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The LAU President’s Report 

2006–2007

The LAU President’s Report 

2006–2007

Mission Statement 

The Lebanese American University is committed 

to academic excellence, student-centeredness, 

the advancement of scholarship, the education 

of the whole person, and the formation of 

students as future leaders in a diverse world.

P r e s i d e n t ’s R e p o rt 2 0 0 6 | 2 0 0 7 

Table of Contents 

Letter from the President..........................................................................................................................2 

Implementing Our Mission.........................................................................................................................4 

Academic Excellence ...................................................................................................................................................................6 

Spotlight on the School of Arts & Sciences...........................................................................................................8 

Student-Centeredness..............................................................................................................................................................10 

Spotlight on the School of Business.......................................................................................................................12 

Advancement of Scholarship .................................................................................................................................................14 

Spotlight on the School of Engineering & Architecture ................................................................................16 

Education of the Whole Person.............................................................................................................................................18 

Spotlight on the School of Medicine.....................................................................................................................20 

Formation of Future Leaders in a Diverse World ...........................................................................................................22 

Spotlight on the School of Pharmacy....................................................................................................................24 

Our Partners & DONORS...............................................................................................................................26 

The Case for Giving....................................................................................................................................................................27 

A Transformational Gift...........................................................................................................................................................28 

List of Contributors 2006–07................................................................................................................................................30 

Endowed Scholarships & Established Grants .................................................................................................................34 

MEDGULF Contribution Advances Actuarial Sciences .................................................................................................37 

Making It Possible............................................................................................................................................38 

Student Development & Enrollment Management.....................................................................................................38 

Human Resources & University Services .........................................................................................................................40 

Human Resources..........................................................................................................................................................41 

Facilities............................................................................................................................................................................42 

Information Technology .............................................................................................................................................43 

University Advancement.........................................................................................................................................................44 

Alumni Affairs ................................................................................................................................................................45 

Development..................................................................................................................................................................46 

Marketing & Communications................................................................................................................................47 

Public Relations .............................................................................................................................................................48 

Advancement Services................................................................................................................................................49 

Finance...........................................................................................................................................................................................50 

Board of Trustees and Board of International Advisors 2006–2007 ......................................................................52 

Our Vision for the Future .......................................................................................................................54 

1

L e t t e r F r o m t h e P r e s i d e n t 

Education is Our Best Hope 

for Peace and Progress 

Dear Friends of LAU, 

In times of crisis, one doesn’t speak of keeping one’s heart. For better 

or worse, the heart’s passion often fuels conflict. Rather, we at the 

Lebanese American University believe that when we face obstacles and 

opponents, the road to resolution and advancement depends greatly 

on our ability to keep our heads without losing our hearts. 

Sometimes, keeping one’s head doesn’t come as naturally as following 

one’s heart. Staying cool amid confrontation requires having a vision 

for the future and a plan for achieving it. It means being able to 

evaluate a situation from multiple vantage points while drawing on a 

depth of knowledge about the issues at hand and the tools that might 

help create peace and progress. 

Equally, keeping one’s head depends on the clear articulation of the 

vision and its benefits to all parties involved. Finally, it assumes that 

others are watching and will follow your example. As Martin Luther 

King, Jr., wrote in his 1963 book of sermons Strength to Love, “The 

ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of 

comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge 

and controversy.” Since its noble beginnings in 1835 as a school for girls 

in the Ottoman Empire, the Lebanese American University has proved 

that it is up to the task. 

▲ President Joseph G. Jabbra 

LAU’s commitment to building an environment in which students can 

gain the knowledge and develop the skills needed to keep one’s head 

has been tested time and again over the past century and a half and 

most recently during the summer 2006 war. The momentum of the 

meticulously articulated five-year strategic plan that had gathered 

over the previous year not only helped the university weather the 

disruptions caused by the 34-day war but also propelled the 

completion of the first major initiatives, including achieving candidacy 

for accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and 

Colleges (NEASC), in record time. 

2


“ 

LAU is in the midst of dramatic and 

far-reaching institutional change. ” 

NEASC Accreditation Team, April 2007 

In this year’s annual report, the first of its kind for the university, we 

review the past year’s successes and the people and processes that 

have made them possible as well as our plans going forward. The 

report is divided into three sections. In the first several pages, we 

illustrate the many ways in which LAU is fulfilling the five 

basic tenets of its mission: academic excellence, studentcenteredness, 

advancement of scholarship, education of 

the whole person, and the formation of future leaders in a 

diverse world. We’ll also update you on the strides made 

at each of our five academic schools. 

Then, giving them the prominence they deserve, our centerfold 

features major donors and contributors to the annual fund and the 

more than 150 academic scholarships offered to students at LAU. We 

outline how everyone in LAU’s immediate and extended communities 

can contribute to our success. 

Finally, we’ll canvas LAU’s administrative divisions and take a close look 

at how they are leveraging their resources and expertise to support 

the institution’s mission. A summary of our most recent financial 

statement also appears here. 

On its visit last April, the NEASC accreditation team announced that 

“LAU is in the midst of dramatic and far-reaching institutional 

change.” Indeed it is. It is an exciting time, full of promise for a better 

future for our students, for Lebanon, and for the world. 

We hope you’ll join us as we share some of that promise in the pages 

that follow, which chronicle achievements that wouldn’t have been 

possible without the hearts and minds of every member of our 

extended LAU family. Thank you. And remember: Excellence is our 

passion. LAU is our pride. 

Sincerely, 

Joseph G. Jabbra 

3

I m p l e m e n t i n g O u r M i s s i o n 

S t r at e g ic P l a n P r o g r e s s 

Jabbra joins LAU; 

presents vision for 

the university 

Surveys and focus group 

interviews conducted; 

draft Mission, Vision, 

and Goals developed 

Board of Trustees 

approves draft Mission, 

Vision, and Goals 

Strategic Plan drafted 

based on Mission, 

Vision, and Goals 

2005–2010 Strategic 

Plan approved by 


Reduction of teaching load 

for selected full-time faculty; 

faculty orientation and 

mentoring program created 

Faculty Senate created 

August 2004 

Spring 2005 

March 2005 

Summer 

2005 

September 

2005 

May 2006 

October 

2006 

LAU’s Goals 

The overarching goal of the Lebanese American University is to function as “one 

University” with two campuses in an effective, efficient and nimble manner. The 

Strategic Goals are: 

1. To drive LAU to become a world-class institution of higher learning 

2. To target enrollment to achieve academic objectives while properly nurturing and 

supporting students 

3. To provide a service-centered environment that stimulates and facilitates: student 

growth and development; intellectual and professional development for faculty and 

staff; scholarly and creative endeavors for faculty, students, and staff 

4. To make LAU the higher education employer of choice in Lebanon by instilling a culture 

of ownership, empowerment, fairness, accountability, integrity, and reward for 

achievement 

5. To strengthen relationships with the extended LAU community 

6. To demonstrate leadership in providing state-of-the-art systems and infrastructure to 

properly support academic, student and administrative activities and initiatives 

7. To use financial resources in a well-planned and highly effective manner 

4


NEASC self-study completed; 

integrated 

Student Advisement program 

implemented; Staff 

Advisory Council created 

NEASC candidacy 

achieved; comprehensive 

five-year fund-raising 

plan approved 

Strategic enrollment 

plan approved by 


First LAUMS class 

arrives in Byblos 

Five-year alumni 

PRIDE plan developed 

New job classification 

system created 

First medical school 

class enters; NEASC 

accreditation 

achieved 

Completion of 

2005–2010 

Strategic Plan 

December 

2006 

June 2007 

September 

2007 

Spring 2008 

September 

2008 

Fall 2009 

2009 

Projections 

2010 

▼ Caucusing at the 2007 Global Classrooms-Model UN 

5


Academic Excellence 

The heart of a university must be its academic core. This is one of six 

major themes that emerged as LAU faculty and staff engaged in an 

intensive process of self-evaluation that led to the articulation of the 

initiatives of the university’s five-year strategic plan. The first of these 

initiatives is “to promote excellence in teaching, learning and research.” 

By embarking on the self-study required by the rigorous accreditation 

process of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges 

(NEASC), LAU took a major step in 2006–07 toward implementing this 

initiative. The completion of the study in record time further 

underscored the university’s dedication to upholding both NEASC’s and 

its own high standards. In September 2007, NEASC announced that LAU 

had achieved accreditation candidacy, firmly setting the university on 

course to becoming a world-class institution and fully accredited by the 

fall of 2009, an admittedly ambitious but reachable goal. 

LAU has also reaffirmed its commitment to recruiting highly qualified, 

tenure-track faculty. Since 2000, the number of full-time faculty 

members, nearly half of whom hold the rank of associate or full 

professor, has increased, bringing the student-faculty ratio to a 

respectable 20:1, on par with many U.S. institutions of a similar size. 

Not only is the number of full-time faculty increasing but so is the 

amount of time they can spend in the library, field, or lab. Teaching 

loads were reduced to give faculty members desperately needed time 

to engage in more research and writing. Similarly, several new faculty 

members were recruited in part because of their leadership on 

innovative projects already under way. 

▼ Students do tests in an engineering lab 

Student Achievers 

Helen Saad ’02 

International Fulbright Science and 

Technology Award 

Fulbright scholar Suha Itani ’03 

Outstanding Teacher Award from 

Florida State University 

Mireille Rayess Jaoude ’04 

Valedictorian at the 2007 commencement 

for master’s degree candidates in finance 

at George Washington University 

Faten Fathallah 

Represents Lebanon and LAU in the 

marketing apprenticeship program 

Dubai Summer Surprises 

Vatche Isahakian ’06 

Full assistantship in PhD program at 

London South Bank University 

Mona Hatoum ’72 

Marya Kazoun ’00 

Exhibiting artists at the 2007 Sharjah 

Biennial 8 

Helen Sadek ’07 

Full scholarship for PhD studies in molecular 

biology at Johns Hopkins University 

Dina Jabbour ’07 

Full scholarship for PhD studies in molecular 

microbiology at the Technical 

University of Hamburg-Harburg 

Carol Daoud ’99 ’06 

Full scholarship for PhD studies at 

Heidelberg University, Germany 

Suha Yazbeck ’05 

Full scholarship for PhD studies at Case 

Western Reserve University in Ohio. 

