UA-R-GC-1914-01-01-1984-02_Page-021

{ ( ) -2- Ms. Iskander said that the Alumni Endowment Fund hopes to raise $1 million from 200 alumni, each pledging $5,000 over a 5 year period. Current total is $180,000 in gifts and pledges, with one Abu Dhabian alumnus giving $100,000. She mentioned that there will need to be greater contact with the alumni (by traveling to see and meet with them) to help meet their objective. Regarding the annual giving campaign, Ms. Iskander stated that a letter from Farkhonda Hassan is being mailed to all alumni this week. The first such letter, sent by Mrs. Mubarak in 1982, netted about LE26,000. Although no follow-up letter was sent in 1982, the alumni council hopes to retrieve some of the lost momentum with the current mailing. In answer to a question about alumni addresses and responses, Ms. Iskander stated that there are approximately 6,000 AUCians worldwide, that AUC has addresses for 5,000 of them, but that only about 200 respond to the mailed appeals. The next item on the agenda, Mr. Hedlund's trip to Saudi Arabia, was covered by both Mr. Hedlund and Dr. Allam. Mr. Hedlund, in particular, high-lighted their discussions at the King Faisal Foundation which included the possibility of a $10 million grant to AUC to expand the University's Arabic Center, its Arabic studies, to endow professorships and help create a conference center on the order of "The World Center for the Study of Arabic in the English Language." He explained that there are actually two parts to the King Faisal organization -- the Center and the Foundation -- and stated that the first step is for AUC to assist the Center in setting up its library, particularly in automat­ing it. He would like AUC staff to go to Riyadh, see how the University can help the Center, get guidelines for drawing up a proposal~ then have Dr. Allam return with a draft proposal in May. Subject to its approval, Mr. Hedlund would then go back to the Foundation with AUC's final proposal and meet with the Princes (Khalid and Turki). Dr. Bartlett stated that he has some good contacts for library automation; Dr. Pedersen mentioned that he had also met someone who could help advise on automation from Texas. ~he committee agreed that a team consisting of Marsden Jones, Jesse Duggan, and a library automation advisor should visit the Foundation as soon as possible. Mr. Hedlund then brought the committee up-to-date on the Jameels. He saw Sheikh Abdul Latif Jameel in Jeddah, and the Sheikh offered to finance 5 Saudis from Riyadh, and 5 Saudis from Jeddah for study at AUC. In a private discussion, Dr. Allam brought up the possibility of endowing these scholarships and of accepting non-Saudi/Arab students. Dr. Allam is to prepare a proposal offering several alternatives, but which would include funding for both tuition and living expenses. Dr. Pedersen stated that an endowment of $2 million would be needed to fund the 10 students. On the plane to Cairo, Yousef Jameel again brought up the subject to Mr. Hedlund of the importance of AUC getting into the field of nursing. Mr. Hedlund asked that Dr. Pedersen or Dr. Allam write to Yousef with a report on what AUC is doing on the nursing question. Dr. Pedersen said that AUC will undertake a study and that in the meantime, he will write to Yousef. (*) The proposal would relate to the Arabic Center at AUC, would be based on a proposal previously prepared by the University, and would be submitted to the Foundation