AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES ACADEMIC YEAR 2015-2016 Dr. Fadlo Khuri President American University of Beirut Beirut, Lebanon September 1, 2016 Dear Mr. President, Please find enclosed the Annual Report of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for the academic year 2015-2016. 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 and Sciences Dean’s Office. Nadia El Cheikh Dean of the Faculty TABLE OF CONTENTS Part I Summary Report of the Office of the Dean Dean Patrick McGreevy P. 1 Part II Reports of the Standing Committees Advisory Committee………………………………………. Dean Patrick McGreevy P. 13 Graduate Committee ……………………………………. Dr. Arne Dietrich P. 15 Library Committee………………………………………… Dr. Alexis Wick P. 18 Research Committee………………………………………. Dr. Bilal Kaafarani P. 20 Student Disciplinary Affairs Committee …………………. Dr. Faraj Hasanyan P. 27 Undergraduate Admissions Committee …………............... Dr. Digambara Patra P. 28 Undergraduate Curriculum Committee…………………… Dr. Leila Dagher P. 39 Undergraduate Student Academic Afairs Committee……… Dr. Houssam El-Rassy P. 42 Part III Reports of the Academic Units Anis Makdisi Program in Literature…………………..….. Dr. Nader El-Bizri P. 50 Arabic and Near Eastern Languages Department………... Dr. David Wilmsen P. 53 Biology Department……………………………………... Dr. Khouzama Knio P. 64 Center for American Studies and Research ……………… Dr. Lisa Hajjar P. 92 Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies …………….. Dr. Waleed Hazbun P. 96 Chemistry Department …………………………………... Dr. Tarek Ghaddar P. 108 Civilization Studies Program …………………………... Dr. Nader El Bizri P. 129 Computer Science Department….……………………….. Dr. Wassim El Hajj P. 145 Economics Department………………………………….. Dr. Ramzi Mabsout P. 159 Education Department…………………………………… Dr. Anies Al-Hroub P. 172 English Department……………………………………… Dr. S. Mejchter-Atassi P. 196 Fine Arts and Art History Department……………….….. Dr. Thomas Kim P. 233 Geology Department…………………………………….. Dr. A. Abdel Rahman P. 245 Graduate Porgram in Computational Science……………. Dr. Mazen Ghoul P. 254 History and Archeology Department…………….………. Dr. Hermann Genz P. 257 Institute of Financial Economics………………………… Dr. Simon Neaime P. 274 Kamal A. Shair Central Research Science Laboratory…… Dr. Youssef Mouneimne P. 287 Mathematics Department………………………………... Dr. Wissam Raji P. 292 Philosophy Department………………………………….. Dr. Hans Muller P. 303 Physics Department……………………………………… Dr. Ghassan Antar P. 313 Political Studies and Public Administration……………... Dr. Hilal Khashan P. 324 Psychology Department……….……………………….... Dr. Charles Harb P. 337 Sociology, Anthropology and Media Studies…….......... Dr. Sari Hanafi P. 345 University Preparatory Program…………………………. Dr. S. Harkouss-Rihan P. 376 Writing Center and Writing in the Disciplines…………… Dr. Ira James Allen P. 384 Zaki Nassif Music Program……………………………… Dr. Nabil Nassif P. 388 PART I SUMMARY OF THE OFFICE OF THE DEAN 1 2 OFFICE OF THE DEAN FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES This report of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences covers the period from September 1, 2015, to August 31, 2016. A. NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION During the first semester, the freshman class saw 362 new students registered (a significant increase compared to last year’s number: 307, while the sophomore class saw 562 registered, a decrease compared to last year’s number: 601. During the second semester, the freshman class saw 32 new students registered while the sophomore class saw 56 new students registered, a slight increase from previous year. The graduate program saw 131 new students enrolled during the first semester (104 graduates, 14 prospective graduates, and 13 special graduates). During the second semester, the graduate class saw 59 new students registered (47 graduates, three prospective graduates, and nine special graduates), a slight increase from last year. The UPP (University Preparatory Program) saw five new registered in September 2015 out of a total of ten accepted regular UPP applicants, a decrease in comparison to previous years. This represents a significant decrease in registration in this program in relation to the same period of 2014-15, 2013-14 and 2012-13. Five new UPP students registered in the second semester out of seven accepted applicants. During the first semester, the total enrollment at the undergraduate level was 2,805 individual students, including 46 in UPP. At the graduate level, enrollment was 444 individual students, including 21 prospective graduates and 14 special graduates, in addition to 30 students at the Ph.D. level. This shows a significant increase in registration from previous years. 