Manal Maalouf ’07 

Full tuition and stipend for PhD study at 

Case Western Reserve University, Ohio 

Alian Hasrouny ’05 

Fulbright scholarship for a master’s 

degree in international affairs 

Dominik Haddad ’07 

Full scholarship for PhD studies at 

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium 

Rita Aad ’04 

MEPI scholarship for six-month training 

course on leadership and democracy 

Raida Basma ’07 

Full stipend for PhD studies at the 

American University of Beirut 

6


“ 

Maintaining excellence in so 

many areas is not a burden; 

we are driven by genuine passion 

for what we do. ” 

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra 

To support the university-wide accreditation process, program 

reviews are taking place leading to revised curricula 

as well as the introduction of new majors, too. A thorough 

review of all academic programs will take place over the 

next five to six years. In addition, 18 centers and institutes 

provide portals for interdisciplinary investigation on 

issues such as Lebanese heritage, migration, family and 

entrepreneurial business as well as the mechanism for hosting conferences 

and colloquia that encourage contributions from scholars from 

around the world. 

Finally, achieving academic excellence would be impossible without a 

well-stocked, well-organized, and technology-enabled library system. 

The inauguration of the Riyad Nassar Library represented light years of 

progress in this area for LAU. In 2006–07, the print and electronic 

collections continued to expand both in Byblos and Beirut with the 

donation of more than 13,000 volumes from the Sabre Foundation and 

the acquisition of ebrary, a collection of 30,000 digital books and 

documents. LAU is currently recruiting a university librarian who will 

head library services across the whole institution. 

▼ In the ceramics studio 

▼ The periodicals room in the new Beirut library 

7


Home to LAU’s oldest programs, the School of Arts & Sciences 

spans both the Byblos and Beirut campuses. It forms the 

core of the university’s commitment to a solid grounding in 

the liberal arts while allowing students to pursue individual interests 

in a broad range of disciplines. 

Much of the 2006–07 academic year was spent assessing programs in 

the School of Arts & Sciences with regard to the standards set forth by 

the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). In 

addition to preparing for university-wide accreditation, the school also 

implemented a program review process of its own. In addition, new 

degree programs, in history and philosophy, and a new minor, in 

actuarial sciences, were introduced. 

The school also inaugurated two major projects in Byblos that will 

enhance the scope of scientific research undertaken at LAU. The 

Genomics & Proteomics Research Center, the only one of its kind in the 

Arab world, was equipped with sophisticated equipment worth 

$2 million. Construction of a European Union–funded $250,000 

wastewater treatment plant was completed. The plant will not only 

serve the LAU community but will also be available for teaching, 

research, and capacity building of local engineers. 

Among other important developments, the school signaled its 

expectations for significant growth in the field of education by 

creating a separate education division. And in conjunction with the 

LAU Medical School, which expects its first class in 2009, the 

premedical school curriculum was finalized. 

Recruitment continued in earnest and resulted in the hiring of many 

new faculty members with exemplary credentials, including the 

internationally acclaimed Lebanese writer, poet, and novelist Rachid El 

Daif, who has joined LAU as an adjunct professor, and the geneticist 

Pierre Zalloua, who was jointly appointed to Arts & Sciences and the 

Medical School and is renowned for his work on Phoenician DNA. 

8


9


Student-Centeredness 

For us it’s simple: Students come first. From the 

moment a student expresses interest in attending 

LAU, we begin looking at things from their perspective. 

In particular, we believe that diversity benefits every student, 

which is why last year LAU representatives visited 305 high 

schools in Lebanon and the Middle East and participated in 52 

one-day fairs. On these trips, they introduce LAU and seek out 

motivated individuals from an array of geographic, religious, 

ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds to assemble the most 

diverse and driven class possible. Economic diversity is also important, and 

LAU’s leadership has long committed to providing the funding necessary for 

financially disadvantaged students to attend. In 2006–07, about one-third 

of the student body received financial aid.The resulting ethos, palpable at 

new student orientations, is one that rewards tolerance and fosters 

cooperation and collaboration among disparate minds. 

“ 

Think about what kind of world 

you want to live and work in. 

What do you need to know to build 

that world Demand that 

your teachers teach you that. ” 

Peter Kropotkin 

Academic diversity is also essential. At LAU students can choose to 

pursue degrees in about 40 disciplines—including architecture, biology, 

computer science, economics, education, engineering, hospitality and 

tourism, pharmacy, political science, and psychology. Nearly 1,300 course 

sections were offered each semester during 2006–07, ensuring that 

students were able to satisfy course requirements in a reasonable 

amount of time. A new integrated student advising program helped 

them sort through all the offerings and select those most relevant to 

them. Most important, however, options abound for students exploring 

how to leave their imprint on the world. Plenty of options also exist for 

those, yearning for the knowledge to develop a passion into a 

vocation—like Hussein Abbas ’06, whose passion to understand cancer 

led him to co-found Toufoula (Childhood), an organization dedicated to 

▲ The LAU newsroom 

▲ Hussein Abbas '06 with his mentor, 

chemistry professor Ahmad Houri 

10


helping children deal with cancer, before pursuing a PhD at the worldfamous 

M.D. Anderson Medical Center in Houston, Texas. 

Despite the challenging telecom environment in Lebanon, as modes of 

communication and conducting research evolve and become more 

and more dependent on digital technologies, LAU is making sure its 

students are keeping up with ever-advancing technology trends. In 

addition to the complete wireless coverage on campus, during 

2006–07, the university put plans in motion to double its bandwidth, 

introduce 29 audio- and video-enabled “smart” classrooms, and 

conduct eight training sessions on WebCT, a well-known, easy-to-use 

web-based software application that lets instructors provide their 

students with syllabi and assignments online. 

In addition to providing numerous on-campus opportunities to 

experiment and excel with a range of extracurricular and communityservice 

activities, LAU also dedicates significant resources to making 

sure that students engage with the world outside the gates. Through 

LAU’s Global Classrooms–Model UN program, about 70 students 

volunteer each year to train high school students around Lebanon in 

the art of diplomacy and protocol as it’s practiced in the United 

Nations. Graduate assistants are also often invited to coauthor papers 

and attend international conferences alongside their professors. 

▼ International Day 

As students prepare for life after college, LAU also helps. Year-round, the 

Guidance Office posts job announcements internally for students and 

alumni, and each spring it hosts career fairs on both the Byblos and 

Beirut campuses. Last year, a total of 125 Lebanese, regional, and 

multinational companies participated in the fairs, and 285 job offers 

were channeled through the Guidance Office. 

▲ Love Your Body day, a health-awareness campaign 

11


More than 72 percent of all degrees granted in 2006–07 on 

the Beirut campus were granted to graduates of programs 

offered in the business school, attesting to the explosive 

growth the school has seen in recent years. With business programs on 

both campuses that encompass all the necessary skills—accounting, 

banking and finance, economics, management, marketing—LAU is 

uniquely positioned to help ambitious Lebanese men and women 

achieve their goals to become industry leaders in Lebanon and across 

the Middle East. 

Business graduates went on to work at Fortune 500 companies last 

year and to prestigious PhD programs—following the scholarly 

example set by their faculty, who not only contribute extensively to 

international journals but also produce one of their own. The Berkeley 

Electronic Press signed a contract to publish Review of Middle East 

Economics and Finance, edited by the school’s Byblos faculty. The 

journal is the only internationally peer-reviewed journal dealing with 

Middle East economics and finance. 

Also during 2006–07, the executive MBA and hospitality and tourism 

programs got a boost. An agreement was signed with the Union of 

Arab Banks to offer the executive MBA program to their members and 

a new hospitality management lab became fully operational, giving 

students in this popular program access to much-needed resources to 

further their food-preparation and protection skills. 

school of 

business 

8 

▼ Students working in the new hospitality lab 

7 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

12


13


Advancement of Scholarship 

Over the past year, LAU’s pursuit of accreditation, focus on faculty 

recruitment, reduction in teaching loads, and augmentation of 

library and IT resources as well as electronic databases have all 

contributed markedly to the advancement of scholarship at the 

university. But as any researcher will tell you, the most important type 

of project support comes in the form of a grant, whether it’s for 

ground-breaking research or for a chance to take theory—and 

students—out of the classroom and into the field. 

In 2006–07, LAU raised a record $4 million from a variety of 

foundations and private funders, such as the U.S. Embassy, Cisco, the 

National Geographic Society, and the European Union, for a wide range 

of innovative initiatives with the potential for far-reaching 

implications.The Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) 

received three grants, the largest of which will support an ongoing 

teacher-training program focused on increasing literacy among 

Lebanese women. A seven-year, $2.1 million grant from the Middle East 

Partnership Initiative will provide educational opportunities to 18 

underserved students, more than half of them women, from countries 

in the Middle East and North Africa. The project will be managed by 

the University Enterprise Office, an in-house management consultant 

on special projects for LAU. A grant from the Swiss Agency for 

Development and Cooperation helped underwrite the Institute for 

▼ Dr. Zalloua conducts DNA research 

▲ Experimentation in a Beirut science lab 

14


Diplomacy and Conflict Transformation, a 10-day residential summer 

academy that trained 30 university students from seven Arab 

countries in conflict resolution, negotiation, and mediation skills. 

Other grants will fund software development and the continuation of 

the Cisco Academy Training Centre in the School of Engineering & 

Architecture in Byblos. 

“ 

If we are to teach real 

peace in this world, if we are 

to declare war on war, we must 

begin with the children. ” 

Ghandi 

To undergird the university’s new research focus, LAU has 

initiated a search for a dean for research and graduate 

studies. The dean will be charged with providing faculty 

with the tools and information they need not only to put 

together winning grant applications but also to manage 

the monies effectively once they arrive. 

