UA-R-GC-1914-01-01-1985-05_Page-011

The Capital campaign contributions are continuing to corne in regularly but in lower amoun~ than in previous years. The total now stands at about $17.5 million. IBM has now promised $100,000 in equipment this year, which we hope to have installed by the fall, and A T & T has promised $75,000. On the other hand we had a set-back in Saudi Arabia, which we will try to recoup, when the Faisal Foundation turned down our request to help establish a Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies at AUC. We have had increasing success with wealthier alumni and Arab friends of AUC. One family from Jordan has indicated it will provide an endowed scholarship (probably $50,000), and as a result of calls in London last week we expect substantial amounts from several Egyptians living there. Other large requests in Saudi Arabia and Egypt remain outstanding but we continue to expect results from them. CONSTRUCTION Following the very high initial bids for the Jameel Center we asked the architects for a "fair price" estimate of the final bidding on construction. It was LE 6.5 million or LE 900 thousand (at 140 to the dollar) above the construction budget of $4 million. We have accordingly asked them to reduce the width of the building, which had intruded more than we had intended into the campus anyway, and to make some design changes to improve the appearance of the building. If these changes do not save enough money we will probably eliminate one floor, as the building may exceed the codes anyway. The re-bids to those who bid in February will probably go out again in July. Finishing work in Hill House naturally slowed once the Board left but we expect all construction to be done by July and the building to be furnished and occupied by the fall. Furniture is now arriving in great quantities, and it will be very attractive. We are on the verge of signing the formal contract with the architects for the dormitory, and serious planning should start on that this summer. When I return we will do space adjustment planning in order to start renovations made possible by Hill House. Those renovations will take until the middle of next school year (January or so). ALUMNI Following the Board meeting Dr. Allam, Mary Iskander, Nabil Farouki and I visited Amman for an alumni meeting and fund raising. Two cabinet members and the closest aide to the Queen were AUC graduates. The meeting was highly successful, many potential students carne to talk with Dr. Allam about admission to AUC, and we expect increased financial contributions from Jordans as well - 4