3 During the second semester, the total enrollment at the undergraduate level was 2,722 individual students, including 35 in UPP. At the graduate level, enrollment was 449 individual students, including 12 prospective graduates and 12 special graduates, in addition to 29 students at the Ph.D. level. B. STUDENT ADMISSIONS The University Unified Admissions Committee (UUAC) acted on all applications for the first semester of the academic year 2016-17. Early admission to the University has resulted this year in 238 applicants being admitted to the sophomore class and 49 to the freshman class in FAS. Furthermore, 654 applications for admission to the freshman class were received and 556 applicants were issued letters of acceptance to date for the first semester of 2016-17, including early admissions. Additionally, 2,123 out of 3,200 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 five applications to the UPP (University Preparatory Program), and to date, four have been accepted for the first semester. C. CURRENT FACULTY NUMBER AND COMPOSITION The teaching program involved the equivalent of 365 full-time faculty members, plus 175 graduate assistants for the first semester and 175 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 310 budgeted full-time faculty lines in FAS for 2015-16, all of which were filled. Of these, 263 were used for full-time contracts with the balance used for part-time appointments. Fulltime appointments were distributed as follows: 204 in the professorial ranks (assistant, associate, and full professors), 59 in ranks of instructor and lecturer. This includes all faculty members on paid junior and research leaves. D. PROFESSORS ON LEAVE, 2015-16 Twenty-seven professors were on paid research leaves during the academic year 2015-16. Twenty-two were on Periodic Paid Research Leave (eleven in the fall, 4 five in the spring, and six in both semesters). Another five were on Junior Faculty Paid Research Leave (two in the fall and three in the spring). Four faculty members were on Leave without Pay (one in the fall, one in the spring, and two in both semesters). In addition to this, three faculty members were internal CAH (Center for Arts and Humanities) fellows for the academic year 2015-16. E. PROFESSORS ON LEAVE, 2016-17 Twenty-two professors will be on paid research leaves during the academic year 2016-17. Fifteen will be on Periodic Paid Research Leave (six in the fall, six in the spring, and three in both semesters). Another seven will be on Junior Faculty Paid Research Leave (three in the fall and four in the spring). Five faculty members will be on Leave without Pay for the academic year 2016-17. In addition to this, three faculty members will be internal CAH (Center for Arts and Humanities) fellows for the academic year 2016-17. F. FACULTY RECRUITMENT A total of 828 applications have been received for faculty positions due to start September 1, 2016 that were advertised by the faculty. After consultation with the departments and the FAS Advisory Committee, 25 offers have been accepted. These faculty members include: 10 Lebanese citizens, 4 US citizens, 1 Lebanese/US citizens, 1 French citizen, 1 Spanish citizen, 1 Lebanese/French citizens, 1 US/Canadian citizen, 1 Lebanese/ Norwegian citizen, 1 Jordanian citizen, 1 German citizen, 1 Canadian citizen, 1 British citizen, and 1 Irish citizen. The visiting chairs for the academic year 2016-2017 are Dr. Sami Khatib (Whittlesey Chair in the FAAH Department) and Dr. Matthew Gordon and Dr. Timothy Harrison (both as Howell Chair in the History and Archaeology Department), and Dr. Steven Salaita (Edward Said Chair of American Studies). G. APPLICATIONS FOR PROMOTION Nineteen applications for promotion were received by the deadline of August 31, 2015. Twelve applications were for the promotion to the rank of full professor and seven for the rank of associate professor. Seven out of the 12 applying to the rank of full professor were successful, and four applying to the rank of associate professor were successful. 5 H. GENERAL REMARKS The FAS vision is closely aligned with that of the University as a whole. It includes maintaining a strong liberal arts undergraduate experience for our students and expanding research and graduate education in strategic areas. Like the University as a whole, a key FAS goal is