▼ A recent cover of the IWSAW journal 

Owing to Lebanon’s status as a cultural crossroads and 

key catalyst for change in the region, special emphasis is placed on 

encouraging applied research and investigation that impact the local 

and regional environment. Typical of these projects is work being done 

by the recently founded Institute for Migration Studies. Current 

institute activities include organizing an international conference 

titled “Politics and the Culture of the Lebanese Diaspora” and two 

studies on the culture of Ethiopian domestic workers in Lebanon and 

the impact of return migration of Lala, a village in the western region 

of the Bekaa Valley. 

15


LAU offers eight bachelor’s and, as of fall 2006, three master’s 

degree programs in its School of Engineering & Architecture 

(SEA), where a variety of laboratories and an architecture and 

design workshop facilitate technical instruction and experimentation. 

In 2006–07, three of these labs—telecommunications, stress analysis, 

and computer integrated manufacturing—were updated with stateof-the 

art equipment whose purchase was made possible by an 

American Schools & Hospitals Abroad grant from the U.S. Agency for 

International Development. 

The 2006–07 academic year was very fruitful in terms of faculty 

recruitment. The school increased its faculty roster by 35 percent, a 

remarkable achievement considering that almost all new members are 

coming from outside Lebanon at a time when the region is struggling 

with unfortunate political tensions. Also last year, infrastructure 

software and solutions provider MWH Soft established an endowed 

scholarship to fund the senior year of study for a civil engineering 

major who “has a passion for promoting the advancement and wellbeing 

of all people by building, operating, and sustaining safe, reliable 

water and wastewater infrastructures.” In addition to the funds, the 

company, whose president and CEO is Paul Boulos, a member of LAU’s 

board of international advisors, will contribute hydraulic 

infrastructure and modeling and design software to the university. 

The SEA’s architecture program is undergoing re-accreditation by the 

French Ministry of Culture, in accordance with a major change in the 

teaching and professional practice of architecture in France, a process 

that is expected to be complete by the end of 2007. The school also 

established exchange programs for architecture students and faculty 

with the University of Venice and the École Spéciale d’Architecture in 

Paris. Closer to home, LAU’s Urban Planning Institute called on the 

school’s Landscape Workshop students to help with the development 

of a linear park in the Bekaa municipality of Fourzol. 

SEA students can earn one of several minors, in computer graphics, 

graphic design, packaging, and, soon, in biomedical engineering, 

petroleum engineering, and Islamic art and architecture, a program 

that’s being revitalized to take advantage of the region’s rich building 

tradition as well as the university’s exceptional collection of Islamic 

art. Finally, last year also saw the launch of a student chapter of the 

Institute of Industrial Engineers and the first alumni reunion—and 

later a full-fledged alumni chapter—of SEA graduates. 

school of 

engineering 

& architecture 

16


17


Education of the Whole Person 

Myopic worldviews lead to missed opportunities. At LAU, we firmly 

believe that for our graduates to emerge as confident, 

compassionate decision makers, they must have a well-rounded 

education that begins with strong grounding in the liberal arts. As called 

for in the strategic plan, during the 2006–07 academic year, the core 

liberal arts curriculum was revised and strengthened through the 

establishment of new majors in history and philosophy. In fall 2007, new 

students began following the new curriculum, which comprises a wide 

spectrum of courses in English, Arabic, computer applications, ethics, 

health and physical education, philosophy, religion, history, literature, 

and the natural and social sciences. 

As much as one can learn in the classroom, LAU remains keenly aware 

that learning also takes place between people. Following the American 

educational model that emphasizes learning over teaching, we go to 

great lengths to create and support enjoyable and challenging 

extracurricular and athletic activities on both campuses for our more 

than 6,300 students. A vast network of clubs and societies—Environment, 

Finance, Ciné, Debate, Hiking, Human Rights, Red Cross—meet regularly, 

galvanizing student interests and campus communities. Theater 

productions and art exhibits are well-publicized and well-attended. 

Varsity teams often compete in national and international tournaments. 

Several health awareness campaigns are held each year. On International 

Day, students from other countries set up booths and share their culture 

and lifestyle with their classmates. On-campus events are also 

organized, such as the hospitality program’s Taste Lebanon, where 

students to put their classroom skills to use for real customers. 

▼ Students joined the 2006 relief effort 

▲ International clubs help sustain diversity 

18


“ 

Establishing a lasting peace is 

the work of education; all politics 

can do is keep us out of war. ” 

Maria Montessor 

Educating the whole person also means recognizing that people can 

change. Developing human beings who have the capacity to work well 

with others requires acknowledging that people make mistakes—and 

providing a mechanism for those mistakes to be rectified. After the 

spring 2006 on-campus violence among 19 students, 18 of 

these students successfully completed a series of conflict 

resolution and communication workshops hosted by LAU, 

returning to the university as leaders instead of fighters. 

Finally, when aggression is perpetrated from outside, LAU 

students, faculty, and staff have a long tradition of banding 

together to help those in less fortunate positions. Such 

efforts have included offering support and supplies to 

internally displaced refugees after the 2006 war and during the 

bombardment of the Nahr el Bared camp in spring and summer of 2007. 

Similarly, Toufoula (Childhood), an organization founded and run by 

several LAU alumni and students has worked doggedly with several 

Lebanese architects over the past year to design and fund dream 

rooms for children suffering from cancer. The first such dream room 

was unveiled in the fall. 

▼ A Toufoula dream room in the making 

▲ IWSAW publications support women's literacy 

19


For more than a decade, establishing an American-style medical 

school on the Byblos campus has been one of LAU’s grandest 

visions. In December 2006, this vision became reality with the 

arrival of the school’s founding dean, Kamal F. Badr, MD. Dr. Badr has 

spent much of his career in the field of medical education, most 

recently as professor and chairman of the Department of Internal 

Medicine at the American University of Beirut and previously at 

Vanderbilt and Emory universities, two top-ranked medical schools in 

the United States. 

In one of his first acts as dean, Dr. Badr formalized a 10-year agreement 

with Harvard Medical International to develop LAUMS into “a highquality 

academic medical institution to train medical professionals to 

serve Lebanon and the greater Middle East.” Great strides toward 

making this possible came with the generous contribution from board 

member H.E. Ambassador Gilbert Chagoury toward the construction of 

the state-of-the-art facility that will house the school, which is slated 

to open in August 2010. 

With the signing of an agreement with the Clemenceau Medical 

Center, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins, to be the teaching hospital for the 

program, another internationally renowned name in the field of 

medicine also joined the effort. And after the completion of a 

feasibility study, in September, the Board of Trustees also approved the 

creation of a nursing school. The school will address the regional 

shortage of qualified nurses and be tightly integrated with the 

medical school. In one year, LAU has not only begun to realize its vision 

for a medical school but has put the university on the road to 

establishing a full-fledged medical complex. In the words of Dr. Badr, 

“it is the hope to create at LAU a new kind of medical academy, one 

that will define and shape the character of a ‘new physician’.” 

The first class of students will begin applying next year for admission 

to the class entering in fall 2009. They are expected to earn their MDs 

by 2013. Dr. Badr and two newly recruited assistant deans dedicated 

much of their time this year to developing both a premedical 

curriculum and the four-year curriculum for the medical school itself, 

which seeks not only to set a new standard for the quality of training 

offered in the region and to instill the values of community-based 

practice in its students but also to qualify its graduates to pursue 

postgraduate residencies and fellowships in the United States in 

accordance with North American standards and curricula. 

20


Future Leaders in a Diverse World 

Lebanon is the crucible where many of the world’s most pressing 

geopolitical issues are defined. Its democratic society and religious 

and cultural diversity, as well as its location between Europe and the 

Middle East, between Western Asia and Northern Africa, perfectly 

position this small nation and LAU to take a leading role in 

encouraging communication and cooperation among diverse cultures. 

Last year—in conjunction with the American University of Beirut, the 

American University of Cairo, and the American University of 

Sharjah—LAU began to capitalize on this potential by promoting 

American-style education as one of the most effective strategies to 

reverse not only the burgeoning religious extremism in the region but 

also the Western propensity to affix negative and monolithic 

stereotypes to Muslims and Arabs. The message was delivered to 

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington, D.C., and during a 

public panel discussion at Columbia University in New York. 

One of the many ways universities can advocate for change, besides 

providing a first-rate liberal arts education, the presidents agreed, is to 

bolster cultural-exchange programs such as LAU’s decade-old Summer 

Institute for Intensive Arabic Language and Culture, which offers 

courses for credit in classical Arabic, Lebanese dialect, Arab culture, and 

▼ Global Classrooms-Model UN 

▲ SINARC students visit the Cedars 

22


regional history and politics to students from outside Lebanon, and 

especially from the U.S. SINARC, as the program is known, has an 

exceptional reputation and before the summer 2006 war had record 

enrollments. In 2007, SINARC hosted its first fall course, originally 

planned for fall 2006 at the request of Georgetown University, which 

has one of the most revered international affairs programs in the 

United States. 

“ 

Since wars begin in the minds 

of men and women, 

it is in the minds of men and 

women that the defences of peace 

must be constructed. ” 

UNESCO 

While simply exposing oneself to other cultures goes a long way 

toward breaking down barriers between people, sustaining the 

relationships that emerge requires skills that don’t always come 

naturally. This is one of the tenets behind the Global Classrooms– 

Model UN initiative, which turned two this year. After 

participating in rigorous training sessions, more than 70 

LAU students spent several Saturdays over five months 

leading workshops for more than 700 students across 

Lebanon in the arts of negotiation and diplomacy as they 

learned about United Nations protocol and how to draft 

resolutions. The GC-MUN culminates each year in a 

weekend-long simulation of UN committee and security 

council meetings on the Beirut campus. 

Four Presidents Tour 

Last spring, President Jabbra joined the 

presidents of the American University of 

Beirut, the American University in Cairo, and 

the American University of Sharjah to speak in 

New York and Washington, DC, about the value 

of American-style education in the Middle 

East. “Our institutions, American institutions, 

do play the role of agents of change in two 

ways,” said President Jabbra. “One, providing 

students with the opportunity to go through a 

process, an educational process, where reason 

and the heart come together . . . So that they 

learn how to accept the other, although they 

might have a different opinion than they do, 

without having recourse to violence.” 

