ccq february newsletter
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CCQ February NewletterTRANSCRIPT
| The Community College of Qatar Newsletter February 2012 | Issue number 4
Vantagepoint
New Year’s Resolutions To many, the beginning of a new year brings reason to hope for a brighter future. The Community
College of Qatar began this year with the signing of an Articulation Agreement with Qatar Uni-
versity (Page 2) and now has instituted a change to weekly schedules, making Thursdays a time for
supplemental instruction and in-service training. Our Top Story on Thursdays will focus on this
unique scheduling method that truly makes CCQ innovative.
Also inside works include an article by Professor Anthony Tycer, our first Book Review by
Librarian Associate Phillip Mowrer, and CCQ in Action.
Thursday Opportunities at CCQ
With new faculty members, the opening of the
science labs at C-Ring, and new classes added
to the curriculum, 2012 will prove to be another
year of progress for the Community College of
Qatar. One of the most noticeable changes is
what has become of Thursday schedules. No
longer just a typical day of the week, Thursdays
will now stand as much more for CCQ.
In previous years, a common concern among
students, faculty, and staff was that there was
not enough time in the week to participate in
clubs, attend events, or seek tutoring. Some
even argued that classes, homework, careers,
and family commitments required too much of
our time. CCQ Administrators, after some
deliberation, made the decision to remove clas-
ses from Thursdays in exchange for a more
open, fluid scheduling system. Students will
now have an open day to handle their
responsibilities. It is important to note, though,
that the total amount of contact time per course
has not changed. Instead of a course meeting
for 60 minutes a day, five days a week, for
example, the course would now meet for 75
minutes a day, four days a week.
However, students who feel they have been
given the “gift” of a three-day weekend should
work to keep up their grades. Students at-risk of
failing or showing signs of difficulty will be
required by their professors to attend special
tutoring and coursework services to improve
their grades. Math Reviews, The English Cafe
and a new Writing Center will be
available for all.
The extra day will give students the time they
need to complete assignments, master subject
matter, and seek additional assistance from
faculty tutors. Tutoring and other services will
still be in operation throughout the week, but
students will now have more time to complete
assignments without being preoccupied by other
responsibilities on Thursdays.
CONTENTS
Recent Events 2
CCQ in Action 3
Faculty 4
وجهة نظر
What does the new Thursday schedule mean
for CCQ students?
“Eyes on CCQ”
STUDENTS:
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ED-
IT, REPORT, OR DESIGN
NEXT MONTH’S VANTAGE
POINT, E-MAIL US!
CONTACT
Edward Feighny
Editor-in-Chief
Dr.Abdulnassir Al-Tamimi
Editor
Gregory Twidal / Zahraa Ajine
Design & Style
Students, this is where your words come to life through the
power of print. [email protected]
Recent Events
Recent Events
CCQ to work with Education City Varsities By Bonnie James/ Deputy News Editor –The Gulf Times
The Community College of Qatar (CCQ) will pursue articulation agreements with Education City universities, acting
president Professor Ibrahim Saleh al-Naimi told Gulf Times. He was speaking yesterday on the
sidelines of an articulation agreement signing ceremony between Qatar University and CCQ, a first for the latter.
Texas A&M University at Qatar dean and CEO Dr Mark H Weichold, who is also on CCQ board, said an internal
discussion has already taken place at his institution in this regard.
QATAR UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN EDUCATION TEAM-UP Provided by The Gulf Times– Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 Vol. XXXII No. 8496
Articulation Agreement confirms CCQs place in Qatar
January 3rd- The agreement was signed by QU President Prof
Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad and CCQ Acting President Prof
Ibrahim Saleh al-Naimi at a ceremony at QU. “CCQ graduates
with a Grade Point Average of 2.5 or above and a minimum of
C grade (70% marks), are eligible to apply to QU,” explained
al-Naimi, who is also a former President of QU. QU Vice
President for Student Affairs Dr. Omar al-Ansari recalled that
the process that culminated in the articulation agreement was
started a year ago.“This initiative is part of co-operation and
integration between institutions of higher education in Qatar,”
he said.
QU Vice President and Chief Academic Officer Dr Sheikha
Jabor al-Thani and CCQ‟s Interim Dean Dr. Butch Herod
attended the agreement signing ceremony. Qatar Foundation
Vice President of Education Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, Texas
A&M University at Qatar Dean and CEO Dr. Mark H Wei-
chold, QU Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Dr. Hu-
maid al-Midfaa, Vice President for Research Dr. Hassan al-
Derham, Foundation Programme Director Dr. Khalid Alali and
other senior officials were also present. The conditions of the
agreement are established in line with the principles of
accreditation described by the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools (SACS) from which QU is in the process
of seeking institution-wide accreditation.
