From the President – Fall 2021

Dear readers,

You can be assured that throughout the crises of the past three years, the board of trustees, university leadership, and I have listened, debated, and deliberated how to forge a path forward for this most precious of universities, one whose existence provides diversity, hope, opportunity, purpose, and, indeed, life to its community.

Our path forward starts with careful, critical self-examination and a realistic appraisal of our mission. How does one reaffirm purpose to an enduringly valuable university in a time of shifting alliances, malleable perceptions, and alternative facts? What lessons has history taught us pertaining to the preservation of that which is most precious in our society? And how do we apply these lessons to our essential university and the fragile nation in which it resides?

I have borne many withering critiques and much unsought advice from speculators and politicians alike. But I have also received support, guidance, criticism, and contemplation from trustees, alumni, faculty, students, and staff, from colleagues in the field, and, of course, from my own family. One inspiration is the constant example of our AUBMC physicians, nurses, and staff, who have fought for our patients, values, and community. They have led in the battle against the pandemic and the near collapse of Lebanon’s health system despite both overwhelming odds and the all-too-human temptation to leave for greener climes.

Our students, faculty, and staff expect a great deal from this university,and we must strive to live up to that, including doing everything possible to return our students stranded in Afghanistan, to serve our diverse learning community during the Lebanese crisis so that it continues its journey of discovery, all while continuously improving our educational standards. We will reinvigorate the experience of our students through an enriched curriculum where experiential learning links with the liberal arts and scientific education that AUB is rightfully renowned for. Armed with an AUB education, our students will be prepared and predisposed to serve the beleaguered societies of the world, societies challenged by war, unemployment, an absence of social freedoms, a lack of participation in the governance of their nations and, most damning of all, a loss of hope for a better tomorrow. These societies can be transformed by individuals who are privileged to attend our great university, such that they too “may have life and have it more abundantly.”

Almost one quarter of our students hold non-Lebanese passports, making AUB the second most diverse university by percentage of non-Lebanese and by far the most diverse university by nationality across the MENA region. We are deeply acculturated in our home. We are the American University OF Beirut, not simply the American University IN Beirut. We serve the peoples of Lebanon and the region, and no set of circumstances, no threat or harm will force us to abandon our sacred charge.

As we affirm what has made us great and transform to meet the current challenges, we count on the support of our friends across the globe.
The dangerous games played by political actors in Lebanon and abroad must not be allowed to impair the continuity of AUB’s teaching and healing missions. The severe economic collapse has left more than 74 percent of Lebanese below the poverty line; they are no longer able to pay full tuition for their children. We must all shoulder additional responsibilities so those outstanding students who are capable and suited to attend AUB, but whose parents or guardians live in Lebanon, can attend for an affordable price, while those whose parents live and work abroad render their tuition in a more stable currency.

“In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer,” wrote Albert Camus. In novels, plays, and essays, the Nobel laureate explored the depths, heights, and wonders of our existence. This quote was penned in a series of essays in which Camus urged humanity to persevere through adversity, timely advice for us today. This lies at the core of why we at AUB must more fully embrace and indeed exemplify our purpose. In the depths of each of our winters there lies an invincible summer. Though never easy, we must pursue excellence for the greater good and save lives whose values are immeasurable, all while empowering great minds, whose futures portend a better, fairer, more inclusive world. Now more than ever, as Camus also reflected, we must mend what we can, band together, and pledge ourselves to causes far greater than ourselves.

Fadlo R. Khuri