23


In 1993, LAU established the School of Pharmacy on the Byblos 

campus. The school offers two professional degrees, a five-year 

bachelor of science in pharmacy that forms the foundation for 

practicing in Lebanon and a six-year doctor of pharmacy that qualifies 

graduates to sit for the North American Pharmacy Licensure 

Examination (NAPLEX) in the United States. The doctor of pharmacy 

program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy 

Education (ACPE), a status shared with no other such program outside 

the United States. 

Since the ACPE accreditation, our graduates have consistently earned a 

100 percent passing rate and scored above the average. In May 2007, 

the school yet again proved why it deserves such a distinction: 100 

percent of LAU graduates passed the rigorous exam with an average 

score of 107.67, much higher than the U.S. national average of 89.95. In 

addition, during the year, the school increased the number of doctoral 

students admitted to 28; recruited several new faculty members; 

converted the Pharm.D program from a graduate level to a 

professional program; and, in accordance with ACPE guidelines and 

standards, revised its requirements to mandate that, effective fall 

2007, students who are accepted into the professional program and 

pursue their Pharm.D degree later on must undertake all advanced 

pharmacy practice experience in the United States. Top of mind for the 

next academic year is preparing for the ACPE’s periodic accreditation 

review, expected to take place in fall 2008. 

▼ Pharmacy students get first-hand experience 

24


25

O u r Pa rt n e r s & D o n o r s 

26


The Case for Giving to LAU 

As the university renews its mission and makes strides toward establishing 

itself in the minds of all as a world-class institution, we must also ask our 

extended family to renew their relationship to the university and play an 

active role in helping us achieve our vision. Throughout this report, we’ve 

touched on the many ways in which we’re transforming the challenges 

we’ve laid before us into success after success. We have the faculty, staff, and, 

most important, students to realize all our goals. One of our primary goals is 

to become less dependent on tuition to fund our progress. Already, we’ve 

raised a record amount of grant funds this year and have taken a major step 

toward taking the medical school from concept to campus. Now, we would 

like to invite you to join us in taking LAU to the next level of excellence. 

27


A Transformational Gift 

This year, businessman and LAU board member, H.E. 

Ambassador Gilbert Chagoury and his wife, Rose-Marie, 

pledged their support for the vision of the new LAU 

Medical School with a transformational gift of $10 

million. Born in Nigeria, where he long led the Chagoury 

Group, Chagoury considers himself first Lebanese and 

talks fondly of his parents’ hometown of Miziara in 

northern Lebanon. The couple’s philanthropic 

endeavors began long ago and have helped sustain 

venerable institutions, such as the Louvre Museum in 

Paris and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 

Memphis, Tennessee. Below Mr. Chagoury offers some 

insight into why he chose to contribute so generously to 

LAU, both in terms of what it can do for the university 

and for Lebanon. 

What convinced you to offer such a transformational 

gift to LAU in general and the medical school 

in particular 

Although I was born outside Lebanon, I have always felt 

strong ties with my Lebanese origins and consider 

myself Lebanese before anything else. I come from a 

great village in the North, and I always miss the simple 

and warm atmosphere that exists there. My friendship 

with Dr. Jabbra, and my admiration for the passion he 

has for LAU has greatly motivated me to help the 

institution. His enthusiasm is so contagious that you 

cannot but back him up. As for the medical school, it is a 

necessity for the region. It will attract students seeking a 

top-notch education with first-class faculty and state-ofthe-art 

equipment in a friendly environment. 

When did you first hear about the plans to establish 

a medical school What were your first thoughts 

I first heard about the possibility of the school from Dr. 

Jabbra, a long-time friend, and promised to help him 

realize the effort once he took the presidency of LAU. 

My first thought was that it was being planned in a 

location that will serve students who cannot commute 

everyday to the capital, which I believe is needed to 

encourage people in second-tier population centers to 

stay and develop their areas rather than abandon them 

and move to Beirut, which already suffers from being 

over-congested. 

What kind of impact do you foresee the LAU Medical 

School having on Lebanon and the region in the near 

and long term 

LAU’s Medical School will reinforce Lebanon’s leadership 

in the health-care field in the Middle East. Lebanon will 

benefit immensely from LAU's excellence in this field 

and can use the school to help improve its economy and 

attract foreigners to the country. 

Furthermore, since the school will be in Byblos, it will 

provide not only more opportunities for students living 

outside the capital but 

also additional jobs for 

professionals in the area, reviving the local economy. 

I also remember thinking that the medical school would 

encourage skilled and talented students to study in 

Lebanon instead of going abroad. Education, like health 

care and health education, has always been one of the 

country’s strongest assets. 

What encouragement would you give others 

considering making such a gift to LAU 

I would look at it differently and call it a duty rather than 

a gift. Anybody who can afford to contribute even a 

small or modest amount should not hesitate to back up 

the flourishing of noble causes at LAU. 

28


▲ H.E. Ambassador Gilbert Chagoury and his wife, Rose-Marie 

29


2006-2007 Contributors 

The Lebanese American University acknowledges with 

gratitude the following contributors who made generous 

financial, matching, and in-kind gifts to the university 

between October 1, 2006, and September 30, 2007: 

FOUNDERS’ SOCIETY ($25,000 AND UP) 

A. M. Qattan Foundation 

Al Waleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation 

Alumni Association, Abu Dhabi Chapter* 

Alumni Association, Dubai and Northern Emirates* 

Anonymous Donor 

Bank Audi SAL 

Bank of Beirut 

Bank of Beirut and the Arab Countries SAL 

BankMed SAL 

BLOM Bank 

Byblos Bank SAL 

CAT International / Fouad El Khazen 

Curtis W. McGraw Foundation 

Nadim Daouk 

European Commission / DG XII 

Fransabank SAL 

Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury Foundation 

Interstate Resources Incorporated 

Suad Juffali* 

Maha Kaddoura* 

Medgulf 

Paul F. Boulos* / MWH Soft, Inc. 

Occidental Petroleum Corporation / Ray Irani 

Sabre Foundation+ 

Saudi Aramco 

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation 

U.S. Agency for International Development 

United Nations Association of the USA 

30


TRIREME SOCIETY ($10,000–$24,999) 

Richard A. Abdoo 

Hanan Abou Ghazaleh 

Ali A. Tamimi Company 

Alumni Association, Athens Chapter* 

Michael Ameen 

Anonymous Donor 

Edmond and Taline Ouzounian Avakian* 

Samir Badro 

Bloomsburg Metal Company 

Zuhair and Ghada Daniel Boulos* 

Citigroup 

Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (Shair and Partners) 

E. A. Juffali and Brothers 

Estate of Gale R. Mcdonald* 

Hani Hakim 

Richard Heath+ 

Wadih S. Jordan 

NAPCO Group of Companies (Including Easternpak) 

Ghassan M. Saab 

Ramzi and Hayat Dabar Sanbar* 

Henry and Elda Mirna Mansourian Sarkissian* 

PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE ($5,000–$9,999) 

Mariam Al Doy Aboul* 

Alumni Association, Bahrain Chapter* 

Alumni Association, London Chapter* 

American Task Force for Lebanon 

Burhan and Nariman Abou Ghazaleh Beidas* 

Ziad and Lina Mamiche Afara Cheikh* 

Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church 

The Ghassan Jdeed Development Foundation 

Ghandi and Ilham Asrawi Halabi* 

Hanna Ayoub / Al Hamra Kuwait Company 

Nafez Jundi 

Sami Khouri 

LAU/Bank of Beirut Affinity Card Community 

Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International 

Mideast Data Systems SAL 

Khaled and Chafika Dayeh Omari* 

Pepsi Cola International Company 

Fredrico Senno* 

Abdel Rahman and Naima Fakhro Taki* 

Wafa G. Yammine* 

PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ($2,000–$4,999) 

Alumni Association, Damascus Chapter* 

Alumni Association, Kuwait Chapter* 

Jamil H. Badran 

Al Baraka Islamic Bank 

BLC Bank 

Georges Harik 

Fadi H. Hourani 

International Advertising Association 

The International Foundation 

Latifa H. Kosta* 

Mennonite Central Committee 

Michel and Aida Nasser 

Wilbert F. Newton 

James C. Nixon 

Todd E. Petzel 

Abdel Karim and May Shahine Rostom* 

U.S. Omen National Organization 

George and Liza Massaad Zakhem* 

PRESIDENT’S FORUM ($1,000–$1,999) 

Nizam W. Abdel Baki 

Abdel Kader Adlouni 

Hani and Raja Arnaout Ali* 

Ronald G. Cruikshank 

Mary Makdissi El-Yousef* 

Hussam and Siham Asrawi Hamzeh* 

Heirs of the Late Jameel Abbas 

Imad A. Khalil* 

Amal K. Kurban 

L. & J.G. Stickley Incorporated 

Bishara M. Lawrence 

Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO 

Modern Arab Construction Company 

Ibtissam A. Mutawa* 

Issam and Aida Salman Naaman* 

Ralph N. Nader+ 

Walid and Victoria Fattouh Nasr* 

Ghada Qaddumi* 

Sama S. Qaddumi* 

Tarek S. Qaddumi* 

Richard A. Rumsey 

Farid and Wafa Saab Saab* 

Imad and Ghia Saidi Saad* 

31


William A. and Janet Stoltzfus 

Trags Agencies 

U.S. Trust Company of New York 

Jamil A. Wafa 

Ibrahim Zeineldine 

DEAN’S LIST ($500–$999) 

Paul Abbott 

Nabil A. Banna* 

Edgar Chaar 

Leila Dagher* 

Irma K. Ghosn 

Hikma - Liban 

Suad Hoss Hoss* 

Joseph and Caroline Hourani 

Al Khal Printers SAL+ 

Middle East Airlines 

Maureen Mitchell 

Lama M. Nasr 

Edward Shiner 

Tarek Juffali Foundation 

Westminster Presbyterian Church 

John Wholihan 

Mohamad and Rowaida Hussein Yaghi* 

UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATES ($200–$499) 

Marwan B. Abboud* 

Theodore and Diana Domian Abdo* 

A.S. Abdullah 

Rose M. Clark* 

Leila Shahine Da Cruze* 

Rand F. Fakih* 

Ghaida Firestone 

Harold A. and Elaine Fisher 

Rabih A. Haddad* 

C.M. Hudspeth 

Fady Y. Kamal* 

Irmgard F. Karle 

Tarif S. Mais* 

Hala Y. Masri* 

Anne A. Meyer 

Fredrick C. Milkie 

Mimar Trading Group+ 

Walid and Danice Najjar 

Samir and Laure Milki Obeid* 

Bernadette Redano 

Lyna Khoury Rumbarger* 

Walid M. Shaar* 

Adnan M. Tarabishi* 

Basil A. Zahed* 

Bahaa S. Zaher* 

Bilal Khaled M. Zankar* 

CENTURY CLUB ($100–$199) 

Jalal Y. Abdel Ahad* 

Iman F. Ajouz* 

Aradi Development L.L.C. 

