Campus Life Technology
Unpreventable quakes
Year XIII, Vol. II, No. V
Financial Aid Offices or Cafés?
By Zeina Shehayeb
LAU Tribune contributor
A young woman, sitting lazi-
ly in the middle of the gray-
ish office, looked at her friend
across the room. Notebook in
one hand and pen in anoth-
er, the young man was busy
reviewing for an upcoming
exam. “So do you think Bin
Laden is dead?” She asked
him. At this hour of the day,
the scene seems quite banal.
But it is not. What makes it
worthy of scrutiny is the fact
that the two LAU students
are “at work.” Coming from
different departments, they
became friends as they chat-
ted their way through the fi-
nancial aid jobs they got at
LAU.
Based on need and budget
availability, LAU’s finan-
cial aid and scholarship of-
fice offer students a discount
of up to 1,000 dollars pro-
vided that they work for 100
hours per semester at one of
the university’s various of-
fices. Many students, how-
ever, end up earning money
for doing nothing or for sim-
ple jobs such as photocopy-
ing papers, sorting files and
delivering mail from one of-
fice to another.
Culture
Stupidsmart rooms Whatcha wearin’?
TRIBUNE
Page 4 Page 6
The Official Student Newspaper at the Lebanese American Universty
Monday, May 23, 2011
Photo by: Mohamad Yahia Hamade
Several financial aid stu- tigation, however, revealed
dents we interviewed used that more than fifty percent
the title “office boy” to re- of LAU’s offices only require
fer to the work they do. Still, students to photocopy mate-
some of the students we talk- rial, deliver envelopes across
ed to complained about what campus and sort files. “We
they called “the demanding usually have work to do but
type of work” they are asked sometimes we just sit at the
to do. office and wait for requests
“I don’t come to work because from the supervisor,” Caro-
my uncle has connections line Feghaly, a communica-
with the supervisor,” Mike, a tion arts junior, said.
business senior who declined According to public records,
to give his real name, said. “I LAU’s financial aid bud-
register my hours and I get get for the year 2010-2011,
paid for doing nothing.” He amounted to a maximum of
added that during a typical 15,282,694 dollars. The co-
working hour, he drinks Ne- lossal sum raises questions
scafé with his friends out- about the way end-receivers
side the office door. earn their money.
Kamal, a business junior “I sit at the office and, when
who also wished to remain I am asked to sort out files
anonymous, concurred. “I or deliver envelopes, I do so.
check Facebook at the of- But when I have no specific
fice when and if I go there,” tasks, I just sit around doing
he said. “I usually register nothing,” an education stu-
but don’t show up or I might dent who refused to be iden-
even bring my friends to sit tified explained.
with me because I’m bored.” Some students confessed
The problem, of course, does that they don’t know what
not extend to all LAU’s offic- their supervisor’s job is.
es. In many cases, students “There are no benefits be-
work hard to earn the money hind this work except for
they are generously grant-
ed by the university. Inves- Continued on page 9
People Opinion
Meet Anita Nassar See the stain?
Page 7 Page 8 Page 10
TribuneLAU@gmail.com
Are LAU Students’
Getting Worse?
By Sahar Moukaddem
LAU Tribune staff
“Read from page 15 till page 20 for Thursday,” the political
science instructor wrote with confidence on the board. Com-
plaints interrupted him. “Doctor, we have midterms,” some-
body said. The instructor turned angrily toward the culprit.
“When I was in college, I used to read 100 pages per day,” he
said.
LAU professors, close your eyes and go back to your classroom
10 years ago. Is the student you see there different from the
one sitting in front of you now?
Seven out of 10 instructors interviewed at LAU said that
students have gotten worse in the last five to 10 years. They
charged that some students today suffer from serious lan-
guage problems, don’t read and are lazy and less motivated.
“Some of the students don’t care if they failed or dropped a
course,” Samira Shami, English instructor, said. “They come
to university just to get their university degree and all they
care about are their cell phones and blackberrys”
Samar Mogharbel, a ceramics instructor, agreed with Shami.
Mogharbel noticed that, after the new tuition system was es-
tablished, students became more willing to drop a course.
“They don’t care because, if they didn’t do well in a course, they
simply drop it” she said.
Starting Fall 2010, LAU shifted from a credit-based tuition
system to a term-based one. Undergraduate students taking
more than 12 credits pay a fixed rate which covers the cost of
four three-credit classes.
According to statistics provided by LAU, 2405 courses were
dropped in fall 2010, compared to 1895 in fall 2009.
Some instructors believe that the attitude of students has
changed and that they are not as serious about their education
and professional career.
“Students before used to carry backpacks full of books and
notebooks,” Ramzi Haraty, computer science associate profes-
sor, said. “Now I notice students coming without even a pen to
class.”
Haraty suggested that a variety of procedures must be tak-
en at the admission, faculty and student level. “We have to
do a better job recruiting faculty, we have to get more experi-
enced and tough faculty as far as academic standards are con-
cerned,” Haraty explained.
Many of the interviewed instructors related the problem to
LAU’s admission standards. According to statistics provided
on the LAU website, the acceptance rate for the school of ar-
chitecture and design in fall 2010 was a staggering 80 percent,
for the school of engineering 78 percent and for the school of
pharmacy 83 percent.
According to a member of the faculty senate who refused to
be identified, professors at LAU have often proposed raising
Continued on page 9
2 Tribune
CAMPUS NEWS
Simply Zen II Exhibition until May 20th Student Honor Ceremony
By Farrah Berrou
LAU Tribune contributor
On the eighth floor of the Ri-
yad Nassar Library, “Simply
Zen II,” an exhibition featuring
works by LAU English profes-
sor Zen Shweiry, was launched
on May 13.
At the opening ceremony,
Shweiry elaborated on how he
viewed himself as an artist still
in the experimental stages of
his creative development.
The exhibition included 16 of
Shweiry’s original paintings,
15 of which were done in acryl-
ic and one in oil. All revolved
around “confused emotions of
life and death.”
Guests included Vahid Behm-
ardi, associate professor of Ar-
Student Film Festival
By Mohamad Yahia Hamade
LAU Tribune staff
Perso, a film by Brahim
Badran, won the first price dur-
ing the student film festival
on the LAU Beirut campus on
May 18. The event at the Irwin
Hall auditorium was organized
by Ramez Maluf’s public rela-
tions class.
Perso’s plot revolves around a
troubled man who is haunted
by the murder of his wife and
can’t distinguish dreams from
reality.
“This event accounts for 38 per-
cent of our class grade,” Chris-
tine Saifi, a journalism student,
said. “We’re screening six films
produced by LAU students who
took the broadcast class last
year.”
Ten public relations students,
including Saifi, organized the
event, which proved to be a suc-
cess. The audience had to vote
for the best movie.
abic and Persian literature and
chair of the humanities depart-
ment at LAU Beirut, and Lana
Shehadeh, LAU cultural stud-
ies instructor.
Behmardi admitted he was not
an expert in this type of art but
said he could feel the beauty be-
cause he works in verbal art
and the works were “expand-
ing from word to image.”
Although Shweiry holds an
MA in English literature, he
said he feels that “literature
is painting with words, while
painting is with colors.”
“They complement each other.
You read a book and you visu-
alize language into images, you
The second movie, Layle, by
Mahmoud Rida, examined the
life of a young man who remi-
nisced about his life, stuck be-
tween childhood and adulthood.
Layle also generated many pos-
itive remarks and comments
from the audience.
“I think I can relate to the lead,”
Rami, a computer science stu-
dent, said. “I’m currently re-
viewing my life and everything
that’s going on with me at
LAU.”
Al-Imtihan, or The Exami-
nation, by Elie Rizk, revolved
around two high school stu-
dents who attempt to steal their
math exam. The movie had a
comical feel to it and elicited a
few laughs from the audience.
Marwan Jaafar, an engineer-
ing student at AUB, made a
reference to the article about
exam theft in last week’s is-
May 23, 2011
By Eleena Korban
LAU Tribune staff
paint an image and it speaks
to the imagination,” the artist
Photo by: Najib Korban
added.
Among the works displayed,
were two self-portraits repre-
senting solitude and self-de-
Photo by: Farrah Berrou
The 11th annual ceremony of the Student Honor So-
ciety celebrated the achievement of dozens of distin-
guished LAU students at the Irwin Auditorium on
May 17.
Parents, honor students, doctors and deans stood up
for the national anthem and LAU’s alma mater as the
pendence. ceremony began. Raed Mohsen, dean of student of af-
Categorizing his style between fairs at LAU, gave a word of welcome. President Jo-
figurative and naïve art, seph Jabra then expressed his pride in the students
Shweiry revealed he inher- and his appreciation for their parents.
ited his interest in painting Jabra then distributed the Highest Averages Awards,
from his mother, who was which are monetary checks of 1,000 dollars. The high-
the artistic influence in his est average holders were Yara Mahmoud Khraibani at
early life. the school of architecture and design, Hassan Nass-
The exhibition, organized by er Abdallah at the school of arts and sciences and Aya
LAU’s humanities depart- Mohammad Dabbous at the school of business.
ment, will remain open ev- The deans of the schools distributed certificates and
ery day from 5:30 till 8:30 pins to all students with a GPA higher than 3.5.
p.m. until May 20. The Rhoda Orm award was granted to Reham Dar-
wich, MIT major, and the Riyad Nassar Leadership
award went to Farah Chihadeh, an LAU business stu-
dent.