By the terms of the agreement, CCQ students having completed
60 credit hours of undergraduate coursework in the college‟s
Associate Degree in Arts (AA) or Associate Degree in Science
(AS) programmes, are eligible to apply for admission to QU‟s
undergraduate programmes. They would also be allowed to
bypass QU‟s English, math and computer competency
requirements.
However, CCQ students who have not completed their associate
degrees and wish to be admitted into QU, would need to fulfill
those requirements as well as complete at least 24 credit hours of
undergraduate coursework at the college. In turn, CCQ will accept
reverse transfers of QU courses to the college for consideration as
AA or AS degrees.
Prof al-Misnad said the agreement underlined the continuity of
education promoted by policymakers in Qatar that allowed
students from established educational institutions such as CCQ to
add value to their certificates by following on to further study.
“We are pleased to be part of this agreement with CCQ which will
provide students with a wide range of study options to build on
their previous studies by pursuing their area of interest and
specialization”.
Prof al-Naimi stated it was of great importance to CCQ to sign its
first articulation agreement with the country‟s national university,
since many of the graduates would seek to continue their studies in
Qatar. “This agreement will open the door for them to excel in
their studies towards enrolment in QU where they can pursue
studies for their bachelor‟s degree. This kind of co-operation will
definitely add more value to the higher education structure in Qa-
tar,” he added. The articulation agreement between CCQ and QU
will be administered by an Articulation Sub-Committee
comprising chief academic representatives from QU and CCQ for
programme review and evaluation, recommendations, and relevant
changes.
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the power of print. [email protected]
CCQ IN ACTION Recent Events
Book Review by Philip Mowrer
Red, White, and Muslim: My
Story of Belief
By: Asma Gull Hasan
America has always been a
multi-cultural country, but many
Americans today do not know how people from different backgrounds
actually live, even though they may be our neighbors, coworkers, or peo-
ple we see every day.
With this memoir, Hasan tries to give non-Muslims an
insider‟s view of what life was like for her growing up as a first generation
Muslim American. She weaves together memories of her past with her
understanding of Islam, and explains how these two things have shaped
her into the woman she is today. She does this in a way that makes it easy
for a reader, even one not familiar with Islam, to understand what her
religion means to her and how she has come to feel comfortable identify-
ing herself as both Muslim and American.
This does not mean that a reader will agree with everything
written in the book; Hasan gives numerous examples of people she has
met, both Muslims and Americans, who have virulently disagreed with
what she has said about Islam and America. What the book does do very
well, however, is inspire the reader to think about the ideas and viewpoints
being discussed. By combining her experiences with relevant information
from the Qur‟an and the sayings of Muhammad (PBUH), Hasan puts a
human face on Islam in America, and helps non-Muslims and non-
Americans begin to form an idea of what being Muslim and
American means for her.
This book is a great read for anyone who wants to know
more about being Muslim in America, or anyone who wants
to learn more about Islamic teachings, and how they trans-
late in everyday life when living in a country that is outside
the Islamic world. Some of the author‟s ideas may be contro-
versial for some people, but they are also thought-provoking,
and they make you stop and think about what she is saying.
If you are interested in a quick read that will make you think,
please stop by the library to take out a copy today.
WEBSITE OF THE MONTH! Do you write things down and forget where you put them?
Are your thoughts scattered on posted notes? If this sounds like you, then you need to down-load EVERNOTE.
SUCCESS-ARIZE YOURSELF FOR COLLEGE
Accessorizing is a talent many students seem to share, but bringing
the right stuff to class is more than a question of taste, it‟s a
question of readiness. There are a number of items every college
student should have:
Backpack or book bags: Every student needs one. With
the growing use of laptop computers on campus, having a
bag that will accommodate both books and a computer is a
must have accessory.
Flash Drives: Whether you have a laptop or rely on an
on-campus computer lab, a flashdrive will be essential for
storing your files and protecting your work. Additionally,
college students have found that a flash drive or USB drive
is indispensible for working on group projects and presen-
tations.
Planners: Every day, week, month, and year we have
certain deadlines to meet; especially college students. At
the beginning of every semester, professors provide a
syllabus telling students when and how often they can
expect to be tested, when assignments are due, and the
dates of holidays. Jotting down this information can be
helpful for planning out your semester.
Evernote has been voted one of the top 5 college
student 'survival' apps and the best thing is it's free.
Visit WWW.EVERNOTE.COM and start remembering
everything.
Evernote is an application that helps you organize EVERYTHING. It can be easily downloaded to any mobile device or laptop. It will help you take notes, save & store pictures, capture websites, and essentially store all of this stuff in places you can easily access.