Hrair and Mary Ekmekji Atikian* 

Maha Y. Audi* 

Najib and Gisele Akkouri Azar* 

Helen M. Badawi* 

Samira Baroody* 

May Kinai Ben Essa* 

Edmond S. Boustani* 

Pauline Emily Coffman* 

Garold L. Faber 

Irene D. Faffler 

Ronney and Souad Farah 

Helen B. Flack 

Mona B. Gedeon* 

Reham J. Haddad* 

Lina A. Hajj Abdoun* 

Bassel M. Halabi* 

Iman Shebaro Hamdan* 

Janet Hitti Hitti* 

Michele Ann Holcomb* 

Yvonne Agini Kabban* 

Choucrallah K. Karam* 

Peter and Suad Khallouf Katul* 

Sawsan S. Khanafer* 

Salim and Huda Khalil Kheireddine* 

Christian G. Kozma* 

Craig and Phyllis Chadbourne Lichtenwalner* 

Sabah Khoury Makhoul* 

George H. Mallat* 

Ernest and Adele Haddad McCarus* 

Marguerite Boueri Mcleod* 

Fauzi and Vivian Najjar 

32


Marwan H. Noueihed* 

Charalambos Pattichis 

Ghassan and Jinan Majzoub Rachache* 

Janie Rees-Miller 

Steven and Nuha Farraj Rice* 

John and Valerie Roper 

Ani Sarafian Sarkissian* 

Naim M. Solh* 

Gilbert D. Soufan* 

St. Stephens Glastonbury Society 

James and Samia Khalaf Sullivan* 

Dima H. Tahtah* 

Maan and Widad Khatib Tell* 

Hiba M. Yazbeck* 

Aida Hamadeh Younis* 

Anahid Nahabedian Zartarian* 

FRIENDS (UP TO $99) 

Robert A. Abi Saab* 

Wassim M. Al Dayaa* 

Georges R. Assaf* 

Raghida Ayoub 

Irene R. Azar* 

Nuha E. Azar* 

John and Rania Abdo Bartick* 

Nathaniel and Mary Bercovitz 

David and Nadine Birney 

John and Christine TeRonde Burr* 

Samuel Cross 

Charbel J. Cury 

Wafa Sheaib Dada* 

Mary D. Dinno* 

Elizabeth E. Duncan Estate 

Emad F. Fakhreddine* 

Wassim G. Farah* 

Suzanne Freij Farraj* 

Berj and Hermine Vartanian Fermanian* 

Hiba Samadi Fleifel* 

Roger and Nancy Warnock Harmon* 

John and Sarah Grafious Havens* 

Eric and Sarah Davies Hertfelder* 

Anthony T. Hoglind* 

Ahmad and Nisrine Machaka Houri 

John and Grace Salibian Hyslop* 

Ghada A. Itani* 

Siran Bezirganian Jizmejian* 

Neda N. Juraydini* 

JustGive 

Karen M. Kassouf 

Anahid Sislian Ketefian* 

Shake K. Ketefian* 

Lamia Haddad Khairallah* 

Stanley and Clio Hembekides Khoury* 

John S. Khoury* 

Oussama and Roula Khreiss* 

Catherine Kano Kikoski* 

Reem Halawi Kontar* 

Seta Kouyoumdjian* 

Kozloff and Meaders 

Alberta S. Magzanian* 

Adele E. Mazloom 

Richard C. Michaels 

Nadine Kasbani Mokbel* 

Erma Khoury Nettles* 

Hugh Outterson 

Bahaa and Sarah Richani* 

Aida Topalian Sarkissian* 

Richard L. Schwary 

Rima J. Shadid* 

Samar W. Sheaib* 

Larry and Karen Towner Slotta* 

Nadine H. Tajideen* 

Caline E. Trad* 

Sherrill M. Weary 

*Alumni and alumni chapters 

+Gifts in-kind 

33


The 2006–07 Endowed 

Scholarship Program 

The following funds were established to provide 

ongoing financial aid to deserving students 

demonstrating need: 

• The Albert Abela Memorial Endowed 

Scholarship Fund 

• The Hanan Abou Ghazaleh Endowed 


• The Nariman Abou Ghazaleh Endowed 


• The Paul Youssef Abou Khater Memorial Endowed 


• The LAU Alumni Association - Abu Dhabi Chapter 

Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The LAU Alumni Association - Beirut Chapter 


• The LAU Alumni Association - Damascus Chapter 


• The LAU Alumni Association - Dubai and Northern 

Emirates Chapter Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The LAU Alumni Association - Kuwait Chapter 


• The Anglo Lebanese Cultural Foundation 


• The Fred and Emily G. Arrigg Endowed 


• The Ramzi Asfour Memorial Endowed 


• The Marwan Toufic Assaf Endowed 


• The Hazem F. Aswad Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Walid Attieh Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Edmond and Taline Avakian Endowed 


• The Mohamad Abdul Rahman Bahar Endowed 


• The Adelaide Bahu Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Samih Barbir and Mounira Barbir Naamani 


• The Leila Kurban Barkett Memorial Endowed 


• The Elias and Ferial Baz Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Salim and Laudy Baz Memorial Endowed 


• The Ikram Shakhashir Beidas Memorial Endowed 


• The Frank and Margaret Bitar Memorial Endowed 


• The Robert and Mabel Bitar Memorial Endowed 


• The Boodai Group of Co. Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Badie Boulos Memorial Endowed 


• The Ghada Daniel Boulos Endowed Scholarship 

Fund 

• The Alex Fauti Bouri Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Ziad and Lina Cheikh Endowed Scholarship 

Fund 

• The Nicolas Choueiri Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Fahed Nayef Dabbous Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Endowed 


• The Dr. Nadim and Noura Daouk Endowed 


• The Dar As-Siyassah Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Darwish Engineering Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Rushdi Dayeh Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Elizabeth Elser Duncan Memorial Endowed 


• The Edward Y. Elias Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Emirates Computer Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Eva Kotite Farha and Peter Farha Endowed 


• The Issam Michael Faris Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Sheikh Abdallah Fouad Endowed 


• The James and Arthur Gabriel Endowed 


• The Mahmoud Alghanim Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Youssef A. Alghanim and Sons Endowed 

Scholarship Funds 

• The Frances M. Gray Memorial Endowed 


• The Samuel Habib Memorial Endowed 


34


• The Aida Haddad and Daughters Endowed 


• The Bertha and Michael Nakhleh Haddad 


• The Toufic Khalil Haddad Memorial Endowed 


• The George William Hajjar Memorial Endowed 


• The Lana Ghandi Halabi Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Dany Hamchaoui Memorial Endowed 


• The Mohamed Harasani Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Rafik Bahauddin Al-Hariri Memorial Endowed 


• The Taha Hassiba Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Ray Irani Education Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Wadih and Gertrude Jordan Endowed 


• The Ahmad and Suad El-Juffali Endowed 


• The E.A. El-Juffali Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Nafez Jundi Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Jamile Dagher-Jureidini Memorial Endowed 


• The Maha Kaddoura Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Albert and William Kanaan Endowed 


• The Fawzi Kawash Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Suad Wakim Kesler Memorial Endowed 


• The AbdelRahman Ismail El-Khalil Memorial 


• The Jamil Fouad El Khazen Endowed 


• The Nasr Khnaisser Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Mohamad and Naziha Knio Endowed 


• The Selina Korban Memorial Endowed 


• The Latifa Kosta Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Emile and Rima Lamah Endowed 


• The LAU / BOB Affinity Card Endowed 


• The Selim Lawi Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Bishara M. Lorenzo Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Gabriel Maliha Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Joseph and Carmen Maroun Endowed 


• The Salwa Tuma Mayassi Endowed 


• The Gale McDonald Endowed Memorial 


• The Mc-Swiney-Mead Corporation Endowed 


• The Michel Merhej Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Elias and Leila Mezzawi Endowed 


• The Mimar Group Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Hassib Mroueh Memorial Endowed 


• MWH Soft Environmental Engineering Endowed 


• HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan Endowed 


• The Tony Nagib Najjar Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Khalid and Sossy Nasr Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Marwan Walid Nasr Memorial Endowed 


• The Milia and Helen Nassar Endowed 


• The Riyad F. Nassar Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Salwa C. Nassar Memorial Endowed 


• The Aida and Michel Nasser Endowed 


• The Argent Maksoud Nasser Memorial Endowed 


• The Mohamad Nasser Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Naim Nasser Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The National Paper Products Company Endowed 


• The Edith Newton Memorial Endowed 


• The Layla and Musa Nimah Endowed 


• The Khaled and Chafica Omari Endowed 


35


• The Suliman S. Olayan Memorial Endowed 


• The Rhoda Orme Memorial Endowed 


• The Hussam Qanadilo Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Hamad Rafeh Memorial Endowed 


• The Kamil Shaheen Al Rayyes Memorial Endowed 


• The Donald Rynne Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Karim Fayez Saab Memorial Endowed 


• The Mahmoud Khalil Saab Memorial Endowed 


• The Ghia Saidi Saad Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The George Saadeh Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabbah 


• The Diana Tamari Sabbagh Memorial Endowed 


• The Mohamad Safadi Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Ghassan Ibrahim Shaker Endowed 