Photo courtesy of Mona Knio
sue of the Tribune. “It’s cool, we
read about exam theft and then
watch a movie about it here at
LAU,” he smiled.
“Even American literature
seems to be present here,” Jaaf-
ar said as he described the
fourth movie. Upon the 8th
Night, by Nour Bou Dagher,
was a film adaptation of Edgar
Allan Poe’s The Tell Tale Heart.
Love’s Decoy, a drama by Tara
Bassim, focused on a married
couple who suffer from a dys-
functional relationship. An au- LAU’s communication arts documentary film maker
dience member made a snarky department and the Neth- living in Belgium, gave the
remark about the movie being a erlands Institute for Aca- workshop on May 15 and
parody of the 21st century mar- demic Studies in Damascus 16.
riages in general. organized a documentary Rombout produced about
Balloon, a movie by Pia Hadad, workshop during which a 16 documentaries between
was the last movie screened. dozen radio/TV/film stu- 1985 and 2010, includ-
The drama revolved around the dents learned the art of ing Nord Express (1990),
life of a young girl whose recent- writing and directing doc- Les passagers de l’Alsace
ly divorced parents leave her umentaries for optimum re- (2002) and Amsterdam via
pining for her father. sult. Rob Rombout, a Dutch Amsterdam (2004).
 May 23, 2011
CAMPUS NEWS
LAU’s Immortals Still Undefeated
By Eleena Korban
LAU Tribune staff
LAU’s Immortals imposed
themselves once again on
Saturday May 14, as they
took home the winning tro-
phy of the season. The team
finished first in the rankings
with 13 wins and zero losses.
The American University of
Beirut came in second.
The players picked them-
selves up after the five at-
tempts they got to near in
on the try line, then they de-
fended their turf as the other
team attempted their five of-
fences. After setbacks, tack-
les, and two penalties, LAU
managed to score three tries,
winning over AUB 16-8.
George Rahal scored the first
try. Rudy Hachache, brother
of team captain Robin Hach-
ache, scored the second try.
The third try by Allen Khoury
was the turning point of the
game, according to Coach
Raymond Safi. The ball was
kicked in the air past the
players and headed to AUB’s
try line. Khoury dashed for
the ball and caught it before
it hit the ground. He scored
an immediate try. The crowd
The Truth about Autism
By Lyn Abu Seraj
LAU Tribune contributor
Arwa Lynn Halawi, presi-
dent of the Lebanese Autism
Society (LAS) and Ahmad
Oueini, associate professor
at the department of educa-
tion at LAU, hosted a lecture
at the beginning of the month
to raise awareness about this
rare yet solemn disorder.
Autism, as defined by the
Autism Society of Ameri-
ca (ASA), is a disability that
typically appears during the
first three years of one’s life
as a result of a neurological
disorder which affects the
normal functioning of the
brain. The disorder affects
the development of cortical
areas related to social inter-
action and communication
skills.
LAS provides classes for au-
went wild chanting for LAU
while Khoury’s teammates
passed him around on their
shoulders. “It was amazing,
I had no idea where it came
from, I just did it,” Khoury
said after the game.
The kicker, Walid Yassin,
got two out of the three con-
versions, or kicks, in. After
every try that awards four
points, the team is allowed a
kick that would award them
two additional points.
LAU could not expect any
less of their Immortals. For
two years now, they have
been undefeated with 32
wins under their belts and
absolutely no losses. Even
tistic children (CCA-Fr,
CCA-En), technical schools
(TSA), and early diagno-
sis and intervention center
(CDIP). It has also published
books to raise awareness
about the disease.
“Autism is considered to be
a rare thing, but, thank God,
people in Lebanon know in-
creasingly more about it,”
Oueini explained. Today,
more than 400 families have
joined LAS and the number
Tribune
Tumor Suppressor
By Tala El Riz
LAU Tribune staff
Noel Ghanem, assistant pro-
Photo by: Eleena Korban
fessor of biology at the Amer-
ican University of Beirut,
discussed the function of ret-
inoblastoma protein, PRb,
during embryonic and adult
neurogenesis on the after-
noon of May 13 at Nicol Hall,
room 222 via video confer-
ence with both LAU campus-
es, Beirut and Byblos..
Retinoblastoma is a protein
used in neurogenesis which
so, Coach Safi claims that is the development of nerve
this is only a mere shadow of tissues in embryos. Ghanem,
what the Immortals are ca- also a neurologist, discussed
pable of. in great length the develop-
“This was not the LAU Im- ment and differentiation of
mortals I know but when it this neuron.
came down to crunch time “Historically, what is known
they pulled it together,” he about this protein is that it’s
said. a tumor suppressor, so nat-
“Some of the AUB players urally what it does is inhibit
may think that there were cells from dividing,” Mirvat
some calls that were not in El Sibai, the LAU assistant
their particular favor, but we professor who organized the
pulled it off in the end.” event, said. “Retinoblasto-
As the boys gathered around ma is regularly expressed in
to take the winning photo, in- our body and it regulates the
stead of saying the tradition- divisions and prevents can-
al “cheese” they went with a cerous cells from spreading
unanimous message to the since cancer is basically the
losing team, “sorry, eh?” uncontrollable unnatural di-
They are often sensitive to
Photo by: Lyn Abu Seraj
stimuli, so they tend to cov-
er their ears all the time and
avoid maintaining eye con-
tact. They also have a ten-
dency to say inappropriate
things at unexpected times.
“Autistic children are not re-
tarded, they are talented.
is on the increase. They have a way of looking
Many companies, like Alpha at things, it is like they are in
and the ABC department their own little world,” Ouei-
store, show their support by ni explained. “They are very
donating money. Every year, smart and can work out math
a worldwide autism day problems and fix technical is-
is organized on the second sues within minutes.”
Sunday of February and , for Some of the most intelligent
the third consecutive year, people in history were peo-
LAS has participated by or- ple with autism. Albert Ein-
ganizing a mass in St. John stein, the father of modern
Church. physics, is one example. Is-
Children with autism share sac Newton, who was known
specific characteristics. to be an English physicist,
3
vision of cells in the body.”
But retinoblastoma in can-
cer cells is mutated, and
whenever retinoblastoma is
mutated it’s not active any-
more. As a result, it doesn’t
tell the cells to stop dividing
and that’s one way –among
many– we get cancerous
cells. Hence the cells divide
uncontroolably and result
in tumors and other such a
forms of cancer.
“[Retinoblastoma], the tu-
mor suppressor, made me
discover in my research that
[it] not only regulates cell di-
vision, but it also regulates
cell-differentiation and cell-
migration,” Ghanem said.
All these factors allow the
production of the neededpro-
tein to keep a healthy natu-
ral balance.
Usually, differentiation and
migration are two opposing
procedures.
Ghanem showed for the first
time how this protein regu-
lates and differentiates cells
while also encouraging them
to reproduce more cancerous
ones.
mathematician, astronomer,
natural philosopher, alche-
mist and theologian was also
autistic. Mozart, the pianist
who wrote over 600 musicals,
is a third famous case.
LAS’ mission is to support
the rights of individuals with
autism and to provide them
and their families with sup-
port and services from early
childhood to adulthood. “We
try to raise awareness about
this disorder and try our best
to give these children and
their families a better life,”
Halawi said.
LAS’ main goal is to provide-
children with autism with a
better life by enhancing their
communication and interac-
tions skills within the com-
munity.
4 Tribune
CAMPUS LIFE
Engineering Schools Do Not Stress Seismic Building
By Diana Bachoura
LAU Tribune staff
“Earthquakes don’t kill peo-
ple,” John Mutter, a seismol-
ogist and disaster expert at
Columbia University’s Earth
Institute, says. “Bad build-
ings kill them.”
Haiti had some of the worst
buildings in the world.
Safety codes are acknowl-
edged there but, in a coun-
try ranked as the 10th most
corrupt in the world, enforce-
ment is negligent. When a
7.0 magnitude earthquake
struck Port-Au-Prince in
2010, around 220,000 people
lost their lives.
Yes, it may be a little extreme
to compare but the state of af-
fairs may not be much better
in Lebanon.
The National Council of Sci-
entific Research, the seismic
network that monitors tec-
tonic activity here, records
more than 100 earthquakes
of low magnitude (M 2.0 or
3.0) per month.
According to Ata Elias, earth
scientist and geology profes-
sor at the American Univer-
sity of Beirut, there is no way
of predicting when the next
strong earthquake will hap-
pen.
“The small earthquakes that
we are talking about can hap-
pen anywhere in Lebanon.
More important regarding
safety issues are the large-
magnitude ones of 5.0, 6.0 or
above,” he explained. “These
The LAU Stereotype
By Lama Al -Haqhaq
LAU Tribune staff
“LAU students are mostly
fake and materialistic, and I
would never want to be part
of their society,” Daniella De-
bies, a student from Notre
Dame University, said.
Her description fits into the
stereotype some have about
LAU students; rich, snob-
by and “plastic” individuals.
Like several others, Debies
finds that LAU students are
notoriously known to care
more about how they look
can happen – especially 6.0
and above – where there are
active faults.”
The US Geological Survey
defines fault lines as meeting
points where tectonic plates
come into contact with one
another and where the man-
tle is cracked. Fault lines cre-
ate earthquakes because the
ground is in a constant state
of motion.
