Evaluate Dr. Athanasios Moulakis, the President of the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani

Dr. Athanasios Moulakis, the President of the American University of Iraq Sulaimani

Dr. Athanasios Moulakis is president and provost of American University Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS), bringing to the university more than 40 years of experience in academia and higher education in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Dr. Moulakis joined AUIS in September 2010 after serving as chief academic officer, interim president and distinguished professor of Government and International Relations at American University of Afghanistan, Kabul.

He completed a fellowship with the Athens-based Onassis Foundation, and served as an adjunct scholar in South-East European Studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, D.C. He also directed the Institute for Mediterranean Studies at the University of Italian Switzerland, Lugano.

Dr. Moulakis has held faculty posts in political science, philosophy, and the humanities at the University of Colorado at Boulder; the European University Institute, Florence, Italy; the London School of Economics; and Ruhr Universität, Bochum, Germany. He has authored and edited numerous books, including Beyond Utility: Liberal Education for a Technological Age, which won the AAC&C Frederick Ness Award for Best Book on Liberal Education and was named  Choice “Outstanding Book of the Year.”

Dr. Moulakis holds a doctorate of philosophy magna cum laude in Political Theory from Ruhr Universität, Bochum, Germany, and MDP Certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is fluent in English, German, French, Italian and Modern Greek.

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Evaluate Dr. Athanasios Moulakis, the President of the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani

Dear AUIS friends, 

We are starting a new project, which is evaluating the professors and faculty at our university, so please feel 

free to say whatever you have about those who will be evaluated. And we will start with Dr. Athanasios 

Moulakis, the president of the university.

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Sasarism

by: Bahman A. Hassan

Since the beginning of history, narrow-minded individuals have brought many ideas ending with "ism".  I am sure, thus far you have encountered some, and ironically mine will be one of them. Like always there will be no topic sentences, proper paragraphs, and there will be lots of “grammatical mistakes".

Now, I am watching Sasha Gray having fun on the iPad that my girlfriend brought to me last summer. Along with watching Sasha Gray, I was thinking about wording a theory. After all, theories are all made of simple words. Yet mine is to have a realistic basis.

"Sasarism" is my new theory. You can quote me for that. Honestly, I have had Hariganism in mind, but let's do the “firsts” first, this if Sasha excuses me.

 Recently, in fact for the last two years, there have been huge demands by the students to attend Dr. John Sasar's courses. Though, it may be normal at the surface, this attracted my attention.

 I followed the case, and here is what I found out.

 I think there is no need to remind you, this is about the America University of Iraq-Sulaimani. In fact what I have found out will not be in the good of all, at least for AUI-S with the "S" or without the "S", but it is worth considering. Students were attending Mr. Sasar's classes, not because of his “method of teaching" but because of his "slothfulness". “Slothfulness" is the word I am using, and I am sorry for it has nasty connotations.

Hardly, in any of his classes a will student stay for the complete period. But, ironically “my Sasha”, he is promoted. He is well known for his “Vietnam" stories. I couldn't believe that, until I saw a video of him narrating stories in class.

 Last year, I wrote a letter to the President, I mean the AUIS President. Later on I decided not to share it. In that letter I wanted to shed light on few of the problems that AUIS students were stuffing from. I hoped that these problems would be "fixed", but unfortunately still students continue suffering from them.

My Sasarism theory continues. The paragraph above was just a “jump” because my Comp instructor “loves it”. So, things never change as it appears. It seems many other instructors are joining Mr. Sasar’s camp. One, actually a “she” instructor, missed five classes. You know why? Well, she is working on her second MBA, “fair enough”. You pay money, “waste your time” and see what students get. Anyway “s”, the fun was that when a student criticized this and the Dean of Faculty strictly silenced him. Yet another copy of Mr. Sasar would be that Comp instructor who said “Just I hate English. It is a strange language”. I thought what a genius man he would be, and how grateful his students must be. I think “Iraqi Future leaders” are lucky. This is terribly funny.

I think my point is clear, if not I can give more examples.  

 

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AUIS Students Go On A Strike

While the temperature was freezing, AUIS dorm students spent half of their nigh outside, in front their dorm gate.  

Last night, because of not having electricity the dorm students gathered in front of Raparin dorms. Students were gathering around a fire that they built on the street in front of the dorms.

Lacking services, electricity in particular, has been a problem for the AUIS students. Students have voiced their problems many times, yet none of them are fixed.

Dispute of not being listened to, students were insulted by the university representative who attended the gathering. Dr. Aso, whose real task is not defined at AUIS, was the universities delegate to speak to the students.

He couldn’t calm the students down, and instead he insulted them and threatened them with not letting them to inter the dorms.

The students’ response was strict, yet the university has not apologized formally for its delegate’s insults and threats. Still the students are suffering and their problems are not addressed.

Photos By: Damga

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What hurts most?

By: Bahman Hassan

By now, AUI-S students must be aware of the points that bother the AUI-S staff and faculty members. Perhaps, like everything else, AUI-Sians are getting angry by the university’s weak points. For us, “those of the blog “or as Milani Standish worded, “nonsense writers”, everything is different. We, lamentably, lost the “love” of the entire university. We are not allowed- at least until the beginning of this semester- to apply for exchange programs or ask for recommendation letters. Thus far, it’s fair, as we “hurt the university too much” or “mobbing against the university”. We know what is going on and we are aware of some, but not all the weak points. We don’t enjoy mentioning them, yet we take pleasure from arguing about them as part of our duties.

Ironically, here are some of the things that hurt AUI-S most.