• The Abdul Aziz Shakhashir Endowed 


• The Adma Nakhoul Shakhashiri Memorial 


• The Antoine Shebaya Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Walid Jamil Shehadeh Memorial Endowed 


• The Simon Siksek Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Ethel Stoltzfus Memorial Endowed 


• The William Stoltzfus Memorial Endowed 


• The Nehmeh and Therese Tohmeh Endowed 


• The Kevork Toroyan Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Abdulaziz Al-Turki Endowed Scholarship Fund 

• The Joe and Wafa Yammine Endowed 


• The Hanneh Salim Zakhem Memorial Endowed 


ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS 

The following grants were established to support 

the financial aid program for deserving students 

demonstrating need during the 2006–07 

academic year: 

• Jameel Abbas Memorial Scholarship Grant 

• AlBaraka Islamic Bank Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Alumni Association Athens Chapter Annual 

Scholarship Grant 

• Alumni Association Bahrain Chapter Annual 


• Alumni Association Beirut Chapter Annual 


• Alumni Association London Chapter Annual 


• Bank Audi Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Bank of Beirut Annual Scholarship Grant 

• BankMed Annual Scholarship Grant 

• BLOM Bank Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Byblos Bank Annual Scholarship Grant 

• CAT International Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Citigroup Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Fransabank Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Fares El-Hajj Memorial Scholarship Grant 

• Joseph J. Jacobs Memorial Scholarship Grant 

• Nafez Jundi Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Elie Kai Annual Scholarship Grant 

• LAU Alumni Annual Scholarship Grant 

• LAU Alumni Emergency Fund for Financial Aid 

• Modern Arab Construction Co. Annual 


• Ghada Qaddumi Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Sama Qaddumi Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Tarek Qaddumi Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Henry and Elda Mirna Sarkissian Annual 


• U.S. Agency for International Development 

(USAID) Scholarship Grant 

• U.S. Omen National Organization Annual 


• Ibrahim Zeineldine Annual Scholarship Grant 

36


PRESIDENT’S FUND 

The following grants were established under the 

President’s Fund to support the financial aid 

program for deserving students demonstrating need: 

• Richard Abdoo President’s Fund 

• George Faris Scholarship Grant 

• Georges Harik Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Ghassan Jdeed Memorial Scholarship Grant 

• Tarek Juffali Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Maha Kaddoura Annual Scholarship Grant 

• Sami F. Khoury Annual Scholarship Grant 

• A.M. Qattan Foundation Annual 


• Ismat Rabbat President’s Fund 

• Omar and Sima Sawaf Graduate 


• Fredrico Senno President’s Fund 

• Ali A. Tamimi Co. President’s Fund 

• George Zakhem President’s Fund 

The Lebanese American University has made every effort to 

create an accurate listing of all contributors and funds. If your 

name has been inadvertently omitted, or incorrectly spelled, 

please accept our apologies. 

If you have any queries, please contact Mrs. Amal Abdel Massih, 

Director of Advancement Services, by fax, at +961 1 786472, or by 

email, aafares@lau.edu.lb. 

Thank you. 

MEDGULF Contribution Advances 

the Study of Actuarial Sciences at LAU 

This year, Mr. Lutfi Zein, president of the board of directors of MEDGULF, made a gift of $500,000 on behalf 

of the company to endow a chair and create a minor in actuarial sciences in the Division of Computer 

Science and Mathematics in the School of Arts & Sciences. The gift is the first installment of a $2 million 

pledge, which Mr. Zein calls a “source of pride” for MEDGULF, one of Lebanon’s and the region’s leading 

insurers. The new minor will prepare students to understand 

and model basic actuarial problems using mathematical, 

probabilistic, and statistical methods as well 

as apply actuarial mathematics to issues of financial 

security. At a ceremony where the agreement was finalized, 

President Jabbra expressed his thanks to Mr. Zein 

for MEDGULF’s commitment to meeting the needs of 

the Lebanese market and for introducing this field of 

study to current and future students at LAU. 

▲ Dr. Jabbra and Mr. Zein formalize the MEDGULF gift 

37

M a k i n g I t Po s s i b l e 

Student Development 

& Enrollment Management 

Student Development & Enrollment Management (SDEM), once known 

as simply Student Affairs, has begun the process of repositioning itself to 

reflect the office’s expanded responsibilities as outlined in the strategic 

plan. Chief among these goals is for SDEM, in conjunction with other 

university departments, to “develop a strong enrollment management 

plan that includes all components of student enrollment, advising, 

retention and graduation.”The plan will be based on market research and 

analyses and be consistently honed to keep the focus on students’ 

academic and emotional well-being. This year, SDEM developed an 

integrated advising program that not only makes advising and 

registration easier by moving these processes online but also features 

early-alert mechanisms that advisors can use to identify and assist 

students having academic difficulties. 

▲ LAU students benefit from on-campus career fairs 

Improving recruitment also factors largely into SDEM’s enrollment 

management plans. Training in recruitment planning and systems has 

been proven to help educational institutions find and keep students 

who can benefit most from the university’s programs and resources 

while maintaining the character of the institution. Last year, LAU 

representatives visited more than 300 schools across Lebanon and in 

Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Syria 

looking for students who not only fit the LAU profile, but whose 

achievement and diversity would enrich LAU. 

In fall 2006, overall enrollment increased slightly, despite the devastating 

summer war, and grew in spring 2007, especially on the Byblos campus, 

where it climbed 6.8 percent. More students graduated in 2007 than in 

the previous year, and enrollment for fall 2007 is up 7.5 percent. 

▲ Athletes compete in Lebanon and abroad 

38


One of SDEM’s most important roles is to help academically qualified yet 

financially disadvantaged students attend LAU. Over the past several 

years, financial aid has increased significantly at the university, both in 

terms of dollar amounts and the number of students who benefit. In 

2006–07 financial aid offered by the university increased substantially. 

Nearly $13 million was allotted in financial aid, in the form of grants, 

loans, and work-study, to 1,833 students. SDEM also administers the 

residence halls and supervises a range of extracurricular activities, 

including health-awareness campaigns, athletics programs, campus 

clubs, the well-regarded Global Classrooms–Model UN program, and the 

Summer Institute for Intensive Arabic Language and Culture, a magnet 

Financial for undergraduate Aid: 2006-07 and graduate students from all over the world. 

Financial Aid 2006 | 2007 

LAU awarded a total of US$12.7 million in financial aid last year. 

$1,096,000 

$365,805 

$2,065,300 

$2,135,650 

$2,000,000 

Grants 

Financial Aid - Endowment 

Merit Scholarship 

Student Work Aid 

Loans 

Graduate Assistantship 

Student Employment 

$600,000 

$4,439,205 

▼ Students perform dabke 

39


Human Resources and 

University Services 

The scope of the work of Human Resources and University Services is 

literally monumental. The department is currently overseeing not only 

an intensive reevaluation of LAU’s human resources department and 

the implementation of sophisticated information technology 

solutions, but is also leading the design, construction, and 

maintenance of numerous capital projects, including the new LAU 

Medical School. This year the department has been reorganized into 

three main functions: planning, construction, and operations and 

maintenance. Together the HR, US, and IT teams will pool and integrate 

their resources, as well as those of the finance department, to address 

major initiatives of the strategic plan, including developing facilities 

and financial master plans, positioning LAU as “the higher education 

employer of choice in Lebanon,” and using information technology as 

a “strategic tool for the implementation of change.” 

▲ Strolling to class in beirut 

40


HUMAN RESOURCES 

LAU is committed to fostering “a human resources environment that 

enables employees to fulfill their responsibilities and achieve their 

aspirations.” To that end, hundreds of hours have been devoted over 

the past year to reviewing job classifications, titles, duties, and 

recruitment practices from a competency-based perspective to create 

consistent procedures and payscales from Byblos to Beirut. 

▲ Students and faculty at a campus health event 

In addition, the performance review process in being updated to 

recognize achievement and encourage professional development as a 

means of establishing a work culture based more on empowerment 

and transparency than command-and-control leadership. The HR 

department will also conduct a local market survey to benchmark LAU 

positions against others in similar fields in the region. The study will 

be completed in spring 2008 and the results released soon afterward. 

In tandem with this initiative, LAU is placing renewed emphasis on 

training and development. Each year, every employee will be expected 

to undertake 20 hours of training in his or her field. Similarly, a staff 

development fund was created to augment the computer literacy and 

administrative know-how of support staff. 

Other ongoing projects include implementing the necessary technical 

measures to allow the Human Resources Management System to 

interface with Finance department software so that both systems can 

run off one unique database. Finding opportunities to integrate 

processes to produce such efficiencies is a major priority for Human 

Resources and University Services, which has been charged with a 

mandate to improve effectiveness, eliminate waste, and improve 

efficiency of workflow across all academic, administrative, student, and 

community functions. 

41


FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 

Each academic year, facilities management handles thousands of 

maintenance requests in Beirut and Byblos. While day-to-day 

maintenance is an inevitable part of any facility manager’s job, it’s 

essential to streamline this work so that time can be dedicated to 

maximizing the value of improvements and developing much-needed 

new space. As a result, the facilities management department is 

overhauling the way it maintains buildings by focusing efforts on 

preventive maintenance that can be managed with software. 

▲ A rendering of the planned Frem Center 

This is just one small-scale example of the thinking going into finding 

ways to leverage LAU’s physical resources to “create an environment that 

enables the University to successfully achieve its goals and to promote a 

culture of academic excellence,” as called for in the strategic plan. On a 

larger scale, 2006–07 saw the appointment of a master plan steering 

committee and the beginnings of the development of an in-house 

master plan to address academic and administrative priorities in detail. 

Progress was made on a number of high-profile structures as well as 

on less glamorous but equally necessary infrastructure, power plant, 

and underground parking projects: 

• LAU Medical School: Concept renderings are complete and the 

permitting process has been initiated. Construction is estimated to 

begin in August 2008 and take two years to complete. 

• The Frem Center: The center is expected to open in June 2009. 

• Byblos Recreational Facility: The Board of Trustees approved the 

construction of a three-level sports facility in Byblos. 