You can tag items to come back to, locate material by simple keyword commands and share whatever you want with your classmates, friends and family anywhere in the world. The second installment of the Doha Read-
ing Series was held on January 26, 2012 at
Bread and Bagels coffee shop. Reading
original works were Rakesh Gupta, Kristine
Heiney, Erica Hubbard, Christine Gerber
Rutt, and Dane A. Wisher. The next Reading
Series event will be held in February. The
Doha Reading Series is a monthly event
sponsored by the Department of English
and ESOL of CCQ. If you are interested in
taking part, contact Prof. Dane Wisher at:
DOHA READING
Students, this is where your words come to life through
the power of print. [email protected]
FACULTY Recent Events
Critical Interventions Number 8: Special Issue on African Cinemas from Prof. Victoria Pasley
Guest edited by Victoria Pasley, CI#8 focuses on African Cinemas through
analysis of different contexts of film practices in Africa. The cinematic arts can
be defined as the apex of a culture of visuality and it is not by chance that the
moving image has become a key technology of narrative in the era of
globalization. In this regard, African cinemas of different historical origins, dis-
cursive focus and aesthetic orientation are increasingly notable as key aspects of
African visual and cultural experiences. The debate over what constitutes
African cinemas occupies an important place in these developments, especially
in light of the divide between auteur and populist traditions of African filmmak-
ing that seem to divide neatly along colonial lines into Francophone, Anglophone and Lusophone cultures of African cinema. However,
these categories do not adequately describe the divergent modes of practice evident in how such cinemas are located in the global economy,
where transnational engagements defeat the essentialist idea of a homogenous “Africa”. In this context, the classical definition of African
cinema as a mode of practice that adheres to the auteur tradition of French filmmaking confronts the emergent example of Nollywood and
related modes of film production that hew to Hollywood‟s powerful business-oriented model with its global preeminence. These two con-
texts present two visions of African cinema that can sometimes seem totally divergent. However, as Kenneth Harrow concludes in his essay
in this volume, the lines between the two modes of African cinema are collapsing.
This issue of Critical Interventions therefore investigates the history and disparate locales of African Cinemas through significant articles
that take its transnational origins into consideration and also track changing definitions of African praxis within the global discourse of
cinema. This jumbo edition of the journal features articles by Alexie Tcheuyap, Sheila Petty, Etienne-Marie Lassi, Kenneth Harrow, Amadou
Fofana, Cara Duncan-Moyer, Alioune Sow, Scott M. Edmonson, Jonathan Shaw, Stefanie Van der Peer, Toni Pressley-Sanon, Mariam
Konate Deme and Dramane Deme. It also features a republication of Teshome Gabriel‟s seminal article— “Towards a Critical Theory of
Third World Cinema”.
The Challenging Class: Learning from Teaching
We have all had classroom experiences that tried our patience be-
yond reason. I have had such an “opportunity” for personal and profes-
sional growth this semester.
What has compounded the issue for me is that instead of teaching
in the United States, I am teaching in Qatar: in the Army while over-
seas, I taught young men, but here it is a class of young women. The
students in this class are younger, while my ABE and ESL classes at
Portland (Oregon) Community College were older. These changes
further put me off „my game‟ or approach.
What I found as my envelope stretched, was that what had worked
in previous ESL classes elsewhere in the world, surprisingly works
well here in Qatar. When I became grateful for the opportunity to grow,
growth came easier. My side of the street was clean and clear when my
attitude changed.
I found faculty and administrators who were supportive and
resolution oriented: some, because we shared students, others as part of
professional development and genuine collegiality. We did not have a
problem, we had options for change. The department chair supported
me while conscientiously hearing the concerns of the student.
The counseling department was similarly engaged. They were
particularly valuable in giving me a sense of perspective and
support. The Registrar kept me apprised of the impact a variety of
courses of action would have on my students' records.
Other teachers were available to come to my classroom and observe.
In other instances they invited me to their class room so I might see
their teaching practices. My preparation standards and familiarity with
the new text were pushed up a level. Outside texts were employed for
simplicity of explanation and clarity of writing.
As a result of such interactions my „game‟ changed and my attitude
adjusted. I became much more receptive to using new
technologies. Power Point presentations were introduced, thanks to
other teachers and the resources they provided. Several students were
referred to the tutorial center.
I had to shift teaching modalities. Specific to general was vague and
ineffective so a shift was made: general to specific (inductive instead
of deductive). As I looked for class room participation, I had to reach
for and accept a greater variety of learning styles. This meant a greater
tolerance of background noise and chatter from those who process
verbally and auditory.
After all of my learning and adjusting, my hope persists in this: that
they learn how to learn. By teaching them this most essential lesson, I
have made a good student better, an uninterested student‟s interest is
piqued, and the conscientious students are given additional tools just as
they have all made me ready to employ new teaching tools.
By Professor Tony Tycer