One Worldwide Alumni Association Acts as Umbrella for All Chapters

In a reminder to all AUB alumni, as earlier announced by Dr. Thomas Morris, the chairperson of the AUB Board of Trustees, the University has established the Worldwide Alumni Association of the American University of Beirut (WAAAUB), which henceforth will be the only association serving the University's 45,000 alumni around the world.

AUB's Board of Trustees voted unanimously on November 17, 2006, to establish the WAAAUB. The association, which will be based in Beirut, will be a part of the University but have its own governance and administrative structure. WAAAUB will serve as an umbrella for all alumni chapters and branches around the world, including the Beirut chapter.

"The mission of WAAAUB is to strengthen the ties between AUB and all of its alumni and to engage all alumni in advancing and supporting the goals and the education, research, and service mission of the University," said Morris. "The decision by the Board of Trustees to establish such an association has enjoyed wide acceptance and support."

Morris said that while some alumni associated with the AUB Alumni Association in Beirut have disputed the board's right and its reasons for forming the new association, "The Board is firm in its decision to maintain one unified worldwide association, even though it would welcome the idea of considering the AUB Alumni Association as the Beirut chapter of the new WAAAUB."

"We would be happy to recognize the AAA as the Beirut chapter of the new alumni association; in fact, we would welcome this opportunity. The Beirut chapter would be one of the most important WAAAUB chapters.
The Board of Trustees, however, will not recognize AAA's claim to represent all AUB alumni," noted Morris.

In mid-May, the Board of Trustees will be mailing all AUB alumni a ballot covering the election of:
The WAAAUB Alumni Council,
The WAAAUB Board of Directors, and
The three alumni nominees to the AUB
Board of Trustees.

These elections will give all alumni for whom the University has mailing addresses an opportunity to participate in WAAAUB-their alumni association-and to share in the governance of AUB. The results of the elections will be announced in July.

All current alumni chapters will be part of the WAAAUB. In addition, all current alumni chapter presidents will become members of WAAAUB's Alumni Council, thus insuring that the association will be truly representative. WAAAUB will also include regional "at-large" members-one more way to ensure that all alumni worldwide are represented.