AUIS and Connections!

by Hemn Mohammed

Hemn Mohammed 

To write about what is wrong with AUIS, a book, a collection of books or even a library may be required. We have read many articles about the cafeteria’s food or smoking issue, but the major problems that created a real resentment for many AUIS students and graduates have never been talked about in details. Every single student at AUIS knows about these problems except a small circle of people among the students and AUIS staff who think that they can disprove the existence of the sun by only closing their eyes.

 John Dolan suggested that the main concern for most of the AUIS staff is to make the most possible amount of money in the shortest time, he had a point,

for we do not see otherwise. We see careless people in all departments make decisions which can only be described ultimate arbitrariness. In some cases, it looks like that AUIS is run by a group of anarchists. These people (from the president to the guards in front of the gates) have abused their power to last point. The major problems that we face in regard of our questionable certificates, the source of AUIS’s funds, and the people who are privileged by the system have not been answered or even addressed.

There is too much to be talked about, and I have to limit myself only to one case. Every awhile, we see and read that someone is chosen for a position or a program by AUIS’s staff, and nobody knows who made the decision or based on what criteria that person (mostly females) has been chosen. These people are chosen once to become a head of a group without the knowledge of anyone in the group, or they are secretly chosen (or helped to be chosen to attend a program by eliminating all competitors, and by the way, this is the worst American free market style that we have seen) to attend a program.

The last case was when AUIS was asked to choose candidates for “the Social Entrepreneurship Program by the US Department of State”, and without informing anyone among the students, Chase Winter, Institutional Development Officer, selected two AUIS graduates. One of them by the name (H.M) was chosen. However, things which are done in the darkness make me think there is a rat in the room. I emailed Mr. Winter and asked, “why only those two? Can I know about the reason? Many (female and male) students graduated from AUIS, and why only those two?”

I got a sloppy answer from him which is lack of time. That answer may sound a bit unhealthy, for he could get in touch with every student and email them to send the requirements, and then send all the applications which are qualified. Let’s be clear that AUIS has nothing with the final decision, but the real problem is that AUIS eliminated competition to get to the desired results. However, is not time to ask a real question? Is there any relation between the selector and the selected which we may not be aware of? Also, if AUIS has a small portion of courage that it claims to have, it will start investigating with these people and will make sure that they system will not function like this anymore. However, I really doubt any action from AUIS.      

The ultimate question is: why a small group of people is chosen over and over? Does the KRG style of the governing have introduced itself into AUIS where new faces are not welcomed? Is  not time to suspect that there is the smell of a rat in the room but we should look for one?

Overtime, everyone at AUIS will realize that there is a good connection between some students and some AUIS staff who act like market partners and they share the fruit of glorious AUIS. This group consists of some students which there are no names to fit them except (ass kissers) and some AUIS staff who have low self-esteem, and they need some people to flatter them to feel good about themselves.

I can’t say anything to the first group, but I have some good advice for the AUIS staff. If you want your asses be kissed and you want people around you, it is better to make a website or something public, for there are many students who want to get the position of ass kissing.

Finally, let’s say that AUIS has become a real disappointment for the people who had chances outside of AUIS. One day will come when the bright name of AUIS will be related to financial, administrative, and moral decadence in this community and outside of the country.

Hemn Mohammed graduated from the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS) with a degree in International Studies. He currently works as IFC Program Manager at 4Points Groups.