Lebanon lies on three active
fault lines at least. The big-
gest fault, known as the Ya-
mouneh fault, extends along
Mount Lebanon. The Sergha-
ya fault lies along the eastern
range and the Mount Leb-
anon thrust, which is capa-
ble of causing tsunamis that
spread across the coast.
Three notorious earth-
quakes, reaching approxi-
mately a magnitude of 7.5 on
the Richter scale (Haiti was
7.0) hit Lebanon in the past.
In July 551 AD, a strong
tremor trigged a tsunami
and destroyed Beirut. In May
1202, along the Yamouneh
fault, another earthquake
shook Damascus, Tripoli and
Sidon. Finally, in November
1759, a third seism severely
damaged Beirut and Damas-
cus.
Because of the quake of 551
AD, Beirut did not regain its
glory before the 19th centu-
ry.
According to the US Geo-
than about how they perform
academically.
Scholars define stereotyp-
ing as process of labelling
that involves categorization
and evaluation and where
the characteristics of a mi-
nority within a group are ex-
tended to the entire group.
Stereotypes are often false,
demeaning and present the
subject as an inferior “other.”
To test the accuracy of the
LAU stereotype, the Tribune
logical Survey, the last ma-
jor earthquake, measuring
M 5.0, hit South Lebanon in
1956. It destroyed 6000 hous-
es and 17,000 buildings and
left 136 dead.
In 2005, a seismically sound
construction code was adopt-
ed in Lebanon, based on Eu-
ropean and American stan-
dards. The latter focus on
constructions “resisting”
seismic activity (Japanese
standards, which are based
on “flexibility,” strive to have
buildings sway with earth-
quake movement).
These building codes are not
strictly enforced.
According to Camille Issa, an
LAU civil engineering pro-
fessor who studies the effects
of earthquakes on construc-
tions, building an average
seismically sound structure
can cost up to 50 percent
more than assumed.
That being said, many build-
ers in Lebanon find it finan-
cially inconvenient (others
are intentionally negligent)
to follow seismic building
codes.
As a result, seismically poor
structures continue to rise,
posing risks of severe dam-
age.
But it is one thing to lack re-
sources and finance and an-
other to undermine educa-
tion and training.
The general attitude in Leb-
conducted a study on cam-
pus, focusing on the number
of women wearing high heels.
During one hour, only 18 per-
cent of students were found
wearing such shoes, while
the other 82 percent were in
flats, sandals or sneakers.
The stereotype was also con-
firmed wrong among outsid-
ers who had friends at LAU.
Their opinion of our student
body was indeed more bal-
anced.
anon’s engineering schools
is that we live in a country
where daily needs, such as
electricity and proper high-
ways, are not being served.
Concern about surviving an
earthquake that may or may
not happen is accordingly
far-fetched.
“In an ideal situation, you
should worry about these is-
sues. But you cannot be ideal
when everything else is fall-
ing apart,” Issa said.
While the chairperson of
LAU’s school of engineering
did not grant us an interview,
Issa courteously explained
that seismic design at the
school is briefly touched upon
but not scrutinized.
Apparently, LAU civil engi-
neering students are exposed
in brief to earthquake de-
sign during their final-year
projects. “Generally, earth-
quakes are not a hot topic
in this region,” Issa said, “If
anyone is interested in learn-
ing more, technical electives
are available.”
Nizar Sankary, a fourth year
civil engineering student,
confirmed Issa’s remarks. He
explained that earthquakes
are touched upon in class,
but never in detail.
Likewise, the civil engineer-
ing program at AUB has no
focus on seismic construc-
tion. According to Moham-
mad Al Hariri, a fourth year
“LAU students are very di-
verse. They’re a mix of so
many different things, and
that’s really nice,” Fadi Had-
dad, a student from the
American University of Bei-
rut, said.
Others agreed. “I actually ad-
mire them for their consis-
tency to have time to study
and party,” Shady Said, a
student from Balamand Uni-
versity, said. “I mean it’s very
rare to find students who can
May 23, 2011
civil engineering student at
AUB, courses that are relat-
ed to earthquakes and seis-
mic activities are usually of-
fered to graduate students.
Undergraduates were only
permitted to enroll in such
courses as of this year as
technical electives.
LAU civil engineering stu-
dents in their fourth year are
required to take three techni-
cal electives from a list of 18.
Technical electives that cov-
er earthquake analysis in-
clude Concrete Structures II
and Risk and Natural Haz-
ard Management. According
to civil engineering students,
a new technical elective ti-
tled Earthquake Analysis of
Structures is due to begin in
fall 2011.
But, earthquake construc-
tion is not merely a job for
engineers. As you create a
building, you need to have a
team made of an architect,
an engineer for structure,
and two others for electro
and mechanic.
Engineering students study
structure, whereas architec-
ture students study the de-
sign of the building.
“Generally, our focus is on
design and space,” Ramzi
Najjar, a third-year architec-
ture student, said. “Study-
ing earthquakes is consid-
Continued on page 9
have time for both.”
It seems that, while many are
quick to joke about and ste-
reotype LAU students, they
do not have the same opinion
when asked seriously.
“There are students that are
snobby and there are those
that are laid back,” Aaliah
Qaddah, a student from St
Joseph University, said. “But
it’s normal to have a mix of
these people because it’s like
that everywhere.”
 May 23, 2011
CAMPUS LIFE
Dear Adviser, Can You Help?
By Diaa Aljurdy
LAU Tribune staff
They stand in a long line,
some holding a paper in their
hands, some chatting, oth-
ers simply daydreaming.
While one may think it may
describe a bus station, the
scene actually takes place
at Nicol Hall’s second floor,
during the advising period.
Advising is a crucial process
for new students. Guided
by their contract sheet, stu-
dents decide what courses
they should register for ev-
ery semester, with their ad-
viser’s help and approval.
Contract sheets provide stu-
dents with the LAC, ma-
jor and elective courses they
should take to graduate. Ev-
ery student has one or two
advisers who stay with him
or her until graduation.
For some students at LAU,
advising is a problematic is-
sue. “I was admitted as a
sophomore, but during reg-
istration they made me shift
to freshman,” Nelly Awad,
an international affairs stu-
dent, said. “My adviser never
had the answers as to what
courses I should take.”
Desperate, Awad consulted
the Ministry of Education,
where her high school cred-
its were transferred. She
ended up taking courses that
weren’t counted and lost an
entire semester because of
an advising mistake.
An unhappy Awad noted
that the advising system is
quite strict, with advisers as-
signed in alphabetical order
according to students’ family
names. “I had to see a specific
adviser even if he was not on
campus,” Awad said.
Interviews with full-time
faculty revealed that some
weren’t trained for advising.
They use personal judgment
and common sense to advise
students.
Mona Nabahani, an associ-
ate professor of education
and the director of LAU’s
Teacher Training Institute,
said that she learned about
the advising process on her
own.
“They usually do mini orien-
tations for new faculty, but
I learned alone,” Nabahani
said. “At the time, even our
chair was new. She had been
here for few years and was
also self-trained in advising.”
Back then, a staff member at
the guidance office provided
help to advisers when need-
ed but she has long since re-
tired. “She was like an en-
cyclopedia for us. We do not
know now whom we should
contact for advising ques-
tions,” Nabahani said.
Today, LAU doesn’t seem to
have a reference person or
center for advisers.
Azzam Mourad, an assis-
tant professor at the depart-
ment of computer science
and mathematics, said that
he didn’t get any training for
advising beyond the regis-
trar office’s session on how to
use the registration comput-
er system.
Sahar Moukaddem, a jour-
nalism senior, had to post-
pone her graduation because
of a mistake her adviser com-
mitted.
“Last fall, my adviser regis-
tered me for elective cours-
es only, and I couldn’t take a
major course later because it
needs prerequisites,” she ex-
plained.
The registrar office regularly
receives petitions where stu-
dents charge that they regis-
tered unrequired course.
“Students’ petitions are sent
to every student’s depart-
ment, the decisions are based
Tribune
on the reasons behind the pe-
tition,” a source who refused
to be identified said. “It takes
time to study these petitions
because some claims are not
true.”
Nabahani cautioned that
students are sometimes to
blame for registration prob-
lems. She gave the example
of a pre-engineering student
who came to the education
department, searching for
her adviser. The student did
not have any idea who the
latter was.
“The online advising system
allows students to change or
add courses after they get our
approval,” Iman Osta, associ-
ate professor of mathematics
and computer and the chair
of the education department,
said.
Some students do not check
their webmail and remain
unaware of advising and reg-
istration deadlines.
The debate on whether stu-
dents or advisers are to
blame will persist. In some
cases, advisers commit mis-
takes as they help students
register their courses. In oth-
ers, students act irresponsi-
bly and disregard their ad-
visers’ recommendation or
do not check with them in the
first place.
Elise Salem, LAU’s vice pres-
ident for student develop-
ment and enrollment man-
agement, acknowledged
there is an advising problem
5
Photo courtesy of: Fatima Ghoul
Zahra Bou Melhem, a
19-year-old pharmacy stu-
dent, agreed. “I didn’t face
any problems during ad-
vising, my advisor gave me
courses according to my con-
tract sheet,” she said.
A survey of 26 LAU students
revealed that 12 had an un-
satisfactory advising ex-
perience. The rest were ei-
ther satisfied with or neutral
about the process.
Mona Shahine, an instruc-
tor at the humanities depart-
ment and freshman adviser,
said she has never registered
students for a non-required
course. “If they insist on tak-
ing a course that I don’t rec-
at the university. She said ommend, I double check by
that sessions for training ad- calling Randa Gharzeddine
visers are being planned. at the registrar,” she added.
