CONTENTS January 2005 - Issue N° 32 2 A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 03 Commencement Ceremony STUDENT AND ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES 04 Bordeaux-NDU Joint MBA 06 NDU Delegation in Bogota, Colombia 17 Science/Religion Interface – Dr. Weislogel 06 NDU-Western Sydney Agreement 18 Pierre Abou Khater Commemoration 07 Suheil Matar – Distinction 19 LERC Lectures 07 Dr. Viviane Naimy – Award 24 Tanzanian Tea 07 NDU Chronicle 25 S-l-o-w F-o-o-d 08 Admissions in Action!!! 26 Clean Water for Beirut Conference 14 Maronite Synod 27 WEERC River Basin Conference 14 Training Students 28 NDU’s 3rd Fulbright running 15 Back to the Roots - 2004 28 FAAD Exhibition 30 NDU at MUN, Turkey 30 Walid Nassif Award 31 CIS Wireless team-up 32 Spring Concert 33 Trip to the Valley of Saints 34 Student Union Elections 35 Social OPINION AND CULTURE 37 Apprenticeship in Arts & Crafts – R. Haddad 67 Accounting Club – Norma Freyha 38 Astronomy in the Desert – Joe Chamma 69 The Oil Crisis – Raja Shaffu 40 English Murdered – T.G. and K.J.M. 71 Avoiding Pure Academia – Caroline Akhras 42 Academic Integrity – Dr. A. Malek 72 Entrepreneurial Silent Revolution – Dr. Tanios 42 Si les Maronoites m’étaient contés... Touma Dr. G. Labaki 74 Operations Management at NDU – Dr. Atef From FBA&E: H. Harb 44 NDU Hospitality and Tourism – Dr. Mohamed 75 Pillars of the DMM – Joyce Menassa Hamadeh 76 Banking and Finance Club – Hrair Hovivian 46 Tourism and Technology – Tanios Kassis 77 Happy 10th Anniversary – Dr. Yussef Zgheib 51 Independent Hotels, Survival – G. Assaker 78 Something for your Grey Matter 53 Poems from FBA&E – Viviane Naimy and 78 Secret Word – Kamal Zakhour Fady Sfeir 56 DAFE Action Plan – T.K. Khalil 61 The Lebanese Economy – Dr. Victor Bahous 65 Public Waste Reconsidered – Simon D. Karam NDU Spirit A periodical about campus life at Notre Dame University - Louaïze. Tel: (09) 218950 - Ext.: 2477 Editor-iin-CChief Fax: (09) 224803 Georges Mghames Reporting Email: [email protected] English Editor Ghada Mouawad Website: www.ndu.edu.lb/newsandevents/nduspirit Kenneth Mortimer Arabic Typing Translation Lydia Zgheïb This is the first revamped issue, which includes a Valérie Aoun Photographers number of suggestions presented to us by the Abdo Bejjani Design Department at the Faculty of Architecture, Rodney Eid Art and Design. The cover was designed by the student Tania Boutros and the layout by the student Nicole Baaklini, with the introduction of some practical modifications. So, whatever is agreeable to the taste of the reader is their handiwork, while we bear the responsibility for any mistake or mishap... until further notice! Layout executed by Print So all the above reasons united have led to a delay Technopub Meouchy and Zakaria in the publication of this issue. The Editor A Word from the President Reverend Boutros Tarabay But Jesus said to them: “Suffer the little children and forbid them not to come to me; for the kingdom of heaven is for such.” Matt. XIX, 14.b Christmas is the feast of the Holy in the large families every well-meaning elderly relatives who Child and because of him the feast individual, even the youngest and wish to please by giving way to the of all children. The custom is for smallest, was obliged to help the caprices of the very young. Too them to be taken to church and others in some way or another. often we hear, “It doesn’t matter, shown the crib in the stable where Whoever had the privilege of being he’s only young, he doesn’t the infant Jesus once lay sent to school studied as much in understand yet.” The Lebanese surrounded by earthly poverty and the interest of his family as in his have a regrettable habit of spoiling heavenly glory. But now too many own. boys in particular. But it does not children are encouraged to think of matter whether the child themselves rather than of their But now the car is a normal understands or not. The important divine model. They are possession, there is a variety and thing is to imbue him with good outrageously spoilt with food, abundance of food and clothing, habits until discipline can become clothes, presents and pleasure, but and school vacations are spent, not self-discipline. If parents cannot are deprived of the one thing that helping in the fields or orchards, refuse a little boy ice cream, what can ensure their lifelong happiness, but skiing or diving or simply will they do when he is a big, namely friendship and intimacy playing by the sea or the strong, bad-tempered young man with Jesus. Spoilt, self-centred swimming pool. Television takes up and wants a high-powered car, children are always unhappy much of spare time, engendering drugs, alcohol and easy sex? children, ignorant