tuition Increase protest anymore. Why am I so pissed, you ask? This protest, no matter how important, will effectively ruin around four months of work for the student organized AUB Outdoors and one month work for the Lebanese Bloggers Convention at AUB. What the protesters don't realize is that because of the tuition, the media will badly convey the situation in AUB, will over-explode the protest and portray to the public that AUB is unsafe, which will decrease the attendees of the AUB Outdoors. The profits of the AUB Outdoors goes solely to the AUB clubs and societies and AUB financial aid; these clubs that are helping organize this protest! How is this not a double-standard, really? Also, the fund that goes to financial aid will substantially decrease, and ironically this may be one of the goals of the tuition increase to begin with. Moreover, how selfish are the people who demand that students don't attend classes in a...

Final exams are right around the corner. I have my finals spread over two weeks, including one on my birthday. *sigh* Here's something to cheer you up though. Oh wait! Scratch that! :P Good luck on your finals!

This is an actual notice one of the political science professors posted at my university right after the beginning of the finals period. Which reminds me, I have an exam in 7 hours, better go sleep. Wish me luck :)

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Situation: Not Doing the Dishes Hers: "Someone left their dishes in the sink! Someone who eats Lucky Charms! Didn't you buy Lucky Charms? I really don't want to point fingers, I want to share the responsibilities of living together, but it just upsets me when people don't respect my space and thus, don't respect me. We can all be adults about this and talk it out. If it doesn't change, I'm going to schedule a mediation with the RA." His: "Whoa, check out this mold! Cool!" Situation: Keeping the Lights/Music on Late Hers: "Hey, um, so, I noticed your light is still on, and it's, like, 3AM." "I'm just having a hard time falling asleep." "Oh my God, is there something you need to talk about?! Is this about Brad? It is, isn't it." "I don't understand why he doesn't want to be with me!" "You're so much better than him! I'm coming over there and we are s...