Melanie Standish was not Ready to Say Goodbye to the Student Eye Staff

Melanie Standish, the expelled head of International Programs and Exchanges office at AUIS, excludes Student Eye staff from her farewell email.

Standish, who was under severe criticism from AUIS students due to allegations of favoritism and inability, accuses Student Eye of publishing "nonsense".

"I have not written to all AUIS students so if you have received this email ...  I’d prefer not to be on the student eye blog again as “playing favorites” or some other nonsense," wrote Melanie to all AUI-S students except Student Eye staff. 


She also asks the students not to let Student Eye staff see the email. But Student Eye reached the email and here is the full text of it :

Dear Students,

I am writing to you today to let you know that I will be leaving AUIS at the end of next week to return to the States.  I will not return.  This is for various reasons but none are because I did not love my work here.  I have not written to all AUIS students so if you have received this email, it would be great if you could keep this to yourself.  I’d prefer not to be on the student eye blog again as “playing favorites” or some other nonsense.  It’s impossible for me to know 500+ students well in 9 months, and I’m not prepared to offer my home in the US to the entire AUIS student body.

I just want to say to you that it has been an absolutely amazing experience to work with all of you this year.  I came here knowing very little about the people of Iraq and am leaving with some wonderful memories.  I wish you all the best of success in your future endeavors. 

If there is anything I can do to assist you, I would be more than happy to do so.  My personal email address is*************  If you are traveling in the States and need a place to stay, or you need my advice or something about programs or studying in the US, I would be more than happy to help you in any way I can.

There will be some changes to the IPE and Career Services Offices next year.  Please be patient.  Some of these changes you may like, some you may not, but the important thing to remember is that you have the ability to control your own destinies and that if you work hard enough (and are patient), you will be able to get most of what you want.

I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

Melanie

read more...

Melanie and Harrigan Expelled, Last Moment Accounts of Their Departure

Both James Harrigan, former AUIS dean of students, and Melanie Standish, former head of International Programs and Exchanges office were expelled by the AUI-S administration in the summer.

Melanie, who was described by some students as "incapable and useless" was very sad when she left AUI-S.

"I don't know why they have expelled me. I was good for the students," she told some of the students before her departure.

James Harrigan, known for his anger and "rude" treatment with the students, also departed AUI-S without any prior notice.

"He just came and gave us a flag to sign it. We asked him the reason for this sudden departure, but he had no answer," said an AUI-S officer.

AUIS students hope that these changes help the university get back some order and discipline.

read more...

Happy Ramadan Eid Everyone !

read more...

After Harrigan, Melanie Standish to Leave AUI-S Soon

Student Eye has known from its sources that the director of International Programs and Exchanges office at the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani will leave AUI-S next week.

The departure of Melanie comes after the departure of the Academic Dean of Students, Dr. James Harrigan.

Student Eye had published extensive news and reports on the inadequacy and inability of the both names.

An expert told Student Eye that these sudden departures are signs of AUI-S's weak policy of hiring. Anyone who finds a better job back in the States leaves AUI-S directly.

read more...

“It is a cancer and it will always get worse”

“It is a cancer and it will always get worse” this is a status that Muhammad Babakr wrote on his Facebook wall. AUIS Financial rewards have been announced, and students have started reacting. Many students claim that their tuition fees have been doubled.

This comes after AUIS Financial Aid Committee finished reviewing students’ Financial Aid Applications. The results were sent to the students via email.

As soon as the results were announced, a battle to refuse the results began.. The battle has started on Facebook, and it seems that the former Dean of Students, Dr. Harrigan is not here to follow the events.
Students are not hesitant to show their concerns and call for “actions”. “It won’t stop, we have to do something” Nuha Othman wrote as a replay to one of her friends when she wrote “it increased too much!”

These cries can be heard from all Financial Aid students; a name given by AUIS to those students whom AUIS is paying part of their annual tuition fees.

“I can pay part of what I have been asked to pay” a student answered when he was asked; “Can you pay your 2010-2011 tuition fees?”

The list continues, but no one seems to listen. No change is guaranteed, but students can ask for re-reviewing their applications. More has to come and the fight on Facebook will prolong, and Financial Aid students are worried about their destiny in a case that they could not pay their tuition fees.

read more...

AUIS Dean of Students unfriends students on Facebook

After his departure, Dr. James Harrigan started to unfriend AUIS students on Facebook. In contrast of what students have thought about him, Mr. Harrigan acted irrationally. This comes as a shock for many students as he always pretends to be with them and they loved his covered simplicity.

"It was all a game and he used our Facebook status to follow the events, and he used all this against us in whatever steps we took." a students messaged Bahman Hassan when he first published this news on his Facebook wall.

Ironically, Mr. Harrigan seem to be pardoned for all the difficulties that he created out of not having administrative expericance. During his work at AUS as Dean of the Students, his office has face many difficulties that the source was his constant baseless accusations. The news of his leaving AUIS was welcomed by many thinking that, " the big man with his loud voice will not be here to shout anymore."
You may wonder why we want to publicize this news. There is no hidden goal behind this post other than shedding the light on this strange step by Mr. Harrigan.

For us, he as in many occasions, directly in person or indirectly, has shown his dislike of us. Though, Mr. Harrigan will not come back to AUIS, his news made many students to feel fooled. But "Song of the day" and "birthday wishes" by Mr. James will not pup up on AUIS students' Facebook walls.

read more...

Al-Sharqia Produces a Series Based on Bloggers’ Stories

After the obvious increase in the number of Iraqi Bloggers and their role, an Iraqi TV station have decided to produce a series based on the stories that Iraqi bloggers have published since 2003.  

Al-Sharqia, which is an Arabic TV station, is the producer. “East Gate” is the tittle of the series and it is planned to be televised in Ramadan. With this Al-Sharqia will the first Iraqi conventional media to credit bloggers and the social media activists.

After the invasion of Iraq, bloggers all over the country have published many secret documents, and for this those who were identified have been prisoned and tortured. Bloggers have participated in informing the public and shared in publishing many documents that have proved the magnitude of corruption that Iraqi are suffering from.    

 

                                            


                                                  Official Ad for the series by Al-Sharqia

read more...