WSU Memorandum of Understanding
his memorandum recognizes
, the desire on the part of the
University of Damascus (Arab
Republic of Syria) and Wayne Sate
University (Detroit, Mich., USA) to
enter into a mutually beneficial
alliance to conduct education and
training in academic collaborative
programs.
The goal of this collaboration is to
develop long-term educational and
research programs in these areas call-
ing upon the broader capabilities of
each organization as appropriate.
Both institutions intend to seek sup-
port from both public and private
sources to accelerate the growth of this
important collaboration. This memo-
randumis non binding in that it is not
,,,.........
T
SYRIA from page 22
"President Reid keeps focusing on
health care, saying the agreement is
only about four nurses coming to the
university's nursing school," Bernstein
said. "But, as an attorney, you don't
look at what people say about an
agreement — you look at the agree-
ment itself.
'And this is an umbrella agreement.
It could mean whatever the signers
want by way of long-term educational
and research programs.' The word
`nurses' is nowhere in it."
Among the signers of the OASIS
petition is Elaine Sturman of
Bloomfield Township, who called the
agreement "reprehensible."
"I cannot understand what possessed
Iry Reid," said Sturman, a WSU gradu-
ate who worked for 10 years at the uni-
versity's Merrill-Palmer Institute for
Child and Family Development. She
hopes to ask him his reasons at an
upcoming dinner of the institute.
As a student at WSU, Bernard
Schiff of Huntington Woods was an
officer in the university's Hillel
organization. More recently, he vol-
unteered in the banana fields of the
Golan Heights.
Schiff, another signer of the OASIS
petition, said, "If we are ever going
to have democracy in the Middle
East, we have to stop giving credence
to dictatorships. I don't think it's in
America's best interest right now to
cozy up to Syria."
Gabriel Issa, a Lebanese Christian
from Bloomfield Township who is
working with OASIS, remembers
when Syria invaded his homeland —
and never left. He, too, feels this is
intended to create any legal obliga-
tions, and is subject to available funds
and personnel and to the laws and reg-
ulations governing both institutions.
The memorandum constitutes the
foundation for expanded education
and research activities at both institu-
tions.
A joint committee will review
progress of this agreement every year
during July-August, in order to draft
the programs for the next year.
Either Wayne State University or
the University of Damascus may ter-
minate this memorandum. The ter-
mination institution shall give 30
days notice of the intention to end
the memorandum.
❑
the wrong time for a well-regarded
American university to build a rela-
tionship with a Syrian university.
"The majority of Lebanese don't want
Syria there, but they're afraid to say so,"
Issa said. "But regardless of whether
they're occupying Lebanon or not, Syria
is a major supporter of terrorism.
"We are supposed to be fighting ter-
rorism, not supporting it."
Board member Eugene Driker of
Detroit was unable to attend the Jan.
29 board meeting. He emphasized in a
telephone interview that the agreement
is an academic one, not a gesture in
support of Syrian President Bashar al-
Assad or his regime.
Even Israeli universities cooperate
with Damascus University through
international organizations, Driker said.
Damascus University is a member of
at least two international organiza-
tions, the International Association of
Universities and the League of World
Universities, that also include several
Israeli schools.
In the United States, schools that
have entered into programs of aca-
demic cooperation with Damascus
University include Cornell University
in Ithaca, N.Y., which in 2001 worked
with the Syrian school and Syrian
Petroleum Co. on a geological project.
Also in 2001, 21 students from
Brigham Young University in Provo,
Utah, spent winter semester at
Damascus University. Cornell and
Brigham Young are private schools,
while WSU is public.
"Many academics in Syria would be
thrilled to see a democratic regime,"
Driker said. "Should we foreclose
these people from having anything to
do with the United States?" ❑
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