AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FACULTY OF ARTS & SCIENCES ACADEMIC YEAR 2010 – 2011 Dr. Peter Dorman President American University of Beirut Beirut, Lebanon Nov. 10th, 2011 Dear Mr. President, Please find enclosed the Annual Report of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences for the academic year 2010-2011. This report was written by the chairpersons and/or directors of the academic units and of standing committees of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and edited in the Arts & Sciences Dean‘s Office. Sincerely yours, Patrick McGreevy Dean of the Faculty TABLE OF CONTENTS PART A Summary Report of the Office of the Dean Dean Patrick McGreevy P. 1 PART B Reports of the Standing Committees Advisory Committee……………………………. Dean P. McGreevy P.6 Curriculum Committee…………………………. Dr. Lara Halaoui P.8 Graduate Committee…………………………… Dr. Sawsan Kuraydiyyah P.11 Library Committee……………………………… Dr. Joshua Andresen P.18 Research Committee……………………………… Dr. Najat Saliba P.20 Student Academic Affairs Committee……… Dr. Malek Tabbal P.28 Student Disciplinary Affairs Committee……... Dr. Waddah Nasr P.34 Undergraduate Committee………………… Dr. Bilal Kaafarani P.37 PART C Reports of Academic Units Anis Makdessi Program in Literature…………. Dr. Maher Jarrar P.45 Arabic & Near Eastern Languages epartment Dr. Saleh Agha P.48 Biology Department……………………………. Dr. Colin Smith P.62 Center for Arab & Middle Eastern Studies……… Dr. J. L. Meloy P.96 Center for American Studies & Research……….. Dr. Robert Myers P.106 Center for Behavioral research …………………. Dr. Samir Khalaf P.111 Centerfor English Language Research &Teaching Dr. Lina Choueiri P.114 Chemistry Department………………………. Dr. Mazen El-Ghoul P.118 Civilisation Sequence Program………………. Dr. Richard Smith P.142 Computer Science Department………………….. Dr. George Turkiyyah P.153 Economics Department……………………. Dr. Simon Neaime P.168 Education Department……………………… Dr. Ghazi Ghaith P.179 English Department………………………… Dr. David Wrisely P.203 Fine Arts & Art History Department……….. Dr. Rico Franses P.232 Geology Department…………………….. Dr. A.Abdel Rahman P.243 History & Archeology Department………… Dr. Helen Sader P.254 Institute Financial Economics………… Dr. Marcus Marktanner P.273 Mathematics Department………………………... Dr. Hazar Abu Khuzam P.283 Philosophy Department…………………….. Dr. Ray Brassier P.299 Physics Department……………………… Dr. Samih Isber P.310 Political Studies & Public Administration…… Dr. Inanna Hamati-Ataya P.326 Sciences & Mathematics Education Center Dr. Saouma Bou Jaoude P.345 Social & Behavioral Sciences…………............. Dr. Nabil Dajjani P.347 University Preparatory Program………………… Dr.Samar Harkous Rihan P.372 Zaki Nassif Music program……………………. Dr. Nabil Nassif P.375 PART I SUMMARY OF THE OFFICE OF THE DEAN OFFICE OF THE DEAN FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES This report on the Faculty of Arts and Sciences covers the period from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011. A. NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION During the first semester, the freshman class saw 374 new students registered, while the sophomore class saw 440 registered. This was a decrease in admission to both classes from the previous year. During the second semester, the freshman class saw 42 new students registered while the sophomore class saw 46 new students registered which was also a decrease in admission to both classes from the previous year. The current policy of admission in FAS is to keep the student population in the sophomore class in FAS at the same level as in the previous academic years but to increase the number of students at the freshman level, if possible. The graduate program saw 114 (103 graduates and 11 prospective graduates) new students enrolled during the first semester. During the second semester, the graduate class saw 45 (39 graduates and 6 prospective graduates) new students registered. The UPP (University Preparatory Program) saw 14 registered in September 2010 out of a total of 23 accepted applicants. This represents a decrease in registration in this program in relation to the same period of 2009-10. Three new UPP students registered in the second semester out of five accepted applicants. During the first semester, the total enrollment at the undergraduate level was 2,687, while at the graduate level it was 422, in addition to fifteen students at the PhD level. During the second semester, the total enrollment at the undergraduate level was 2,567, while at the graduate level it was 433, in addition to fifteen students at the PhD level. 