Salem also recognized that At the guidance office, Zeina
the student-adviser ratio at Trad and Dina Abdul Rah-
LAU is low. “We are willing man help with the advising
to hire more professional ad- of freshman students. “The
visers for every school,” she Freshman System and the
said. “Our aim is to bring stu- SAT have changed,” Trad
dents online by putting more said. “Advisers are aware of
information about advising that but get lost sometimes.
on LAU’s website.” That’s why Dina helps them.”
Salem also said there are Trad added that advisers of-
plans to make contract ten contact them about spe-
sheets more detailed. The cific cases. “I’m also here to
current versions provide help students who have aca-
general guidelines such as demic problems,” she said.
recommendations to take “The first step for solving ad-
three to nine social science vising problem is a proactive
LAC credits but do not spec- advising system which our
ify which courses fall under school is adapting,” Nashaat
such category. Mansour, a computer sci-
Information of this sort could ence professor and the as-
have served people like Jee- sistant dean at the school of
na Basma, LAU interior de- arts and sciences, said. “Stu-
sign student, who took a dents should be called during
course she did not need. their first year by their advis-
“After I paid for the course, ers to check how they are cop-
the registrar told me it is not ing with every aspect of their
required for me to take it,” courses.”
she said. According to Mansour, an-
But some students reported other step is an indirect
no problems with advising. training program where new
They said they relied on their faculty shadow given men-
contract sheets and always tors at the department to get
followed their advisers’ rec- acquainted with the advising
ommendations. process.
Victor Khsheish, an 18-year- All in all, several projects
old management student, are underway to improve the
said that he hadn’t had any state of things. “After all, stu-
problems with advising be- dents are justified in their
cause he learned all the rules concerns and LAU is serious
during the orientation peri- in making changes,” Salem
od. said.
6 Tribune
SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH
Of Tablets and Laptops
By Zahi Sahli
LAU Tribune contributor
The fact that 82 percent of tech
geeks primarily use their tab-
lets at home underlines the sig-
nificance of this device as a rev-
olutionary modern invention.
According to a March 2011 sur-
vey by Google’s AdMob, tablets
have entirely dominated the
technological market since the
release of the Apple’s iPad.
This information comes to
prove that a company cannot
rest on its laurels for long.
In an industry that runs on
quick spinning, companies are
at risk of falling behind in the
pecking order of corporations
in wheels.
Some have begun to question
whether tablets will replace
desktops and laptops as the
new favorite gadget.
Digital strategy consultant
and LAU instructor Ayman
Itani believes, however, that
tablets and laptops are two in-
comparable devices.
While the former are mainly
used by a receiving audience,
he explained, laptops remain
the most popular input device.
From ‘Punch Card Readers’ to Smart Rooms
By Eleena Korban
LAU Tribune staff
Back in 1978, LAU students
had to take punch card read-
ers to the American University
of Beirut in the evening to use a
computer. Since then, our cam-
pus has come a long way.
“Today, LAU is a leader in the
use of IT in Lebanon,” Roy Ma-
jdalani, vice president of hu-
man resources and university
services, said. “IT is interwo-
ven in the texture of the univer-
sity.”
In 1980, LAU acquired its first
set of Texas Instrument com-
puters. Fifteen years later, it
launched the computer net-
work. In 1996, email was set
up for all faculty and staff. The
LAU website launched a year
later. In 2004, LAU became the
first university in the Middle
East to launch a comprehen-
sive wireless network.
Nicolas Majdalani, director of
According to Itani, the creation
of tablets has originated from a
growing need in the technologi-
cal world to find a meeting point
between rising and old gadgets.
“Tablets have been invented to
fill a gap between smart phones
and laptops after the huge glob-
al success of smart phones,” the
technology expert said.
LAU student Mona Hammoud
assured that she would prefer a
laptop over an iPad.
As a journalist, Hammoud be-
lieves that laptops are ideal
tools for writing and editing.
“I cannot see myself writing an
article on an iPad,” she said.
IT infrastructure and support,
explains the magnitude of this
network. “We have over 300 ac-
cess points but imagine 40,000
students and alumni, 2,000
staff and faculty all putting
pressure on the access points to
transition and migrate, not to
mention the uprising of all the
wireless phones and laptops,”
he said. “It’s only normal that
the system would glitch to keep
up with the demand.”
Today, LAU has 52 smart
classrooms between Beirut
and Byblos, with 21 more to
come. Not to mention six smart
conference rooms. The proj-
ect was financed by USAID,
which offered 555,000 dollars
through its ASHA grants pro-
gram.
The classrooms come in four
levels. Level zero includes a
projector, electrical screen and
Photo by: Fatima Ghoul
Apple and develop their own
versions of the same device.
“The smart phone was very
well-done technologically and
user response about it was ex-
tremely positive. Other man-
ufactures have unsurprising-
ly gone in the same direction,”
Itani said.
An immense commotion has
surrounded the release of the
second version of Apple’s iPad;
the new-generation device has
The communication arts stu- racked up a record one million
dent’s opinion emphasizes unit sales during the first week-
Itani’s judgment about the dif- end, according to Reuters.
ference between tablets and Statistics indicate that Apple
laptops. continues to dictate the flow of
The iPad’s ingenious concep- new technological gadgets.
tion, however, which has tak- In the AdMob survey, 43 per-
en the world by a storm, did not cent of respondents revealed
come to existence without pre- that they spend more time
liminary phases in the indus- with their tablets than they do
try. with their laptops or desktops.
The innovative success of smart Meanwhile 77 percent of re-
phones, in particular, prompted spondents reported that their
Apple to create the iPad, which desktop or laptop usage has de-
was followed by a slightly mod- creased after buying a tablet.
erated version, the iPad 2. Although prices for technology
Other companies have pounced in Lebanon are fairly inflated
at the chance to compete with in comparison with other coun-
a PC. Level one classrooms ty minutes in the beginning of
have in addition a sound sys- class trying to figure out how to
tem and the touch-screen Cres- work the equipment, and even-
ton Control System. Level tually end up calling someone
two adds a document camera to help us,” Julia Ataya, edu-
that allows teachers to project cation major, complained. Ata-
handouts. Level three, the ul- ya’s frustration is shared by a
timate, includes at least two significant number of students
projectors and two screens, a who watch their professors
complete sound system with struggling with the technology
microphones, a VC and an in- at the beginning of class.
structor IP camera. Mohammad Fakih, a business
“The visual aspects of the class- student who works at the au-
rooms are really important,” diovisual department, is one of
Patricia Purdhomme, a biolo- the many young men that tend
gy student, attested. “Seeing to professors when they give
the images while the professor up. “We get around two calls ev-
explains helps us remember. I ery hour,” he said. “Usually the
feel it makes all our lives easier.” problem is that they can’t fig-
A smart classroom is meant to ure out how to open the lectern,
fully integrate technology into sometimes a cord would just be
the learning process. Howev- unplugged.”
er, the said process seems to In April, the audiovisual crew
be disrupted with all this new provided faculty with two train-
technology. “We waste twen- ing sessions on smart class-
May 23, 2011
tries, part of the global strength
of tablets is their relatively
cheap cost.
“iPad 2 is sold for 800 dollars in
Lebanon and for 500 dollars in
the United States,” Itani said.
Buying an equally fine laptop
would demand that a consumer
shells out more than 1,000 dol-
lars.
Although monetary value is a
vital detail for a potential cus-
tomer of any modern gadget,
the prices of these devices are
not the key motives for audi-
ence purchasing preferences.
As previously highlighted, the
crucial point remains the mode
in which a consumer would use
the gadget of his or her choice.
For those seeking entertain-
ment through the massive in-
flux of media output, iPads are
ideal companions.
The laptop, however, is still far
from becoming extinct.
It still provides the essential
role of a classic input device
that many people in the me-
dia industry and other busi-
nesses still require.
rooms. “Only around ten at-
tended those sessions,” Fakih
said. “Another issue is that we
have had three keyboards sto-
len already because teachers
leave the podiums unlocked.
More attention needs to be
paid to the equipment.” Per-
haps with better organization
and training, both students
and professors will learn to ful-
ly take advantage of the invest-
ments LAU has made for them.
When launching “The Legacy
and the promise: LAU’s cam-
paign for excellence” in 2008,
President Joseph Jabbra said
that “investing in education is
the best investment that any-
body can make in the future
not only of this country but of
this region.”
If that is the case, then our re-
gion’s future looks pretty good
so far.
 May 23, 2011
CULTURE & FASHION
Royal Weddings: What’s with All the Fuss?
By Tala Osseiran
LAU Tribune staff
Most young girls dream of be-
ing princesses and falling in
love with prince charming.
Unable to let go of the child-
hood stories we grew, we
came to cherish royal wed-
dings, a glimpse into a world
most of us only know in fai-
rytale books. Newlyweds
Prince William and Princess
Kate Middleton made their
way recently to Buckingham
palace, after a dazzling wed-
ding ceremony that fascinat-
ed the world. Amid reports
of unrest in Libya, Syria, Ye-
men and Bahrain, Al Jazeera
stopped for some time to
broadcast live this Cinderel-
la story. We got a good look at
the prince’s blue Austin Mar-
tin, decorated with red, white
and blue ribbons. The priest
of Canterbury declared the
newlyweds “man and wife”
in front of two billion people.