• Road in Byblos: Slated for completion at the end of 2007, the road 

will provide direct access from the highway to the campus. 

• Road in Beirut: With the closing of the road between the new 

business building and the old campus at the end of 2007, the LAU 

campus will become larger and more cohesive, as well as more 

pedestrian-friendly. 

Also during the year, facilities management completed a number of 

projects, including work on dormitories, the provision of new offices in 

the architecture and engineering building, an extension to the biology 

lab, and the creation of new computer and chemistry labs. 

42


INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

Technology on its own is of little use. But when braided with sound 

business practices and well-defined learning outcomes, it can become 

the catalyst for amazing achievements. Recognizing this potential, LAU 

has made it a priority to strategically embed information technology 

in all its academic and administrative systems. 

In addition to providing the LAU community with always-on wireless 

internet coverage on both campuses, much of IT’s most important 

work happens behind the scenes. For example, the department works 

to integrate the many software packages in use in various 

departments, updates policies and procedures with regard to disaster 

recovery and network security, and is converting the university’s 

telephone system to lower cost, more flexible IP telephony. 

▲ One of LAU's many computer labs 

In 2006–07, in particular, LAU’s IT experts paid particular attention to 

ways in which technology could enhance the academic experience by 

upgrading the university’s license for WebCT, an online virtual learning 

environment that allows instructors to post syllabi, assignments, and 

lectures—and students to post back. New LAU-developed software was 

also used in class and exam scheduling, turning the tedious task into 

one that could be done almost at the touch of a button. Another techenabled 

academic initiative focused on facilitating advising by 

reducing paperwork and, thereby, increasing time faculty members 

can devote to helping students. 

Reliable internal communication systems are an absolute necessity for 

any operation and especially for one spread across two campuses and 

three continents. In spring 2007, nine flat-panel screens that can 

display real-time announcements were mounted around the Beirut 

and Byblos campuses, completing the first phase of the university’s 

Electronic Bulletin Board. 

Finally, last summer, IT staff traveled to New York to “dramatically 

improve” the Manhattan office’s tech infrastructure. New email and 

file-sharing servers were installed, modern videoconferencing systems 

set up, a wireless internet connection configured, and centralized virus 

protection and data backup systems established, all of which help keep 

LAU’s North American staff in lockstep with what’s happening seven 

time zones and 5,612 miles (9,031 kilometers) to the east in Lebanon. 

43


University Advancement 

University Advancement encompasses five diverse but inter-related 

departments—Alumni Affairs, Development, Marketing and 

Communications, Public Relations, and Advancement Services—that 

work together to advance LAU’s mission. Jointly, we are responsible for 

maintaining and enhancing the university’s image, securing financial 

support for programs and projects, and keeping LAU’s alumni engaged 

in the life of the institution. 

Working through offices in Beirut and New York, this new division, 

now a must-have in the increasingly competitive and global highereducation 

marketplace, is responsible for the institution’s image, as 

well as much of its non-tuition, non-research-related income. 

University Advancement must reinforce a collective vision and deliver 

a consistent message as it serves every office, department, and division 

on campus. We are achieving this delivery through enhanced 

communication, both internal and external, which has helped 

streamline departmental operations. A departmental reorganization 

and the addition of several highly trained professional staff members 

has resulted in measurably more alumni contact and involvement, a 

higher university profile in both foreign and domestic markets, 

enhanced communication tools, and a record increase in both private 

and government support for LAU. 

▲ An alumni business networking event in Beirut 

44


ALUMNI AFFAIRS 

LAU has significantly revamped the way it communicates with its 

alumni and keeps them engaged in the university long after they’ve 

graduated. These ongoing efforts fall under the strategic plan 

mandate to implement a PRIDE initiative that connects graduates, 

whether from BUC, BCW, or LAU, to their alma mater and “stresses the 

value and importance of alumni as key members of the University 

community.” 

▲ The alumni brunch at Homecoming 2007 

During the 2006–07, Alumni Affairs established seven new alumni 

chapters—in Oman, New York/New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Detroit, 

Florida, Boston, and the School of Engineering & Architecture— 

bringing the total to 23, with plans for another eight chapters next 

year. Several of the chapters, both new and old, hosted alumni 

gatherings in their home countries. In addition, educational lectures 

and a business networking reception were held in Beirut to galvanize 

alumni residing in Lebanon. Finally, the 2007 Homecoming and Class 

Reunion was one of the best attended ever, with alums from 1952 to 

the present returning to show their pride in LAU. 

Alumni communications also got a boost this year with the launch of 

LAU Matters, a bimonthly electronic newsletter, and a new Alumni 

Affairs website. The office is also promoting free email addresses for 

life for graduates, no matter what the year, and is planning to set up 

an alumni portal soon to keep graduates connected for a long time to 

come. Finally, as we go to press, Alumni Affairs reports that its firstever 

Web-facilitated officer elections were an enormous success. 

45


DEVELOPMENT 

The Development Office is committed to generating financial support 

that will continue to advance LAU’s mission and to secure its future by 

diversifying revenue and reducing the university’s reliance on tuition 

income. A hallmark of this year’s success was the tenfold increase in 

university support in cash and pledges from government and private 

sources, including the gifts listed in this publication. The development 

team raised record funds from private gifts, with this year’s total 

exceeding the cumulative amount raised in the past five years. 

These successes have not only helped lay the groundwork for the 

university’s first comprehensive fund-raising effort, but also 

positioned LAU to garner significantly more support from individuals, 

corporations, and foundations around the world. Our plans to boost 

student financial aid will allow more deserving yet financially 

disadvantaged students to pursue their education at LAU. In addition, 

funds will also be directed toward LAU’s five schools, new programs, 

faculty and research initiatives, as well as toward the renovation and 

construction of much-needed facilities. Further, the Development 

Office is cementing ties with LAU’s historic supporters and forging 

new relationships among philanthropists eager to contribute to 

American-style education in the Middle East as it remains actively 

engaged in informing the entire LAU community about its collective 

role in promoting the culture of philanthropic giving. 

▲ Sage Hall is an icon of LAU 

46


MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS 

In September, the Marketing and Communications Department, 

formerly the Publications Office, was established, fulfilling the sixth 

initiative of the strategic plan to create an entity “to coordinate all 

aspects of communication, image and awareness activities.” The 

department is expected to grow significantly over the next year as it 

initiates a comprehensive marketing and communications plan. 

▲ Cover of the summer 2007 issue of the LAU Magazine 

One of the department’s major objectives is to refine LAU’s visual 

identity and position the university for internal and external, regional, 

and global audiences. Relying on data gathered from current and 

prospective students, parents, alumni, and faculty and staff, the 

Marketing and Communications Department and key consultants will 

engage in a serious and thoughtful process that clearly delineates 

LAU’s unique qualities and strengths, defines its distinctiveness in the 

marketplace, communicates its values, and tells the university's story 

in the most compelling and dynamic way. 

The Publications Office had a long tradition of supporting the 

institution by producing print and electronic publications for a variety 

of in-house clients. In 2006–07, it played an especially important role 

in maintaining communication among the LAU community during the 

summer war and subsequent crises. More than any other medium, the 

LAU website proved essential to keeping a dispersed staff and student 

body informed about fast-breaking developments. 

▲ The current homepage of www. lau.edu.lb 

In the spring, a strategic planning website was launched to keep the 

faculty and staff members abreast of major accomplishments as plan 

goals are fulfilled, and last summer a new Alumni Affairs website was 

unveiled. Two new electronic publications were inaugurated this year: 

LAU Matters, which goes to external constituents, including alumni, 

and TalkingPoints, which keeps members of the boards of trustees and 

international advisors updated on LAU news. Finally, the beloved LAU 

Magazine and Alumni Bulletin was redesigned. 

47


PUBLIC RELATIONS 

In addition to leading an aggressive plan to communicate with 

Lebanese leaders and public figures, as well as the diplomatic corps, 

the Public Relations office has significantly raised LAU’s profile in the 

print and broadcast news media in Lebanon, the Middle East, and 

North America. In September 2007, The Providence Journal, a U.S. 

newspaper, published a commentary by President Jabbra, who during 

the past year also promoted American-style education in the Middle 

East in interviews with Aramica, The Washington Report on Middle East 

Affairs, and the Christian Science Monitor. LAU also has enjoyed weekly 

coverage in the U.S.–based Beirut Times, an independent cultural, 

social, and political newspaper serving the Lebanese and Arab- 

American communities, and in important Arabic-language 

newspapers in Canada. 

Similarly, in the Middle East the Public Relations office has expanded 

the reach of LAU’s image in Qatar, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi through a 

variety of pan-Arab publications, satellite television stations, and inflight 

magazines, such as Middle East Airlines’ Cedar Wings. Passengers 

of Gulf Air will soon start to see coverage of LAU in that airline’s 

magazine as well. 

In addition, the office has strategically expanded the 

scope of its duties to support fund-raising efforts by 

building a bridge with the Bank of Beirut, which now 

sponsors many alumni events both in Lebanon and 

abroad. Ties have also been strengthened between LAU 

and the Alwaleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation. 

48


ADVANCEMENT SERVICES 

As the backbone of the Advancement team, Advancement Services 

ensures that the profiles and contact details of all alumni and donors 

are up-to-date. Using a specialized database system, Advancement 

Services updates individual information, processes gifts, maintains 

mailing lists, and runs reports that assess current progress and inform 

future planning. This year, as in years past, the department upheld its 

top-notch service standards, preparing timely reports organized by 

myriad criteria, ensuring that the LAU staff keeps the dimension and 

diversity of their constituents in mind. 

Plans for 2007–08 include briefing others on campus about the vital 

role of Advancement Services, and suggesting ways in which 

Advancement Services can help academic and other programs achieve 

their missions. Last but not least, the office will employ creative ways 

to find graduates with whom we’ve lost touch, by placing ads in 

newspapers, synchronizing contacts between Beirut and Byblos and 

our international alumni chapters, and contacting human resources 

departments at major banks and companies in Lebanon to ask them 

to help identify which of their employees are graduates of LAU. 

