CCQ Newsletter: Vantage Point (February 2012)

Introducing Vantage Point

From student written articles to faculty staff editorials, the CCQ Newsletter “Vantage Point” is aimed at providing you the current news and view points of CCQ, faculty, staff and students. View the February edition. (PDF)

— Gigi Do, Executive Director of HCC’s Office of International Initiatives.

New Year Resolutions

To many, the beginning of a new year brings reason to hope for a brighter future. The Community College of Qatar began this year with the signing of an Articulation Agreement with Qatar Uni-versity (Page 2) and now has instituted a change to weekly schedules, making Thursdays a time for supplemental instruction and in-service training. Our Top Story on Thursdays will focus on this unique scheduling method that truly makes CCQ innovative.

Also inside works include an article by Professor Anthony Tycer, our first Book Review by Librarian Associate Phillip Mowrer, and CCQ in Action.

Thursday Opportunities at CCQ

With new faculty members, the opening of the science labs at C-Ring, and new classes added to the curriculum, 2012 will prove to be another year of progress for the Community College of Qatar. One of the most noticeable changes is what has become of Thursday schedules. No longer just a typical day of the week, Thursdays will now stand as much more for CCQ.

In previous years, a common concern among students, faculty, and staff was that there was not enough time in the week to participate in clubs, attend events, or seek tutoring. Some even argued that classes, homework, careers, and family commitments required too much of our time. CCQ Administrators, after some deliberation, made the decision to remove clas-ses from Thursdays in exchange for a more open, fluid scheduling system. Students will now have an open day to handle their responsibilities. It is important to note, though, that the total amount of contact time per course has not changed. Instead of a course meeting for 60 minutes a day, five days a week, for example, the course would now meet for 75 minutes a day, four days a week.

However, students who feel they have been given the “gift” of a three-day weekend should work to keep up their grades. Students at-risk of failing or showing signs of difficulty will be required by their professors to attend special tutoring and coursework services to improve their grades. Math Reviews, The English Cafe and a new Writing Center will be available for all.

The extra day will give students the time they need to complete assignments, master subject matter, and seek additional assistance from faculty tutors.

Tutoring and other services will still be in operation throughout the week, but students will now have more time to complete assignments without being preoccupied by other responsibilities on Thursdays.

Qatar University and Community College in Education Team Up

Provided by The Gulf Times– Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 Vol. XXXII No. 8496

Articulation Agreement confirms CCQs place in Qatar

January 3rd — The agreement was signed by QU President Prof Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad and CCQ Acting President Prof Ibrahim Saleh al-Naimi at a ceremony at QU.

“CCQ graduates with a Grade Point Average of 2.5 or above and a minimum of C grade (70% marks), are eligible to apply to QU,” explained al-Naimi, who is also a former President of QU. QU Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Omar al-Ansari recalled that the process that culminated in the articulation agreement was started a year ago.“This initiative is part of co-operation and integration between institutions of higher education in Qatar,” he said.

QU Vice President and Chief Academic Officer Dr Sheikha Jabor al-Thani and CCQ‟s Interim Dean Dr. Butch Herod attended the agreement signing ceremony. Qatar Foundation Vice President of Education Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, Texas A&M University at Qatar Dean and CEO Dr. Mark H Wei-chold, QU Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Dr. Hu-maid al-Midfaa, Vice President for Research Dr. Hassan al-Derham, Foundation Programme Director Dr. Khalid Alali and other senior officials were also present. The conditions of the agreement are established in line with the principles of accreditation described by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) from which QU is in the process of seeking institution-wide accreditation.

By the terms of the agreement, CCQ students having completed 60 credit hours of undergraduate coursework in the college‟s Associate Degree in Arts (AA) or Associate Degree in Science (AS) programmes, are eligible to apply for admission to QU‟s undergraduate programmes. They would also be allowed to bypass QU‟s English, math and computer competency requirements.

However, CCQ students who have not completed their associate degrees and wish to be admitted into QU, would need to fulfill those requirements as well as complete at least 24 credit hours of undergraduate coursework at the college. In turn, CCQ will accept reverse transfers of QU courses to the college for consideration as AA or AS degrees.

Prof al-Misnad said the agreement underlined the continuity of education promoted by policymakers in Qatar that allowed students from established educational institutions such as CCQ to add value to their certificates by following on to further study. “We are pleased to be part of this agreement with CCQ which will provide students with a wide range of study options to build on their previous studies by pursuing their area of interest and specialization”.

Prof al-Naimi stated it was of great importance to CCQ to sign its first articulation agreement with the country‟s national university, since many of the graduates would seek to continue their studies in Qatar.

“This agreement will open the door for them to excel in their studies towards enrolment in QU where they can pursue studies for their bachelor‟s degree. This kind of co-operation will definitely add more value to the higher education structure in Qa-tar,” he added. The articulation agreement between CCQ and QU will be administered by an Articulation Sub-Committee comprising chief academic representatives from QU and CCQ for programme review.

Book Review by Philip Mowrer

Red, White, and Muslim: My Story of Belief By: Asma Gull Hasan

America has always been a multi-cultural country, but many Americans today do not know how people from different backgrounds actually live, even though they may be our neighbors, coworkers, or peo-ple we see every day.

With this memoir, Hasan tries to give non-Muslims an insider‟s view of what life was like for her growing up as a first generation Muslim American. She weaves together memories of her past with her understanding of Islam, and explains how these two things have shaped her into the woman she is today. She does this in a way that makes it easy for a reader, even one not familiar with Islam, to understand what her religion means to her and how she has come to feel comfortable identifying herself as both Muslim and American.