“People are always under the
influence of the media, which
tells us that we should be
Are You Really What You Wear?
By Maria Fellas
LAU Tribune staff
As she carried her notebooks
in one hand and her Lou-
is Vuitton bag in another,
the young woman hurried-
ly crossed LAU’s upper gate.
Behind her DKNY sunglass-
es, she could see a group of fe-
male students looking at her.
They seemed to admire her
new Diesel jeans. It does, in-
deed, fit perfectly, the young
woman thought. Quite hap-
py about the outcome, she
rushed to class.
Advertising scholar Judith
Williamson explains that
brand names offer their own-
er value and status beyond
the attributes of the actual
product.
A jeans, in other words, is
merely an outfit that cov-
ers one’s lower body. But
when it’s jeans, it also signi-
fies that its proprietor is hip
and, quite importantly, rich
enough to afford a pair of
looking up to these people,”
Reem Sweidan, an LAU jour-
nalism student, said. “It all
begins with the Disney mov-
ies we watched. The media
convinced us that royalty is
what we should dream of.”
And the bigger and more ex-
travagant the wedding is,
the better. “It’s more of a sta-
tus thing since people always
envy what they can’t have,”
Rola Nasr, a social psycholo-
gy, explained. “Many people
may to care about this occur-
rence because they are chan-
neled into doing so by a force
that plays on their psyche.”
Watching royal weddings
boost our hopes of finding
love and living “happily ever
after.” During the ceremony,
our dreams are played out
by a beautiful princess and a
handsome prince. “Let’s face
it, we all like to have an ex-
cuse to enjoy watching some-
thing and to criticize it after-
wards,” M. N., who refused to
pants that costs several hun-
dred dollars.
“You become what you buy,”
a consumer research study
conducted in Ontario, Cana-
da, explains.
For those who obsess with
fashion, clothes are a reflec-
tion of what’s inside.
So picture this. It’s the sec-
ond day of advising here at
LAU Beirut. People stand in
line, sweating and tired. Yet
J. AlHachem feels compelled
to be super fashionable from
head to toe. “I wake up at
5:30 a.m. every day to get
ready,” Al Hachem said. “My
daily ritual includes make-
up, hair and finding the per-
fect outfit.”
When the dress becomes
more important than the per-
son wearing it, and dressing
up becomes a way of life in-
stead of a perk, some are left
behind. Students who don’t
Tribune
be identified, confessed. “All
news station, all magazines
around the world are at the
wedding. Why wouldn’t I want
to be part of the two billion
people watching? It’s a dream
when reality comes alive.”
“The media play on the myth
we grow up with, the one of
a normal girl marrying into
royalty,” Yasmine Dabbous,
assistant professor of me-
dia studies, explained. “They
know such stories sell and
like to wear brand names on
their foreheads find them-
selves on the fringes.
“To me, they are just trying
not to conform. It’s not that
they don’t like dressing up,
because I know that for a girl
this is impossible,” Rawan,
a management student at
LAU Byblos, said.
Psychologists suggest that
the obsession with fashion
and expensive brands may
have develop during child-
hood. Young adult girls don’t
just happen to randomly like
CK, D&G or Prada.
“These girls are used to wear-
ing expensive and luxuri-
ous brands. Their parents
dressed them that way as
kids, and that’s what appeals
to them as adults,” Maral
Boyadjian, a doctoral candi-
date in leadership skills and
LAU psychology instructor,
said.
Photo via Facebook
they cover them extensively
to attract viewers and make
money. It’s all about the rat-
ings.” Prince William’s sta-
tus as the next king of Britain
and the son of the late Di-
ana fueled people’s interests
and, accordingly, increased
viewership. “The shadow and
memories of the late Lady D
made the media fall into the
trap of comparing both wed-
dings,” Mahmoud Tarabay,
a media instructor and train-
But the problem doesn’t lie in
those who are fashionable or
like to treat themselves with
expensive bags, clothes and
accessories. It is more in the
opinion such people have of
those who don’t appreciate
brand names.
Georgio Djukovic, a student
at LAU Beirut believes that
“those who wear nothing but
sweatpants, and do noth-
ing but critique those wear-
ing brands” are just trying to
make a statement.
“You think they don’t spend
time thinking about what to
wear? They are too obsessed
with not conforming that
sometimes it’s more serious
than those who wear brands,”
he said. The pressure to be
fashionable may lead to prob-
lems, both psychological and
financial, among some peo-
ple. “For those who can afford
it, expensive wear is okay.
7
ing consultant, noted. “It was
said that Lady D was the main
guest at the wedding.”
The ceremony during which
Diana married Prince Charles
on July 29, 1981 was called
“the wedding of the century.”
Around 3,500 people attend-
ed and 750 million followed
on television. The gathering
of famous heads of the state,
pop stars and royal dignitar-
ies from around the globe also
makes royal weddings a me-
dia marathon. For most peo-
ple, however, such ceremonies
are a warm diversion from the
gloomy bad news we get ev-
ery day. “Maybe the folks af-
ter all just like hearing some
good news at the end of the
day, something positive they
could actually all focus on,”
O. O., who also wished to re-
main anonymous, said. “Can’t
we just take a little time off
from all the destruction and
the sadness in our lives to cel-
ebrate love?”
But it gets out of hand when
I see students or even par-
ents drain their credit cards
to pay for trendy items,” said
Amanda Geagea, manager of
IKKS, where a simple pair of
slippers can cost from 100 to
400 dollars.
Numerous studies confirm
that the pressure of fashion
may lead to a distorted self-
concept, the feeling of be-
ing marginalized and a loss
of self-esteem, especially
among the young. Some stu-
dents resort to buying fake
items to try to live up to the
expectations of their
peers. Others try to resist.
“It is so ridiculous that some
bother themselves this much
to please others. I would nev-
er care about what others
think of what I’m wearing,”
Anastasia K, a biology stu-
dent at LAU, said. “What
matters is that I’m happy.”
8 Tribune
PEOPLE
Anita Nassar: Going Beyond the
Line of Duty
By Caroline Hodroj
LAU Tribune staff
Inside Shannon Hall, and
within the unassuming quar-
ters of the Institute for Wom-
en’s Studies in the Arab
World, IWSAW assistant di-
rector Anita Farah Nassar
struggles to open an uncoop-
erative door. She laughs at
her situation and samples
other keys.
“What is the matter with this
door?” she asks with an im-
pressive lack of frustration.
After twists and turns, one
key clicks into place and Nas-
sar ushers me into her world.
Those who know Nassar and
those who don’t can tell that
she confronts obstacles with
patience, perseverance, and
dedication.
“I’m a strategist,” she said.“I
push myself beyond the line
of duty. As you struggle to
reach your objective, you see
that there is always some-
thing new to learn.”
Nassar remembers, for in-
stance, the year 1985, when
IWSAW had to deal with an
national speakers. Subjects
Photo courtesy of Anita Nassar
covered recently include gen-
der-based violence, citizen-
ship, politics, media, human
rights and the law.
Nassar has been involved for
over ten years in projects un-
dertaken by IWSAW to assist
female prisoners in Lebanon.
Her contribution has helped
improve the conditions of
countless female convicts,
who end up in prison because
of life’s harsh circumstances.
“I don’t feel they are prison-
ers,” she said. “I trust them
and they, in return, put their
trust in me.”
Nassar has recently complet-
ed the final draft of the Guide
to Work in Women’s Prison
in Lebanon, soon to be pub-
lished by IWSAW and UNF-
PA. It includes practical in-
structions and tips to ensure
the success of projects under-
taken in women’s prisons in
Lebanon; as well as a com-
parative study about female
prisoners over ten years.
As part of her job at LAU,
Nassar also teaches early
income-generating project childhood education and chil-
in the midst of the Lebanese dren’s literature at the edu-
civil war. “The institute de- cation department.
cided to reach out and help Nassar’s inspiration is her
displaced women. Some- mother. “Along the way, my
times it was frightening,” mom Eleonore inspired me,
she said. “The fear of being in my model. She was a pio-
an unsafe place and the pos- neer,” the IWSAW assistant
sibility of getting killed were director said. “She was one
always there but, because of the first women to open a
we believed that these wom- ‘boutique’ in Lebanon in the
en needed our help, we went early ‘60s, which was not
through with it.” common, nor possible, at the
Nassar’s work at IWSAW is time. Unlike many women
rigorous and hard at times. of her generation, she was
It includes training of train- persistent and pursued her
ers, raising awareness about dream to the end.”
gender-based violence and Although Nassar has earned
empowering young women. the right to be one of the re-
“What we do at the insti- gion’s renowned women, she
tute is work on empowering is quite low profile and pre-
women without leaving out fers to remain as such.
or antagonizing men,” Nas- “I’m not a person seeking
sar said. “We try to part- fame,” she said. “I’ve been
ner with them as we defend asked to go on a lot of shows
important issues related to but I always refuse. There’s
women.” IWSAW organiz- no point in being celebrated,
es awareness-raising cam- I just want to get the work
paigns, lectures, workshops done as perfectly as possi-
and conferences with inter- ble.”
To Work or Not to
Work
By Lea Giusti
LAU Tribune staff
She wakes up at 7 a.m., goes
to her first class at 8 and, by
10 a.m., she is ready to go to
work. She then cleans the
bathroom, arranges the pil-
lows on the bed, and picks up
the clothes on the floor. It’s
now finally 5 p.m. and she
can go back home. Back at
her room, Noura Bohsali, a
hospitality management stu-
dent at LAU, looks around
for her books.