I.                   Financial Aid Applications:

A financial Aid officer called a student “stupid”. For me it is just a simple confusion, as both “Stupid” and “Student” words start with “S”. And AUI-S has a big problem with “S”. That stupid, sorry student, was rewarded when he asked the officer for a bit of “explanation”. So, as a bit of advice, don’t miss with the people form the finance department. They may drag you into the middle of a breathtaking investigation or have your fees doubled for the next semester. Do tell them jocks or you may say “you are so sexy today” but never say, “Excuse me, can you explain this for me?” Financial Aid officers are quickly getting angry and they are good at making fun of the “Financial Aid Students”.

II.                Strikes:

Wow, this is a real “pain in the ass” as professor Peter Fridrich said while he was professing one of his COMP classes. If you don’t want to make Mr. Dean or Integrity Officer angry, don’t go on strikes. You don’t want to be told “I will expel you” as Mr. James Harrigan told Krekar Warty for partaking in a demonstration last year. Stay quiet and do not care whatever goes on.

III.             Criticizing the University’s Policies:

If you want to get a degree from AUI-S, ever never try criticizing AUI-S. If you do criticize AUI-S, you may “lose your Financial Awards” or lose the “love” of the staff, faculty members and most of the students. You don’t want to be like “people from the blog”, so be nice and don’t criticize; however, they say critical thinking is what we want. It is just a “lie”. Do anything you want, but never criticize AUI-S. If you want, open a club for yourself and your girlfriend. Again, previous advice, don’t criticize, critical thinking is just the shadow of “a dead virgin girl”.

IV.             Be part of the Praising Machine:

If you, million times, are called “stupid” or taken to investigation, never stop praising AUI-S. Just say it’s the best university ever Iraqis have. Don’t criticize; you are just a blind, as the KRG’s Higher Education Ministry labeled AUI-S as number one in the region. Take a breath, don’t go on strikes, don’t criticize and be part of the praising. Never mind your friend is leaving because of not being able to pay his ever increasing fees. Just forget what you see, see what you are told to see. Be part of “deceiving the problems” not part of their solutions. Or as Shakespeare said, “Praise, Praise, thee shall be pleased”.   

V.                First Day of Class and the Rest of the Days

Be patient, even if your physics “professor” asks you to drop the course. Make fun of the fact of not knowing anything about math, after taking two math courses. From the first day of class, assess your instructor, as 2011-2012 is strange. Instructors forgot everything about teaching; all they do is not giving high grades and making sure some students fail. So, don’t miss with them, “democratically” it will not work. Follow the deception carefully, and don’t panic, you, “the Iraqi Future leader”, don’t have to know so much. It is a simple “Federal Democratic Republic”, so you can rule it even with what you have now. Again, don’t miss with the instructors. This will hurt a lot, and you may be “failed” for this.

VI. Don’t Ask the Registrar…

If you are not a “she”, my friends don’t go to the registrar and ask for changing your courses, section, or instructors. Last experience, was when a “she” one week before the “mid-term” exams changed her course [name, time, and course can be provided]. I personally can’t do this, simply because I am not a she, or. Few clicks on the computer can change many things, but seemingly not for everyone. So, “Buddy, Buddy” don’t panic, that is how it goes. Life is a pizza which is not equally sliced, just because its circle. Finally, Ouch Charlie, it Hurts.       

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“The Exam was too easy”

While some students were busy studying for their Statistics exam, some others were busy with how to get the questions. Finally, they could get the test and in few hours the test become in the hand of most of the students.

Thus, before taking the test, most of the students had the questions. And the result is expected to be astonishing.

This has been a serious problem for AUI-S instructors. Every now and then exam questions are publicized. So far, no one says anything about this problem and students are seemed to be happy.

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AUI-S promises to solve Dorm Problems

On November29^th, Leah McNally, Student Services Coordinator, had a meeting with the dorm students to listen to their problems. From the beginning of the fall semester, the dorms students have been suffering from many difficulties.

Some of these problems have been addressed, yet some are to be dealt with. In a letter sent to the dorm students, AUI-S Student Services Coordinator, happily informed students of the result of their meetings with the university. Here is the content of the letter:

  

I would like to follow up with all of you on the meeting that we had in the dorms on December 29th. I am happy to tell you that most of the major problems you mentioned during this meeting have been addressed and/or are in the process of being dealt with. Here is a summary of the action that has taken place since that meeting:

1. Internet - our IT Department is finalizing plans to install two Internet lounges (one on each floor of the dorm). The plan is to have this Internet operational by January 14, 2012.

 2. Electricity problems - a new generator has been installed and this weekend, the automatic switch will arrive, making the power outages much shorter. In the meantime, I am told that the new generator is working well. 

3. Construction noise - we are currently negotiating with the building owner to cease construction during evenings and weekends. 4.

Leaks - we have assessed the roofing of the building and sealed the problem areas.

5. Location - beginning in January, the university will provide a weekend shuttle to the bazaar and/or supermarket at no cost to you. Additionally, in the new year, we will announce plans for on campus housing to be completed by Fall 2012.

6. Food options - we are negotiating a plan for Fall 2012 housing options to include a food service in the evenings and on weekends.

7. Furniture - we have provided each apartment with 2 desks for studying.

8. Elevator - the situation has been assessed, and unfortunately the current elevator is beyond repair and we cannot realistically replace the current one. I apologize for any inconvenience that this causes you.

 9. Fire Escape - we are assessing the safety of the building and if a fire escape is necessary, we will move forward with this. 

I hope that the above actions that the university has taken have improved your overall quality of life in the dorms. The work is ongoing and we are doing our best to make things better for you.

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