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Iraqi Network for Social Media ( INSM)

Nov 22, 2010

The Wild West: AUI-S Hires People Without Checking Their Pasts

The American University of Iraq-Sulaimani does a poor job checking the profiles of professors, staff and administrators applying for the university.

The first AUI-S Chancellor, Dr. Owen Cargol, had been dismissed from the Northern Arizona University due to sexual harassment allegations made by a male employee. 
 Dr. Cargol, who served for four months as the AUI-S chancellor, was hired without any real investigations into his past. 

Dr. John Agresto, the former AUI-S provost, admits to this fact. 
 
Dr. Agresto told Jack Stripling, who wrote an article entitled Not Our Best and Brightest? that they had no knowledge of the sexual harassment allegations. 

While a quick Google search of the name could get the AUI-S administration to the news of Dr. Cargol's resignation due to the allegation easily. 

Dr. Cargol is described by his colleagues as "incompetent" and "lacking managing skills" to administer a college. 

Stan Lindstendt, a professor of Biology at the Northern Arizona University, says that the people in Iraq should be "out of their mind" to hire Dr. Owen Cargol. 

But the strange thing is that Dr. Cargol was easily hired by the AUI-S board of trustees to lead the first American university in Iraq. 

It was only after a report by a young Indiana University graduate, Jeremy Young, published a blog on Dr. Cargol that Dr. Cargol resigned from his job. 

However, Middle East seems to be the Wild West for some of the American professors. 

Dr. Owen Cargol is now working as the Vice President of the University of Yammamah in Saudi Arabia. 

Dr. Cargol is not the only case of AUI-S ignorance of its employee's past. 

Dr. John Agresto, in his previous article to Student Eye, admitted again that they didn't know much about Dr. John Dolan, who was fired from the university due to articles that "didn't fit the AUI-S policies". 

The article that Dr. John Dolan was fired for was written four years before the decision. This means that the AUI-S administration was not aware of something that was available for public. 

Regardless of the legitimacy of the firing decision, the administration is responsible for not knowing about something everyone else knew about while it was related to one of its professors. 

In order to avoid similar mistakes, the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani needs to have a system of careful scanning for the past of the people applying for positions at AUI-S. 

The Administration and the Academic Dean of Students should take the students' complains about their professors seriously, for there might be professors with poorly reviewed pats. Being a blond guy or a native speaker are not enough to hire people. The administration should take every necessary measure to prevent turning of AUI-S into Wild West, where everyone can come and test their chances of making money. 


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24 Comments: on "The Wild West: AUI-S Hires People Without Checking Their Pasts"

Anonymous said...

good job, I love it keep it up...................

Anonymous said...

A well-written article. However, Owen Cargol was hired by AUI-S way back in 2007. The headline "AUI-S Hires People Without Checking Their Past" implies all this is currently happening. What is your evidence to support this claim? There is a new administration, as you know. Unless you can name an incident where they didn't properly check an employee's records, you should change this headline.

The 2007 mistake with Cargol was inexcusable. The recent one with Dolan, however, is much more complicated. Any "system of careful screening" you might devise would not capture whether a writer was being genuinely hateful or satirical. It's best not to confuse that issue with an actual crime, which Owen Cargol was accused of.

Shalaw Fatah said...

Dear AUI-S Eye web-manager(s),
I think it's much better to stress on public ID comments rather than anonymous ones, some comments are very ordinary and have nothing to do with retribution or punishment, why should they be published anonymously? Wish you success...

Anonymous said...

Was he gay!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

Anonymous said...

Well done..

What would happen if AUI-S started checking its officials pasts?
I have no doubt so many other weird cases would be unveiled then..

It is fine to have a gay administrator or professor because, as I have discussed with some of Americans, "AMERICANS" do not doubt their people's capability ever. If they did, however, they would check some of the professors classes, at least, where everything is valuable except teaching..
Do you need an example?

Dara

Anonymous said...

Shalaw, the answer to that is quite obvious. When certain people publish their names, people take the opportunity to personally insult them or make accusations. In fact, it's happened on this blog again and again. Not everyone wants to be famous, or be in the middle of a fight. Respect other people's choices, Shalaw.

Anonymous said...

Sure, Dara, post 1,000 examples until u r heard.

Anonymous said...

LOL, I have a friend of mine who showed me a picture of their picnic with Cargol. Now I understand why he is hugging him in the picture...Thanks God I came to AUI-S after this guy had left.

Anonymous said...

Guys, what is wrong with you? Gay is not a crime! Owen was fired because he had a sexual harassment issue in his past. Is it aksing too much for you to show intelligence?

Anonymous said...

Being gay is a crime, and it s big crime. Don't forget, this is the American University of IRAQ-Sulaimani, and this country's rules are clear: Being a gay is a big crime.

Anonymous said...

Name a law in Iraq, passed by the parliament and signed by the Prime Minister, that describes being gay as illegal.

Oh, wait. You can't find one, can you?

Anonymous said...

Where is the "clear rule" about gay a crime?

Anonymous said...

Sorry we have no gay here just like Iran

Anonymous said...

student eye managers.
what you posted I read two years ago on a lacal news paper.
and in another aspect. it was two years ago, so does it need to mention it again.
i think you just wasted your time with this foolish article.
i hope you post this comment.

Anonymous said...

The fact that there is not a written rule speaking about gay doesn't mean it is allowed.

First of all, there has been no major incidents of this sort in the past, so there has been no need to have a written rule. However, one can not imagine a bigger crime than homosexuality. even speaking about it is considered to be a shame. I am sure everybody knows what are the words that are used to describe a gay.

There might be people who are gay and keep it secret, that is something that nobody can act against. It is up for them. But what will happen if he/she went out public with it?

Most of the Iraqi laws are not written. The judges have the ability to decide on particular cases.

All in all, our culture never accepts gay Chancellors, so why do you bother to stand against it?

Anonymous said...

If you consider homosexuality a crime, that's your business. If you say that homosexuality is a crime in Iraq, you are wrong. There is no law that says this.

Anonymous said...

Just because you don't like gay doesn't mean you tell lies and talk about a law, just to make your opinion more important.

Anonymous said...

I think they check student backgrounds to not only faculty as well

Anonymous said...

Its either they can't see the reality or they close their eyes to not see it!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

"They" don't work here anymore.

Anonymous said...

Why you are assuming that he is Gay? even if he is , it is not a big deal. Keep your minds open. Also, this guy worked in Auis years ago, don't you think that this info has passed the expiration date? And don't believe everything you read on the internet. There is no evidence that he is incompetent or sexually deviant.

Anonymous said...

Sexual harrassment was the issue. Whether he was straight or gay is apparently a new issue for some people who are out of touch with reality.

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