“I try to merge my studies
and my work,” Bohsali said.
“My work doesn’t interfere
that much with my studies
however, because I am well
organized.”
Students who hold part-time
jobs are surely under pres-
sure but gain a great work ex-
perience before leaving LAU.
Despite her heavy schedule,
Bohsali never faced prob-
lems related to academic per-
formance.
According to a study done at
a high school in Kentucky,
working students gain more
experience but “do not differ
markedly from nonworking
students in school experienc-
es.”
They’re still involved in all
the regular outings, they just
have an extra load on the side
that they deal with.
As a hospitality manage-
ment student, Bohsali is re-
quired to complete an intern-
ship. She has to start at the
very bottom to slowly build
herself up the profession-
al ladder. “I’d rather work
now than after graduation,”
Bohsali said. “I want to be
able to attain a higher posi-
tion once I look for real a job.”
With less time on her hands,
Bohsali disagrees with the
belief that working students
fail academically. Despite
her work load, she still finds
time to study. “When and if I
can’t find time to study, then
I will stop working,” she said.
“But for the time being, I try
not to look at it as a difficult
task.”
According to the Sunday
Times, half of the students
May 23, 2011
in the U.S. hold jobs while in
college. The newspaper spec-
ifies that, for a better aca-
demic performance, students
must limit their workload to
16 hours per week.
Abdul Rahman Tabbara, a
business student at LAU,
works full time at Beesline.
When the shop first opened
its doors near campus, Tab-
bara had to work 12 hours
per week.
“I didn’t have a social life,”
Tabbara explains. “You
should be able to make the
sacrifice and, instead of going
out every day, you only go out
once a week.”
Nonetheless, Tabbara tru-
ely believes it’s a great ex-
perience that will help him
later in life. A research proj-
ect conducted at the Univer-
sity of North Carolina dem-
onstrates that students who
have worked during college
have “average earnings that
are up to 26 percent higher
seven to 10 years later than
those who did not work dur-
ing high school.”
But despite the advantag-
es, there are several prices
that have to be paid. When
in class, Tabbara sometimes
thinks about work more than
the course material.
Tabbara acknowledged that,
when he faced problems at
work, he also failed academ-
ically but thankfully never
had to drop a class.
“I had to create time to
study,” he explained.
Tabbara said he would nev-
er stop work but admitted he
needs a break.
As the manager of the shop
at one point, Tabbara was in
charge of HR and ironically
found then that hiring stu-
dents wasn’t a great idea.
“They wouldn’t take the job
seriously,” he said. “They
would complain of not having
the time to devote to work be-
cause of their studies.”
Some would talk too much on
the phone while others would
pretend to go to school and
instead go to the beach.
 May 23, 2011 Tribune 9

CONTINUED
Financial Aid Offices or Are LAU Students’ Getting Worse?
Cafés? Continued from page 1

admission standards during motivated,” she complained. this issue and has already
Continued from page 1 meetings but no direct ac- Some believe that education made progress. “Two years
tions were taken. is not getting worse but is and a half ago, it was open
Not only are LAU students rather changing to meet the admissions,” she said. “You

Photo by: M. Y. Hamade

getting worse, the whole needs of an evolving world. could apply two weeks before
country is,” Nadim Mohsen, “This is the law of nature,” the start of university and
cultural studies instructor at Vahid Behmardi, chairper- the standards were not very
LAU, said. son of the humanities depart- clear.”
making friends,” Farah Mtaweh, junior social work student “All the negativism of the ment, said. Since fall 2009, new stan-
who helps at one of the auxiliary offices, said. war appeared now, cultur- Behmardi believes that the dards have been implement-
Despite the obvious problem, many financial aid students re- ally, socially and politically, majority of teachers are used ed. Students are now asked
fused to speak, even anonymously, fearing that they would and nothing happened to re- to the old concept of reading. to apply for the SAT test
lose their position and the money they get every semester. verse the downfall that was “Students now do read, but along with the EEE exam.
“What if investigations were done to reveal our identity?” One induced by the civil war,” he not in the classical way,” he In addition, LAU phased out
student asked. “Who would give us our financial aid back?” added. “I can feel that stu- explained. “Holding an iPad the AA program, which gave
To qualify for financial aid, students must have a course load dents cannot grasp the is- is like holding a whole library students without a Lebanese
of at least 12 credits and a minimum 2.0 GPA. LAU’s Beirut sues when we do a discussion by your hand.” baccalaureate the possibility
campus includes 62 offices and 131 supervisors with 850 to 900 or an opinion gathering, as if The interviewed faculty of- to enroll. “We are not happy
financial aid students spread across the various units. they are living in a different fered many solutions, includ- that the quality of students
The number of students assigned to work at offices depends on world. I don’t blame them be- ing a better equipped staff, a in the classroom, reported by
the budget of the department, the type of work required, con- cause they are part of this so- stricter attendance and grad- our faculty, is in many cases
fidentiality and the space provided to accommodate the stu- ciety that is falling down.” ing systems, organizing de- not up to bar. We agree that
dents. It may vary from three up to 23 students per office – Today’s students don’t need bates and seminars that help this is not acceptable,” Salem
sometimes more. to spend overnights in the li- students improve on a cul- said.
“We send an email to supervisors at the beginning of every brary searching for informa- tural and academic level. “We want to raise the stan-
term asking for any modifications required,” Samir Obeid, in- tion, they can just pull out All interviewees proposed to dards slowly and, at the
structor and director of the financial aid and scholarships of- their laptops, iPads or smart- raise the standards for ad- same time, there has to be
fice, said. Obeid noted that the jobs assigned to financial aid phones to Google the infor- mission to LAU. Professors more rigor and accountabili-
students are mainly “office work” although some might help mation they need, whenever believed that this procedure ty in the classroom”
instructors in their research or at the lab or the gym. they need it. would definitely ensure bet- Surprisingly enough, some
Rola Rizk, an academic assistant for fine arts and foundation, “Too much information is not ter qualified students. students agreed that LAU
said that she has ten assistants but “I don’t see them all.” She necessarily good informa- “I agree 100 percent that has to raise admission stan-
added that they work to make her happy although they some- tion” Hiba Mekdashi, media raising the standards will dards. “People believe that
times nag and give the work she assigns to them to other assis- and design instructor, said. help in making LAU a bet- anyone can be accepted at
tants. “I don’t mind it since the requests are done at the end,” Mekdashi believes that stu- ter university,” Elise Salem, LAU and this is giving us a
Rizk said. dents now lack eagerness vice president for student de- bad reputation,” Neam Kat-
The Tribune did its own investigation, observing several de- and passion for their work. velopment and enrollment erji, a communication arts
partmental, administrative and faculty offices where finan- “Their attention span is management, said. She con- student, said. “We don’t want
cial aid students were employed. In addition to the minority short, they easily get bored. firmed that the administra- to be called the lazy universi-
who did indeed work, most were busy with unrelated matters. They are less inspired and tion is working seriously on ty anymore.”
Students sent messages on their BlackBerries, ate snacks or
drank juice or Nescafé. Many were busy studying or prepar-
ing for an upcoming presentation. Several chatted with fel-
low financial aid assistants about their personal lives or about Engineering Schools Be sure to follow the
random issues such as fashion, jewelry, perfumes and restau-
rants. Do Not Stress Seismic Tribune online!

Building
Obeid, who acknowledged the problem, recommended that su-
pervisors audit the work of financial aid assistants and train
them where needed. “Distribution of work should be done over facebook.com/TribuneLAU
the day,” he added. “Supervisors should optimize scheduling Continued from page 4 twitter.com/TribuneLAU
because it is a big responsibility they assume.” youtube.com/TribuneLAU
Kamal, who has rotated in many offices around campus, said
that some of his supervisors gave him actual work but some ered to be a purely technical plan according only to struc-
also asked him for petty tasks such as bringing them lunch. solution; it does not affect the ture, not design.”
“I am not satisfied when our recommendations are not ap- space you live in, so we don’t Najjar stressed that more and visit our website on
plied,” Obeid acknowledged. “I am not happy in general be- really study seismic design.” should be done to teach seis- TribuneLAU.com
cause some offices make use of the students and some offices As Maroun Daccache, chair- mic design but claimed that
don’t. This needs better cooperation.” person of the LAU school of it’s not viewed as a priority. Send us your feedback and
In the final analysis, however, Obeid rightly noted that, de- architecture, put it, “the ar- As Issa himself put it, “at comments to
spite its faults, the current system brought financial relief too chitect is the director of the the end of the day, the prob-
many families. “One of the benefits of the program is that stu- orchestra. ability of a civil strife break- TribuneLAU@gmail.com
dents assist their parents in subsidizing the tuition,” he said. The engineer makes calcula- ing out in Lebanon is greater
“Ten dollars per hour… A price not given in many other jobs.” tions and adjustments to the than that of an earthquake.”
