Archived Documents

Thursday, Nov. 2nd, 2004

*Official MEISSA events will start in the spring semester. Many of these events are still in the works. Some are definite and some are not

**The club will have no political agenda. It is meant to be an academic body, not political. One of the basic principles of the club is a shared desire of its members to learn more.

***Remember to include numerous faculty members in general emails (announcements and invitations) in order to raise awareness of our group's existence

• The MEIS Minor
  • The grant for the MEIS Minor from the department of education recommends a student organization to go along with the minor
  • The grant for the minor ends this year
  • However we still want to maintain Arabic language instruction, lecture series, etc.
  • MEIS and MEISSA will have a symbiotic relationship
  • MEISSA members are not required to have the MEIS minor
• Important: Students are strongly encouraged to send emails to members of the administration praising this program in order to gain support
  • There is strong interest in the possibility of making short term travel programs over breaks and the summer that involve MEIS
  • There is the possibility of a study abroad trip to Istanbul during the summer of 2006 (however this is not definite)
  • This program, if formed, will give the students full course credits
  • Boston College will be taking over a study abroad trip from Harvard that will involve traveling to Bosnia this summer (this is definite)
  • Students will gain full academic course credit from this trip
  • More information to come
  • There is also a new study abroad program in the works to Kazakhstan that will include Arabic language instruction
• Karim Kawar, the Jordanian Ambassador to the U.N., will definitely be coming to speak at Boston College
  • He is also a Boston College Alumni
  • Because this speaker is such a prominent figure, it is important that many people come to hear him speak
  • Advertising is needed for this event
  • Lack of awareness may be a significant problem
  • Need help to facilitate and advertise
  • An award will be given to Karim Kawar on behalf of MEISSA
  • We are currently considering the possibility of an annual award of this kind
• The McMullen Museum will be hoser of 2006
  • This requires planning 1 year in advance
• Events/Activities
  • Possibilities for many different events are being considered and suggestions are welcomed
  • Hoping to have a mock debate
  • Many possible subjects for a debate such as Israel – Palestine, India – Pakistan, etc.
• Open to suggestions
• One goal is to provoke thought on campus and spread knowledge of Middle Eastern Culture through debates, lectures, and the like
• Help is needed for planning and advertising of such events
• Research
  • A list of sources such as websites, books, etc. will be compiled in order to aid any student working on a thesis
• Newsletter
  • Will be published once a semester
  • Help is needed
• Membership Criteria
  • Difference between active and passive members
  • Active members will take active roles on boards and committees as well as come to meetings
  • Passive members are more likely to go to occasional events and meetings while taking a less active role in the activities of the club
• Executive Board Opportunities
  • We are currently looking for class representatives for each class
  • Particularly looking for freshmen and sophomore class representatives in order to serve as intermediaries between the officers (who are currently upperclassmen) and the freshmen and sophomore classes
  • Need to know what the freshmen and sophomore members think (suggestions/comments)
• Boston College Iraqi Women’s Education Initiative Raffle
• Ticket proceeds will go directly towards starting a literacy program that will service hundreds of women in tribal regions of Iraq
  • The collection donations will be sent to the Iraqi women as a gift from the Boston College community
  • Winners will be contacted immediately after the raffle drawing, to take place on December 20 th
  • Raffle prizes include: 1x mini ipod, 3x $100 gift certificates to Best Buy, 2x gift certificates good for a “Day of Beauty” at Salon Capri and Salon 55 in Newton
  • Raffle tickets are 1 for $3
• Anyone interested in buying tickets are helping should contact Sara at Bergersd@bc.edu
• This will be the last general meeting of the fall semester
  • There are likely to be 3 or 4 general meetings per semester in the future
  • People should feel free stop by Prof. Bailey’s office (528 Mcguinn) with comments or just leave written comments