Faculty and Staff Ready Themselves:
Beginning the 2004-2005 Academic Year
August 23, 2004 . The Bethlehem University faculty and staff community gathered for the opening meeting of the 2004-2005 academic year. Brother Fergus McArdle, Vice President for Academic Affairs, warmly welcomed all faculty and staff. Brother Fergus opened the meeting with a prayer, remembering that we are in God's Presence and expressing thanks to God for giving the Bethlehem University community another chance to serve Him as we serve the students entrusted to us. In addition to reflecting on many of the great academic accomplishments various faculty members during the 2003-2004 academic year, Brother Fergus spoke about some of the up-coming priorities with the continuation of the academic quality assurance review process resulting from the University's Strategic Planning exercise.
As the University's coordinator with USAID for their support of the University's building renovation project, Brother Neil Kieffe briefed the faculty and staff on the various phases of the upcoming building renovation project. With some construction work already taking place to provide new classrooms for the University's Institute for Community Partnership, Brother Neil outlined the plans for the renovation of the University's central building (originally constructed in 1893), scheduled to begin in the next couple of months. Thanks to funding from USAID and American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA), this much needed enhancement to the campus facilities is underway. Brother Neil expressed his gratitude to the faculty and staff for their most positive and cooperative attitude demonstrated by their enthusiastic willingness to move to temporary offices and to tolerate the noise, dust, and possible surprises along the way.
Mr. Sami El-Yousef, Vice President for Finances and Planning, shared various aspects of the University's current financial situation, providing insights into the challenges faced due to the decline in income to the University over the years from various sources, including the inability of students to pay tuition given the political and economic hardships of our time. He also spoke about the necessity of the University faculty and staff to continue to effect various cost savings measures. Assuring the faculty and staff of the University's commitment to the well being of its faculty and staff as well as its commitment to it students, Mr. El-Yousef expressed the tremendous sense of gratitude the University community has for the many generous donors and benefactors around the world who demonstrate their commitment to the mission of the University through their generous support.
In closing the meeting, Brother Vincent Malham, President-Vice Chancellor, addressed the Bethlehem University community. In addition to speaking of the many achievements of the previous academic year, most especially the jubilant graduation of June 2004, Brother Vincent shard the good and hopeful news that summer school went well and that enrollment for the Fall 2004 semester is good – looking forward to welcoming a new class of talented first year students on Wednesday, 25 August. Brother Vincent called on the faculty and staff to “be strong, effective leaders who lead by example of hard work, consistency, competence and dedication,” because “strong leadership inspires strong, consistent performances of colleagues – and is what our students need and want from us.”