Adviser: Editors-in-Chief: Staff:
The Team:
Yasmine Dabbous Mohamad Yahia Hamade Lama Al-Haqhaq, Diaa Al Jurdy, Diana Bachoura, Tala El Riz, Maria Fellas, Lea Giusti, Ivana Hindi, Eleena Korban,
Caroline Hodroj Sahar Moukaddem, Nour Monajjed, Tala Osseiran, Reem Swaidan
10
OPINION
Don’t Pretend You Don’t See The Stain
Caroline Hodroj
LAU Tribune staff
“You know what I real-
ly think? I think you’re an
egotistical phone call ad-
dict, cigarette smoking un-
der estimator, who’s an over-
indulgent skinny stick of
woman, who chews gum too
loudly and has bad ideas,
bad breath, bad teeth, bad
grades, bad boyfriends, bad
hair and truly and utterly
bad habits,” she might have
said.
If some girls were to hear
this from their best friends,
they’d have died due to sheer
undiluted horror.
But that’s the nature of de-
layed honesty. If left unat-
Like Father... No Son
Tala El Riz
LAU Tribune staff
What do you think of the say-
ing; “like father like son?”
Conducting a research on
great male figures like Picas-
so, Isaac Newton and Ein-
stein, we see that these suc-
cessful people accomplished
great things in their lives
but didn’t have a son to carry
their legacy.
As I witnessed him, sit-
ting there like a lion inside
the cave where he ruled, I
couldn’t help but notice the
authority he had on others.
He passed by them with his
head held high and his chest
wide open. They foolishly
kneeled down to him, blind-
ed by his father’s clothes
lingering shaggily on him,
thinking that they actually
fit. Does his carrying his fa-
ther’s name oblige us to re-
spect him?
He has the walk of a lion and
the manners of a conceited
one for that matter. His com-
mands were satisfied with
the glimpse of an eye, his
voice was heard, and his eyes
glowed sharp like thunder. I
felt like a 10-year-old again
watching The Lion King.
Being an outsider myself, I
saw this incident as a Holly-
wood shot, but this time the
acting was real. He’s confi-
dent about himself and eu-
tended, it will result in a vol-
canic eruption of raw terror
that will leave whomever is
listening in a sorry state of
magnified shock. And that’s
your cross to bear for not do-
ing anything about it soon-
er and having made this the
only time you’ve ever been
honest.
In my opinion, honesty and
communication are pil-
lars of any healthy relation-
ship that is based on mutu-
al trust, understanding, and
life-long support. White lies
are interesting in the sense
that they’re exactly what
you want to hear but essen-
phoric about the sheep-herd
that surrounded him.
Coming from a patriarchal
society where males rule, I
ask fathers, “how much do
your sons carry your name,
or are even qualified repre-
sentatives of your names?”
And I keep on wondering and
looking at him trying to de-
fine how much “he” is certi-
fied to use his father’s name
when in reality he’s nothing
like him.
We all heard people saying,
“You’re just like your dad,”
or “if he was here he would’ve
been proud of you.”
Reality check: You are noth-
ing like your dad; wearing
the black suit doesn’t make
you similar to him, neither
does your behavior. You’re
not even close or up to the
achievements that he accom-
plished.
Nothing of what you are des-
perately trying to achieve
will ever make your dad
proud. Carrying that name
only empowers you to hold a
title with empty content.
So why don’t you give us a
break and leave your father
alone and start working on
proving something out of
your own name instead. Like
your father, there is no one,
not even you.
Tribune
tially the worst thing you’ll
probably accept from an indi-
vidual. They show that your
friend has been essentially
dishonest and insecure about
your reaction and that he or
she feels unsafe with you.
Or worse. Maybe too lazy to
phrase the truth in a tactful
and diplomatic way.
Let’s rewind to that first in-
stant you encountered some-
thing that you disapproved
of. What did you do?
If you confronted whatev-
er bothered you, then you’ve
saved yourself from an in-
ner anger that manifests and
festers and makes you un-
Yes, I am a Journalism Student
Selim Njeim
LAU Tribune contributor
I am always asked: “What
are you majoring in?” A sim-
ple question that requires an
even simpler answer: “Jour-
nalism.” What always shocks
me is the flabbergasted look
I see on people’s faces when I
tell them. Usually, what hap-
pens next is the “burst out.”
People ask, amazed: “You,
Selim? Jour... Journalism?
But why?”
This is the stereotypical
opinion that some people
in Lebanon have about cer-
tain majors, and what a lot of
graduating high school stu-
dents suffer from.
As a student who used to
rank first in his class, I was
expected to turn into a med-
ical doctor, an engineer or an
architect. Many people think
that someone who is con-
fused, or doesn’t know what
to do with his life (aka, major-
less), would eventually find
him/herself in majors like
journalism, psychology, po-
litical science, and the like.
The important question here
is: Is there a difference be-
tween those majors and oth-
ers?
For some people, a student
working to get a bachelor’s
degree in psychology, for in-
stance, is wasting his time
and will end up working in a
necessarily harsh and prone
to lashing out inexcusably.
Much like a ticking bomb
that ticks louder with every
white lie.
If you keep it in, your cyn-
icism will eat at you till you
risk saying things that put
Simon Cowell to shame.
“She had it coming!” Some
will argue.
While that might be true be-
cause she suffered from a
chronic condition of emotion-
al unintelligence, the reality
is that you could have done
something about it sooner
rather than wait for that mo-
ment where your brain feels
different field or not finding
a proper job. When asked to
give his opinion, Maallem A.,
a fifty-nine-year-old farmer
living next to my house said,
“All the students, should ma-
jor in something useful like
engineering or medicine.
Journalism is not a major,
is it?” I was shocked when I
heard those words. I didn’t
know that there were people
who still thought that way.
This is more than just an
opinion, this is strong bias.
This is a conflict between
generations which shows
that prospective or current
students aren’t always on the
same page as older contem-
poraries.
Sarah-Joe, a sixteen year-
old, is still in high school and
thinking about majoring in
Human Resources.
“Well, I am not generalizing,
but I think that there’s a big
number of people that are not
well educated; they are very
old fashioned and do not have
accurate information about
all academic majors, espe-
cially the new ones or the
ones they consider as ‘inferi-
or,’” she said. “Many say ‘ha-
ram’ to me when I tell them
I’d like to work in Human Re-
sources later.”
Being brilliant at school isn’t
May 23, 2011
too saturated with false pre-
tenses and every white lie
that comes out of your mouth
weighs down your tongue
till you feel poisoned with
your own cowardly atrocity.
The worst part is that you’re
equally to blame.
You probably thought you
were doing someone a favor
by not expressing how you
feel.
You probably tapped your-
self on the back for being so
patient and self controlled. If
that’s the case then good for
you, but the reality is that I
don’t believe you and that’s
my honest opinion.
related to what a person
chooses to be. Stephen King,
the famous novelist, was an
excellent student who gradu-
ated from high school and got
a scholarship to attend the
University of Maine. Acad-
emy Award winner Natalie
Portman attended Harvard.
What I think should be done
to eradicate the prejudices
that people stick to is the dis-
semination of a new culture
regarding this issue.
This can be done through TV
shows, conferences, adver-
tisements and some work-
shops for people to know that
every major is the pillar on
which the other stands. If
you’re an engineer or a con-
tractor, wouldn’t it be inter-
esting to get people to write
about your company in news-
papers and magazines?
Finally, as a person who has
had many setbacks when it
came to choosing the “right”
major, I tell all students and
whoever might care to lis-
ten: If you want to be suc-
cessful, you need to be happy,
and if you want to be happy
you need to fit in the envi-
ronment that your major cre-
ates. Thus, with all my heart,
and with full self-confidence,
I declare that YES… I am a
journalism student.
 May 23, 2011
OFF CAMPUS
Domestic workers: A Violation of Human Rights
By Ivana Hindi
LAU Tribune staff
Naccache main road, 8 a.m..
People driving down to Bei-
rut on a typical weekday saw
the body of a young domes-
tic worker, swinging from a
household balcony. Exposed
to the stiff cadaver, hang-
ing lifeless, early risers me-
chanically headed to their
jobs. The deceased work-
er had opted for an obvi-
ous bright yellow suit that
shined through the rays of
the early sun, as though her
intentions where to highlight
a disturbing violation of hu-
man rights.
According to Human Rights
Watch, domestic workers in
Lebanon die at a rate of more
than one per week. The seri-
ousness of the situation gave
rise to numerous debates on
the subject, including a doc-
umentary feature film, Maid
in Lebanon, and a human
rights film festival at the Me-
tropolis Empire Sofil Cin-
ema where discrimination
against foreign helpers was
tackled. During the last few
weeks, posters calling for the
rights of domestic workers in
Lebanon were posted in and
around Hamra.
Human right activist Ray
Jreidiny revealed the re-
sults of a survey done in 2005
and 2006, covering over 600
domestic workers in Leba-
non. The findings are outra-
geous, with 65 percent of do-
mestic workers operating for
11 hours or more per day and
42 percent for over 13 hours.
Around 34 percent have no
regular time off and 33 per-
cent had to pay a large part
of their salary to an agency
in Lebanon and to another in
their home country. Around
52 percent of domestic work-
ers in Lebanon are screamed
at, and most importantly, 99
percent have their passports
withheld during their stay
here.
Due to the incalculable crim-
inal and unlawful incidents
domestic workers in Leba-
non reported over the years,
Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and the
Philippines have placed a
stiff ban on travel to Beirut.
A flow of workers from Nepal
has now replaced the stream
of workers agencies brought
from many far-eastern coun-
tries.
Caly is a domestic worker
from Nepal. She looks weak
and is scared to deviate from
her robotic job. Her poor lin-
guistic skills and minimal in-
dependence do not allow her
to leave the household she
works at, even for a breath
of fresh air. Caly muttered a
few shy words in English. “I
help my family with money
from here,” she said.