of what they passivity and giving little that really want and not knowing where improves the character. It is more to turn, unhappier still when in concerned with marketing than Let parents give their children later years their life draws to a with the Ten Commandments. So sound, mature religious education close and their minds must turn to now it is the duty of parents to and instruction, form them to what lies beyond. reflect and think hard about how prayer and to participation in the they are forming their children. liturgy, encourage them to do On the other hand, children who Holiness and crime alike run in good for others and with others, enjoy the company of Jesus and families. The ancestors of Basil the and set them a worthy example in whose thoughts are turned out to Great and his holy sister were a the choice of television him, and for his sake to others, are whole galaxy of saints. Parents who programmes and other pleasures. happy children and have no fear. teach their children the true way Let them say a simple prayer with In later years they will be the joy are leaving an enduring legacy of their children on rising and before and support of their parents who good to the world. meals, before going to school or have taught them love. work, before an outing, and before Parents must consider the bedtime. Why be self-conscious? Not long ago, parents had little influences on their children from When children are brought to Jesus choice about how to bring up their outside the close family circle. They in such ways, they are already on offspring. Life was hard for all and must have the courage to resist the road to true happiness. “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not...” NDU 14th Commencement Ceremony On Friday, July9, 2004, Notre Dame University held its 14th Commencement Ceremony at its main campus in Zouk Mosbeh. The guest speaker was the Honorable Ray LaHood, Member of the US Congress. The NDU Vice President for Research and Development 550 students graduated at the Dr. Ameen Rihani presented the ceremony, which was attended by guest of honor Mr. Ray LaHood, the Minister of Telecommunications who urged the students to work H.E. Jean-LLouis Cordahi, with others to make a better world. representing President Emile Lahoud, the Right Honorable Bahia Other speakers were Abbot Hariri M.P. representing Prime François Eid, Father General of the Minister Rafic Hariri, the Right Maronite Mariamite Order, Father Honorable Antoine Haddad M.P. Boutros Tarabay, President of representing Speaker of Parliament NDU, and Mr. Suheil Matar, NDU Nabih Berri and students’ parents Director General of Public and relatives. Relations. 2 3 Bordeaux – NDU Bordeaux Business School-NDU Joint Program Notre Dame University (NDU) and Bordeaux Business School (BBS) of France launched a new Joint Master Program at NDU in Lebanon, entitled MBA-MMIB Program on October 1st, 2004. The President of NDU and the Director of the MIB/MACI Program of Bordeaux signed the agreement on July 1st, 2004 at NDU. The MBA-MIB is an Executive hours of assiduous presence and NDU’s partner in this venture is the Program, specializing in participation in the courses MIB/MACI Institute (Institute of International Business, taught delivered at NDU, but also over International Business/Institut des entirely in English and composed and above class hours a certain Affaires et du Commerce of a 10-month period of formal amount of preparatory personal International) of the Bordeaux teaching in class at NDU divided and group work. Business School, a reputed school into two semesters. This is followed in France also known under the by a full four-month internship and name of Ecole Supérieure de Courses are divided into nine a formal presentation of an Commerce de Bordeaux, in the teaching units: individual Memoir related to the French Grandes Ecoles system. The internship in front of a jury. The BBS is one of the largest French internship may be taken 1. International environment business schools outside Paris and immediately after the 10-month in 1999 received the EQUIS Label 2. Corporate Strategy and period or after the summer from the European Foundation for Management vacation, in Lebanon or abroad. Management Development (EFMD) 3. Commerce/Marketing in Brussels. It is one of the few The course is highly intensive and French Schools offering Master demanding and includes 602 4. Production, Operations and degrees entirely in English and has hours of formal teaching. It will Logistics 76 student and faculty exchange give participants both NDU’s 5. Business Law partnerships spread over the five Lebanese MBA and the French continents. The MIB of Bordeaux is national Master’s of Science in 6.