Hope University College
2nd Quarter 2008 Report

The construction progressed though due to the skyrocketing prices of cement and rebars, Hope faced the problem of variation bills.  Important components such as elevators, improved digital lines and diesel generator had to be incorporated and additional funding was needed for these. The rains finally came in late June and the construction crew was engaged in the much superstructure work without disruption. The application for VAT free status was submitted given that the proposal for the construction and equipping was made without assuming the payment of this tax. The specialization of business, planned to be the first professional stream of the university college, was being studied by Dr. Corne Kocks and Dr. Jan Lok, with both professionals engaging the expertise of their respective universities to develop a curriculum that meets  the needs in Ethiopia and maintains an international standard. 

On June 26, the advisory board of the university college held its first meeting in the project office of the university college.  Before the start of the meeting, the advisory board was given a tour of the construction and an update on the developments to date. Then the advisory board considered the issues of recruitment of the vice president for academic affairs and the vice president for administrative, financial and student affairs, the draft charter, the curriculum and schedule of operations.  It approved the criteria and mode of recruiting the two vice Presdient with both Hope and an employment agency doing the recruiting. As to the curriculum, the advisory board felt that the charter needs to emphasize preparing students by having them go through a foundation year. The advisory board, in examining the staff pool, stated that the president and the two vice-presidents are a must and the other officers should be employed as needed in tandem with the development of the university college.  In applying the foundation year, a point was made about fitting the year with the Ministry Education’s package of a diploma program.  It was also told that after the diploma program those students that make it through may continue on as “advanced” placement for their degree in business.  As to the content of the foundation year, the mastery of language and mathematics was seen as a must considering the difficulties of students to manage lectures, required readings and calculation.  The advisory board accepted the diploma program for those needing it.

On the draft charter, Dr. Minas indicated to the advisory board that he was writing the first draft using models of the Ministry fo Education, referring to charters of colleges fo a similar mission and strategy from abroad and the local cultural and legal context.  He asked the advisory board for some guidelines on certain facets so that he could complete the draft in tandem with the guidelines. Dr. Minas suggested the idea of making the senate like a management team advising the president and working with the president in areas where team work is needed.  This proposal was accepted sensing the need fro executive leadership and the charter was to be rewritten accordingly.  As to who was to be a member of the senate, the advisory board feeling that the smaller the size of the senate the better the performance, wanted the members to include only the president, the two vice presidents on a voting basis and one elected member from the faculty and one elected student from the student body on a non-voting basis.

The advisory board discussed the time table and noted some adjustments. On employment, it underscored that expatriate faculty needs to be recruited way before December 2008 for the September 2009 employment.  On book orders and collection, a number of names were mentioned and Dr. Minas was to follow up on them.  Dr. Minas also stated that he had made contacts with some radio stations in the US for a book drive in general knowledge and business and will get a closure on this project when he goes to the states during fall.  The meeting was adjourned with a decision to have the next meeting on either September 23 or 25, 2008 in the main office of the university college.

Respectfully Submitted,

Office of Public Relations
Hope Enterprises
155 Churchill Road
P.O. Box 30153
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: +251-11-1560345/1560346
Fax: +251-11-1552638
Email: hope@ethionet.et
Website: hopeuniversitycollege.org