Human rights agencies
charge that basic rights are
confiscated from domestic
workers in Lebanon and cite
numerous reports of cruel vi-
olence. The Lebanese house-
Tribune
holder’s approach, they say,
is often provoking and belit-
tling.
“Lebanese authorities, for-
eign embassies, employment
agencies and employers need
to ask themselves what is
driving these women to kill
themselves or risk their lives
trying to escape from tall
buildings,” Nadim Houry, a
senior researcher at Human
Rights Watch, said.But the
blame, in some cases, is not
solely on Lebanese house-
hold owners. Nicole Nahas,
a 48-year-old housewife, be-
lieves that, in few cases, “ma-
fias” in Lebanon try to influ-
ence workers and talk them
into acts of rebellion. They
encourage them to escape,
promising more money, but
11
ultimately providing nothing domestic workers who keep
more than misery. “Some do- causing trouble at my house,”
mestic workers seem to come the woman added.
to Lebanon with the inten- Interviewed from her hos-
tion to escape and find vari- pital bed, Kamala Nagari is
ous other jobs in the country, a Nepalese national who in-
ones that do not require stay- jured herself on February 20,
ing in a household,” Nahas 2008 while trying to escape a
pointed out. horrifying situation. “I was
locked in for two days, and
Photo via Creative Commons
they [the employers] did not
give me food and water,” she
explained. “Then after two
days, I wanted to run away.
The apartment was on the
fifth floor. I tried to go down
using cable wires running
along the wall of building.
The cable broke, and I do not
remember what happened
afterwards.”
An official at the Philippine
embassy also recounted the
story of a domestic work-
er from Manilla who was ac-
cused of stealing jewelry and
accordingly beaten up by
her employer and locked in-
side the house. She commit-
ted suicide. “When employ-
ers lock someone up inside a
home, they are committing a
crime and the police should
treat it as such,” Houry said.
Danielle Ayoub, a 50-year-
old housewife, makes sure
her domestic workers are
treated fairly. “I hear a lot
of whining from my friends
during gatherings. All they
do is tell stories about their
domestic workers who have
escaped and left them with
all the tasks to do by them-
selves,” she said. “I believe
that no domestic worker
would feel the urge to escape
or commit suicide or cause
any form of trouble if treated
justly.”
But, regardless of wheth- Issa Hindi, a 19-year-old uni-
er this is true or not, unac- versity student, witnessed
ceptable violations of human the Naccache suicide, was
rights still abound. Among deeply bothered by the dis-
them is ideological, demean- turbing sight. “I took the
ing discrimination. Many phone and called my friend as
Lebanese look at domestic a first reflex. I was shocked to
workers as dim and unintel- see someone hanging, it was
ligent individuals. One wom- terrible,” he said.
an Tribune talked to explicit- Hindi vainly tried to search
ly said that her helper from for a blurry picture he had
Nepal is “dumb enough” to taken through his mobile
stay quiet and calm. “I am phone. “It felt like a horror
fed up with headaches and movie,” he added.
 May 23, 2011
OFF CAMPUS
Weight Mania
By Reem Swaidan
LAU Tribune staff
She begins to take off her
shoes. She looks at her wrists
and takes her watch off to
make sure it doesn’t add a
gram or two. Her whole body
shivers as she looks at her
slim figure. She slowly lifts
one foot and then the other.
With her eyes closed, she si-
lently prays.
Rania Mroue, a 38-year-old
mother of three, has an anx-
iety attack every time she
stands on the scale to weigh
herself. “I was never like this
when I was younger, it’s be-
come a sickness I live with
now,” Mroue confessed.
Calculations show that, for
her height, Mroue has a less-
than-average weight. Unfor-
tunately, it’s the paranoia of
gaining a few kilos that keeps
her uneasy. “Media and soci-
ety gave us a certain image of
how we should look like and
we’re all tormented by that
image,” Mroue explained.
A 2003 study conducted in a
rural community in Lebanon
revealed that 30.2 percent
of women are obese. Anoth-
er cross-sectional survey of
2,104 children (3 to 19-year-
old) and adults showed that
obesity and obesity risk
levels are higher, overall,
among boys than girls (22.5
versus 16.1 percent risk and
7.5 versus 3.2 percent obesi-
ty, respectively).
This finding was associated
with lack of exercise among
children.
“I can’t walk without think-
ing that people are looking at
me and laughing,” Tamara
Tahtah, a 22-year-old stu-
dent, said. Tahtah has been
suffering from obesity since
she was 8 years old. She has
tried all kinds of diets but
nothing seemed to work.
“What hurts me the most is
that it wouldn’t have mat-
tered this much to society if
I was a man,” she sadly ex-
plained.
A cross-sectional study of
adolescents in private Leba-
nese schools suggested that
overweight and obesity prev-
alence among girls decreases
with age (P < 10).
“You can never be too thin,”
a Pretzel Crisps advertise-
ment reads.
Youngsters are exposed to
slogans glorifying thinness
every day. An overwhelm-
ing number of studies reveal
that such ads push young
men and women toward an-
orexia and bulimia. “When
I ask my patients why they
want to be thinner, most of
them reply; ‘because I want
to look like a model,’” nutri-
tionist Joyce Daher said.
Daher explained that peo-
ple come to her for the wrong
reasons. Very few, indeed,
seek more balanced diets for
health reasons. “They only
care about how they look,”
she said.
Daher explained the impor-
tance of proper nutrient in-
take for a longer and health-
ier life. “What my patients
don’t understand is the dan-
ger they put their bodies
through with all those crazy
diets,” Daher said. “There is
Tribune
only one diet, and that is eat-
ing small portions of every-
thing.”
“I have put my body through
a lot,” Khouloud Shammas, a
33-year-old mother of three,
admitted. Shammas has suf-
fered from bulimia and an-
orexia for the last 10 years.
Her house is filled with mag-
azines and pictures of mod-
els. “I was never overweight
but I became obsessed with
my weight after having my
first child,” she explained.
Shammas believes that the
pressure around her and the
comparison she makes with
television figures pushed her
to seek extreme thinness.
“The moment I woke up in
the hospital with my hus-
band and children around me
looking worried, I woke up
to reality,” she said. “I final-
ly stopped pressuring myself
and just stayed healthy, I’m
happier than ever now.”
Radwan Kaddouh is a
15-year-old boy who suffers
from major obesity. Kad-
douh’s parents are no longer
concerned about how their
child looks.
They worry about their son’s
life, which is now in danger.
Kaddouh is no longer able to
walk, sleep or go to school due
to his obesity. His parents be-
lieve that their son’s state re-
lates to fast food and lack of
exercise. Living in fear, they
also blame themselves for
not being attentive enough
before the problem escalated.
A 2003 study in rural Leba-
non demonstrated that high-
12
Tripoli’s
Half Inter-
national
Photo via Creative Commons
Marathon
By Nour Monajjed
LAU Tribune staff
Thousands of people gath-
ered on May 8 in Tripoli for
the half international mar-
athon, by far the biggest
sports event in the north this
year.
Organized by Ma’an
Loubnan, the Tripoli Youth
Forum and YASA, the mar-
athon included a combina-
tion of three races: Two 21K
er socioeconomic status is races, one for wheelchairs
correlated with higher adop- and one for people 17 years
tion of unhealthy nutrition- or older, two 5K races, one
al habits (fast food, energy- for people 12 years and older
dense snacks, sweets, etc.) and one for fun where fami-
and lower consumption of lies could just stroll along the
traditional healthy Mediter- course and, finally, a 2K race
ranean food (cereals, vegeta- for children under 12 years of
bles and fruits). These find- age.
ings are consistent with the “We’re working on raising
general tendency in devel- awareness about the impor-
oping countries, in contrast tance of sports and its ef-
with first-world nations. fect on our youth,” the mara-
“Some people who have an thon’s website said.
unhealthy obsession with The Al-Ma’arad area was hot
their weight, may never be and crowded.
satisfied no matter how low Ka’ak stands were placed
the scale seems to register,” spaciously along with booths
psychologist Rouaa Arbid ex- and kiosks by the various
plained. Arbid believes that sponsors.
such people need to undergo They offered water, food, in-
a form of therapy in order to formation about the mara-
understand the positive as- thon and guidance for those
pects of having a healthy in- who needed assistance.
stead of a “bikini body.” Several pre-race activities
“If men and women begin were also organized to raise
to understand this theory awareness about following
from a young age, this obses- driving rules.
sion will rarely occur,” Ar- The motto of the event was,
bid said. She thinks that par- after all, “Drive Slowly So We
ents should always be careful Can Run Together.”
about the lifestyle of their Organizers offered plenty of
children. “Parents these days entertainment until around
reward their children with 3 p.m.
fast food instead of a book to Artists, local and national,
read,” she explained. sang songs, DJ’s played Ara-
Mroue still struggles with bic and English beats and the
facing the scale. It’s been crowd was flustered under
five years but she still expe- the heat of Tripoli’s sun dur-
riences anxiety attacks be- ing the day.
fore weighing herself. “It’s The races attracted numer-
difficult because I’m sup- ous NGO’s, corporations and
posed to be a role model to my institutions such as Spin-
children. How can I be a role neys, Boom Boom Ener-
model when I fear a two-dig- gy Drink, BankMed, Liban
it number on a scale?” Mroue Post, Al Ameen Roasteries
asked. and much more.