MINUTES - SEPT. 10, 2004
151 Hamilton Hall

The minutes from our last meeting on May 7 were approved.

1. Introduction of new Advisory Board for CCSMEMC

2. Inventory of current activities

• Visiting scholars from the Middle East or majority Muslim countries:

  Ghasem Kakaie, University of Shiraz, Iran (American Institute of Iranian Studies/UNC Dept. of Religious Studies)
  
  Zumrad Ahmedjanova, Samarqand Institute for the Study of Foreign Languages, Uzbekistan (Junior Faculty Development Program, American Councils for International Education/UNC Center for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies)
  
  4 Muskie fellows from former Soviet Union in School of Public Health
  
  Humphrey fellow Mohammed Rajput, District Dadu, Sindh of the Establishment Division in the Government of Pakistan

• New courses (Iraq course, Sarah Shields)
• Study abroad: new Jordan program
• New grants and other programs
• Linkages with ME/Muslim countries
• Two NSEP undergraduate fellowship winners last year in the Middle East: Claire Young in Egypt and Brian Palen in Turkey
• Current funding: $12000 request to dean; $1500 Carolina Seminar; $5000 RA from dean
• Administration of Center funding by Carolina Asia Center

• What new courses would you offer (please indicate a tentative title) if course development funding were available for courses relating to the Middle East and Muslim civilizations?
  
  
• What existing courses would you revise (please indicate by title) if course development funding were available for increasing content relating to the Middle East and Muslim civilizations? What percent ME/MC content would the old course have in relation to the revised one? (e.g., from 0 to 50%; use increments of 25%)
  
  
• What subjects would interest you for possible faculty development workshops relating to this area?

4. UISFL grant proposal

• Visit to Dept of Education, advice of staff
• Themes probably will include:

  Arabic language (faculty position – 1 or 2 yrs?)
  Study abroad program in Jordan: site visits
  Outreach (Program in Humanities and Human Values, WorldView)
  Course development
  Faculty development?
  Library

5. Bashrahil development proposal

• Joint UNC-Duke program in Arabic/Islamic studies
• Study abroad program (Singapore model; preference for Arabic)
• Collaborative faculty research grants
• Support of Arabic language
• Visiting scholars and artists
• Book prizes (English and Arabic) and subvention of UNC Press series and translations to/from Arabic
• Possible chair endowments