This does not mean that a reader will agree with everything written in the book; Hasan gives numerous examples of people she has met, both Muslims and Americans, who have virulently disagreed with what she has said about Islam and America. What the book does do very well, however, is inspire the reader to think about the ideas and viewpoints being discussed. By combining her experiences with relevant information from the Qur‟an and the sayings of Muhammad (PBUH), Hasan puts a human face on Islam in America, and helps non-Muslims and non-Americans begin to form an idea of what being Muslim and American means for her.

This book is a great read for anyone who wants to know more about being Muslim in America, or anyone who wants to learn more about Islamic teachings, and how they trans-late in everyday life when living in a country that is outside the Islamic world. Some of the author‟s ideas may be controversial for some people, but they are also thought-provoking, and they make you stop and think about what she is saying. If you are interested in a quick read that will make you think, please stop by the library to take out a copy today.

Success: Arize yourself for college

Accessorizing is a talent many students seem to share, but bringing the right stuff to class is more than a question of taste, it‟s a question of readiness. There are a number of items every college student should have:

Backpack or book bags: Every student needs one. With the growing use of laptop computers on campus, having a bag that will accommodate both books and a computer is a must have accessory.

Flash Drives: Whether you have a laptop or rely on an on-campus computer lab, a flashdrive will be essential for storing your files and protecting your work. Additionally, college students have found that a flash drive or USB drive is indispensible for working on group projects and presen-tations.

Planners: Every day, week, month, and year we have certain deadlines to meet; especially college students. At the beginning of every semester, professors provide a syllabus telling students when and how often they can expect to be tested, when assignments are due, and the dates of holidays. Jotting down this information can be helpful for planning out your semester.

The Challenging Class: Learning from Teaching

By Professor Tony Tycer

We have all had classroom experiences that tried our patience be-yond reason. I have had such an “opportunity” for personal and profes-sional growth this semester.

What has compounded the issue for me is that instead of teaching in the United States, I am teaching in Qatar: in the Army while over-seas, I taught young men, but here it is a class of young women. The students in this class are younger, while my ABE and ESL classes at Portland (Oregon) Community College were older. These changes further put me off „my game‟ or approach.

What I found as my envelope stretched, was that what had worked in previous ESL classes elsewhere in the world, surprisingly works well here in Qatar. When I became grateful for the opportunity to grow, growth came easier. My side of the street was clean and clear when my attitude changed.

I found faculty and administrators who were supportive and resolution oriented: some, because we shared students, others as part of professional development and genuine collegiality. We did not have a problem, we had options for change. The department chair supported me while conscientiously hearing the concerns of the student.

The counseling department was similarly engaged. They were particularly valuable in giving me a sense of perspective and support. The Registrar kept me apprised of the impact a variety of courses of action would have on my students’ records.

Other teachers were available to come to my classroom and observe. In other instances they invited me to their class room so I might see their teaching practices. My preparation standards and familiarity with the new text were pushed up a level. Outside texts were employed for simplicity of explanation and clarity of writing.

As a result of such interactions my „game‟ changed and my attitude adjusted. I became much more receptive to using new technologies. Power Point presentations were introduced, thanks to other teachers and the resources they provided. Several students were referred to the tutorial center.

I had to shift teaching modalities. Specific to general was vague and ineffective so a shift was made: general to specific (inductive instead of deductive). As I looked for class room participation, I had to reach for and accept a greater variety of learning styles. This meant a greater tolerance of background noise and chatter from those who process verbally and auditory.

After all of my learning and adjusting, my hope persists in this: that they learn how to learn. By teaching them this most essential lesson, I have made a good student better, an uninterested student‟s interest is piqued, and the conscientious students are given additional tools just as they have all made me ready to employ new teaching tools.

Critical Interventions Number 8: Special Issue on African Cinemas from Prof. Victoria Pasley

Guest edited by Victoria Pasley, CI#8 focuses on African Cinemas through analysis of different contexts of film practices in Africa. The cinematic arts can be defined as the apex of a culture of visuality and it is not by chance that the moving image has become a key technology of narrative in the era of globalization. In this regard, African cinemas of different historical origins, dis-cursive focus and aesthetic orientation are increasingly notable as key aspects of African visual and cultural experiences.

The debate over what constitutes African cinemas occupies an important place in these developments, especially in light of the divide between auteur and populist traditions of African filmmak-ing that seem to divide neatly along colonial lines into Francophone, Anglophone and Lusophone cultures of African cinema. However, these categories do not adequately describe the divergent modes of practice evident in how such cinemas are located in the global economy, where transnational engagements defeat the essentialist idea of a homogenous “Africa”.

In this context, the classical definition of African cinema as a mode of practice that adheres to the auteur tradition of French filmmaking confronts the emergent example of Nollywood and related modes of film production that hew to Hollywood‟s powerful business-oriented model with its global preeminence. These two con-texts present two visions of African cinema that can sometimes seem totally divergent. However, as Kenneth Harrow concludes in his essay in this volume, the lines between the two modes of African cinema are collapsing.

This issue of Critical Interventions therefore investigates the history and disparate locales of African Cinemas through significant articles that take its transnational origins into consideration and also track changing definitions of African praxis within the global discourse of cinema. This jumbo edition of the journal features articles by Alexie Tcheuyap, Sheila Petty, Etienne-Marie Lassi, Kenneth Harrow, Amadou Fofana, Cara Duncan-Moyer, Alioune Sow, Scott M. Edmonson, Jonathan Shaw, Stefanie Van der Peer, Toni Pressley-Sanon, Mariam Konate Deme and Dramane Deme. It also features a republication of Teshome Gabriel‟s seminal article— “Towards a Critical Theory of Third World Cinema”.