1 B. STUDENT ADMISSIONS The University Unified Admissions Committee (UUAC), with representation from all faculties, met and acted on all applications. Early admission to the University by the UUAC has resulted this year in 244 applicants being admitted to the sophomore class and 73 to the freshman class in FAS. Furthermore, 1,162 applications for admission to the freshman class were received and 671 applicants were issued letters of acceptance to-date for the first semester of 2011-12, including early admissions. Additionally, 1,413 out of 2,244 applicants for admission to the sophomore class (including early admissions) were issued letters of admission. It is to be noted that many of these accepted applicants represent students applying to other faculties at AUB also. The faculty acted on 26 applications to the UPP (University Preparatory Program), and to date 21 have been accepted for the first semester. C. CURRENT FACULTY NUMBER AND COMPOSITION The teaching program involved the equivalent of 284 full-time faculty members, plus 160 graduate assistants for the first semester and 165 for the second. During the first semester, a total of 6,388 students were enrolled in 472 different courses (equivalent to 1,145 courses and sections). A total of 6,229 students were enrolled in 502 different courses (equivalent to 1,127 courses and sections) during the second semester. There were 284 budgeted full-time faculty lines in FAS for 2010-11, all of which were filled. Of these, 228 were used for full-time contracts with the balance used for part-time appointments. Fulltime appointments were distributed as follows: 162 in the professorial ranks (assistant, associate, and full professors), 64 in ranks of instructor and lecturer, two assistant instructors. This includes all faculty members on paid junior and research leaves (26 in total for both semesters). D. PROFESSORS ON LEAVE, 2010-11 Eleven professors were on paid research leave during the academic year 2010-11. Five were on leave during the first semester, and five were on leave during the second semester, and one professor was on leave for the whole academic year. Eleven other faculty members, financed by university funds, were also on junior 2 paid leaves; five during the first semester of 2010-11 and six during the second semester. Three faculty members were on leave without pay during the current academic year 2010-11 and one professor during the first semester. E. PROFESSORS ON LEAVE, 2011-12 Several requests for paid research leaves for 2011-12 were considered by the Advisory Committee. To date eleven professors have been granted paid research leaves for the academic year 2011-12: six professors for the first semester, two for the second semester, and one for the academic year and two professors are on maternity leave for the first semester of 2011-12. Nine professors have been granted junior research leaves for the academic year 2011-12: seven professors for the first semester and two for the second semester. Three professors are on leave without pay for the academic year 2011-12, one for the first semester of 2011-12. F. FACULTY RECRUITMENT A total of 445 applications have been received for faculty positions due to start September 15, 2011 that were advertised by the Faculty. After consultation with the departments and the Advisory Committee, 24 offers have been accepted. These faculty members include: 4 Lebanese, 11 US citizens, 2 British, 2 British/Lebanese and one each from Bolivia, Turkey, Austria, New Zealand, and Armenia. Visiting chairs include Dr. Marwan Kraidy (Edward Said Chair in American Studies), Munira Khayyat (Whittlesey Chair in the SBS Department), and Dr. Selim Deringil (Howell Chair in the History and Archaeology Department). G. APPLICATIONS FOR PROMOTION Ten applications for promotion were received by the deadline of September 15, 2010. One application was for the promotion to the rank of full professor and nine for the rank of associate professor. All promotion cases made it through except for one case to the associate professor level. H. GENERAL REMARKS Dr. John Meloy joined as a second associate dean in fall 2010. 3 Four classroom renovations were completed in Nicely Hall during the summer of 2011. In addition, three classrooms in Fisk Hall were equipped with computers and projectors. The renovation of the Samir Zaabri Science Lecture Hall was completed before the start of the spring semester and an opening ceremony, attended by Mr. Zaabri, was held in February 2011. A large number of lectures, workshops, and conferences were sponsored by FAS centers and departments in 2009-10. The CAMES Summer Arabic Program has grown and been enhanced. In addition, CAMES will now offer all levels of Arabic as a foreign language every semester in response to demand that is expected to continue growing. A summer research program for undergraduate students was piloted by the Department of Biology during summer 2011; other departments may adopt similar programs in the future. The FAS Strategic Planning Committee met frequently beginning in February 2011. It identified strategic initiatives and completed its draft report. The process will continue to completion in 2011-12. A new Department of Psychology was approved by the faculty, the senate and the Board of Trustees. It will begin the 2011-12 year as an independent unit. The periodic program review process began with four FAS departments—PSPA, Philosophy, Physics, and Chemistry. These were the only departments at AUB to start this process which will be completed in 2011-12.