Have We Lost Touch With 

Someone You Know from LAU 

If you know an LAU, BUC, or BCW grad who should have received 

this report but didn’t, please let us know. Advancement Services 

at LAU is committed to finding each and every member of the 

LAU community to make sure that we all remain connected. 

Take a moment and write or call us at: 

Telephone: 961-1-786464 Ext: 1324 

Fax: 961-1-786472 

E-mail: aafares@lau.edu.lb 

49


FINANCE 

The Finance department has been 

formulating a financial master plan for 

the university that “integrates the 

academic, enrollment, and fundraising 

plans with the facilities master plan.” 

This has been coupled with an early 

formulation of the budgets for operating 

and capital projects. In this context, a 

University Budget Committee was 

convened to establish a process for 

collaborating efforts with leaders of 

other departments. 

Our financial planning efforts seek 

aggressive revenue diversification to 

support ongoing operations and 

initiatives, as specified in the strategic 

plan. Furthermore, LAU completed an 

innovative costing exercise to assess cost 

drivers, measure spending effectiveness, 

and leverage allocation of funds for the 

benefit of the entire university. 

In academic year 2006–07, LAU further 

solidified its financial position. The 

endowments and plant funds balances 

have grown in line with strategic 

planning targets. Investments are well 

diversified and sound. Significant grants 

have been received from generous 

donors and government agencies. 

External auditors have examined our 

USAID and ASHA grants and given a clean 

and unqualified opinion on both. 

Expenses USD (000's) % of Total 

Administration 12,107 14.73% 

Education 23,889 29.06% 

Academic Support 11,470 13.95% 

Research & Development 3,663 4.46% 

University Advancement 2,746 3.34% 

Auxiliary Enterprises 651 0.79% 

Physical Plant 6,823 8.30% 

Financial Aid 12,702 15.45% 

Contingency & Transfers 7,500 9.12% 

Student Association 654 0.80% 

Total Expenses 82,205 100.00% 

Revenues USD (000's) % of Total 

Tuition 64,659 78.66% 

Other Educational Income 2,695 3.28% 

Auxiliary Income 190 0.23% 

Student Association 654 0.80% 

Endowment Income 6,000 7.30% 

Interest Income 650 0.79% 

Gifts & Contributions 7,357 8.95% 

Total Revenue 82,205 100.00% 

50


▲ The Byblos campus 

51

B o a r d s o f Tr u st e e s & I n t e r n at i o n a l A d visors 


(2006–07) 

VOTING TRUSTEES 

Mr. Richard Abdoo 

Retired Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, 

Wisconsin Energy Corporation 

Mrs. Taline Avakian 

Owner, Avakian Jewelry 

Mr. Ronald Cruikshank 

Retired Senior Corporate Counsel, Omnicom Group Inc. 

Dr. Charles Elachi 

Director of Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Vice President, 

California Institute of Technology 

Dr. George Faris 

Chairman, Faris Group Inc 

Mr. Antoine Frem 

President & Chief Executive Officer, INDEVCO 

Mr. Arthur Gabriel 

Secretary Treasurer, Gabriel Brothers 

Mr. William Haddad 

Managing Director, MACE, Contractors Ltd. 

Mr. Jamil Iskandar 

Chairman & General Manager, DRHTC, SAL 

Mr. Wadih (Bill) Jordan 

President, Near East Pharma 

Mr. Walid Katibah 

Engineer, Office of Engineer Walid Katibah 

H.E. Amb. John Kelly 

President, John Kelly Consulting, Inc. 

Former US Ambassador to Lebanon 

Mr. Joseph Maroun 

Owner, Caravan Trading Company 

Rev. David Maxwell 

Editor, Geneva Press 

Dr. Mary Mikhael 

President, Near East School of Theology 

Ms. Maureen Mitchell 

Managing Director, Bear Stearns 

Mr. Richard Orfalea 

Retired Corporate Banker 

Mr. Todd Petzel 

Managing Director & Chief Investment Officer, 

Azimuth Asset Management LLP 

Mr. Fred Rogers 

Vice President & Treasurer, Carleton College 

H.E. Minister Mohammad Safadi 

Minister of Transportation 

Chairman, Safadi Group Holding 

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Turki 

President, Rawabi Holding 

Dr. John T. Wholihan 

Dean, College of Business Administration 

EMERITUS TRUSTEES 

Mr. Jose Abizaid 

Retired Executive 

Dr. Amal Kurban, 

Professor of Dermatology 

Vice Chairman, Academic & Clinical Affairs, 

Boston University, School of Medicine and Medical Center 

Mr. Wilbert Newton 

Retired Executive 

EX-OFFICIO TRUSTEES 

Dr. Paul F. Boulos 

Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, 

MWH Soft, Inc. 

Rev. Dr. Victor Makari 

Coordinator for the Middle East and Europe, 

Presbyterian Church USA 

Rev. Joseph Kassab 

General Secretary, 

National Evangelical Synod of Syria & Lebanon. 

Dr. Joseph Jabbra 

President, Lebanese American University 

Dr. Camille Issa 

Senate Chair, LAU Faculty Representative 

52


Board of International Advisors 

(2006–07) 

Mr. Raymond Audi 

Chairman & General Manager, 

Bank Audi SAL, Audi Saradar Group 

Dr. Francois Bassil 

Chairman and General Manager, 

Byblos Bank, SAL 

Dr. Paul F. Boulos 

Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, 

MWH Soft, Inc. 

Mr. Zuhair Boulos 

Engineer 

H.E. Amb. Gilbert Chaghoury 

Ambassador 

Dr. Nadim Daouk 

President, INFOEL 

Mr. Raphael Debbane 

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer 

Debbane Freres, SAL 

Mrs. Eva Farha 

LAU Alumna 

Mr. Enan Galaly 

Senior Advisor, 

International Association of University Presidents 

Dr. Boutros Boutros Ghali 

Retired Ambassador 

Mrs. Youmna Salame 

LAU Alumna 

Mr. Omar Sawaf 

Founder, 

Merchant/Investment Bank 

Mr. Philip Stoltzfus 

Chief Executive Officer, 

Thayer Brook Partners, LLP 

Mr. Peter Tanous 

President, 

Lynx Investment Advisory, LLC 

Mr. Jacob H. Yahiayan 

Managing Director, 

Continental Advisory Services 

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 

Rev. Joseph Kassab 

General Secretary, 

National Evangelical Synod of Syria & Lebanon 

Dr. Joseph Jabbra 

President, 

Lebanese American University 

Dr. Camille Issa 

Senate Chair, 

LAU Faculty Representative 

Sheikh Fouad el Khazen 

Chairman, Banque de L’Industrie et du Travail 

Mr. Samer Khoury 

Executive Vice President, 

Consolidated Contractors Company 

Rev. George Mourad 

Representative, 


Mr. Charles Muller 

Representative, 


Mr. Akram Saab 

Engineer 

The Lebanese American University is an American 

institution chartered by the Board of Regents of the 

University of the State of New York and operating in 

Lebanon. Originally founded as a Presbyterian school for 

girls in 1835, LAU is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational 

institution of higher education encompassing five 

academic schools—Arts and Sciences, Business, 

Engineering and Architecture, Medicine, and Pharmacy. 

Its two campuses, in Beirut and Byblos, offer more than 

6,300 undergraduate and graduate students a wide 

range of academic and professional degrees, including 

the only doctor of pharmacy program outside the United 

States to be accredited by the Accreditation Council of 

Pharmacy Education. 

53

O u r Vi s i o n f o r t h e F uture 

LAU LOOKS FORWARD 

“LAU is in the midst of dramatic and far-reaching institutional 

change,” said the NEASC accreditation team in April 2007. The major 

accomplishments of the past year and our common goals for the 

future attest to the commitment of our students, alumni, faculty, and 

staff to maintain this momentum and drive toward reinventing LAU as 

a center for high-quality medical education, for drug research, for 

conflict resolution, for diplomacy, for the empowerment of women, for 

innovative engineering, for all of the things that contribute to making 

a university and a society whole and productive, compassionate and 

creative. We aim to achieve these goals by holding fast to our vision, 

which calls on us as educators to: 

▲ The view from the Byblos campus to the sea 

• Provide access to a superior education for 

diverse undergraduate and graduate students 

and lifelong learners 

• Attract and retain distinguished faculty who excel 

in teaching, research and community service 

• Enroll and retain academically qualified and 

diverse students 

• Embrace liberal arts in all curricula 

• Create opportunities for rigorous research and the 

dissemination of knowledge 

• Develop a close-knit community that excels academically, 

is intellectually stimulating, and is religiously, ethnically 

and socio-economically diverse 

• Attract and retain a highly qualified staff committed 

to excellence in service 

• Foster collaboration across the university in teaching, 

learning, research, and service 

• Provide a state-of-the-art infrastructure and support 

services that will enrich the student, faculty, and 

staff experience 

• Develop world citizens with a deep sense of civic engagement 

• Promote the values of peace, democracy, and justice 

“ 

The progress of freedom 

depends more upon the 

maintenance of peace, 

the spread of commerce, 

and the diffusion of education, 

than upon the labours of cabinets 

and foreign offices. ” 

Richard Cobden 

In the last of these aspirations, the rest are contained. As Richard Cobden, 

the British radical politician observed in 1850,“The progress of freedom 

depends more upon the maintenance of peace, the spread of commerce, 

and the diffusion of education, than upon the labours of cabinets and 

foreign offices.”We cling tightly to these principles and to our role as 

diffusers of education to bring them to bear in the lives of our students 

so that they may also disperse them to the rest of the world. 

54

Beirut Campus 

P.O. Box 13-5053 

Chouran, Beirut 1102 2801 

Lebanon 

Tel: +961 1 786456/64 

Fax: +961 1 867098 

Byblos Campus 

P.O. Box 36 

Byblos, Lebanon 

Tel: +961 9 547254/263 

Fax: +961 9 944851 

New York Office 

475 Riverside Drive 

Suite 1846 

New York, NY 10115-0065 

USA 

Tel: (212) 870-2592 

Fax: (212) 870-2762 

http://www.lau.edu.lb

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