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Dina Basiony/Caravan Staff Arnold concerned with road safety in Kattameya campus |
Tuition fees will increase for continuing students in the upcoming fall semester, said David Arnold, the president of the American University in Cairo (AUC) in a meeting with the Caravan on April 13.
The increase is a result of the higher budget for the new 260-acre campus in New Cairo. There will also be approximately a 12% increase in tuition fees for newly admitted students, he said.
"The increase is unavoidable,” said Arnold, “The current inflation in Egypt is affecting the university as well.”
New campus construction is going according to schedule and the university is working to complete the process by the beginning of June, added Arnold.
"This is a very exciting time. Facilities which have been a dream are already being completed," he said.
"The new campus is a state-of-the-art facility and the area there is gradually growing. It will never replace the experience of being downtown, but it will have an appeal and an interaction of its own," added Arnold.
"We have more than 800 applications from study-abroad students for 350 slots," said Arnold, responding to concerns that the new campus will not be as attractive to foreign students as the experience of studying in the heart of Cairo.
Students, faculty and staff will be required to pay L.E. 3000 a year to park on the new campus. However, a shuttle bus service will be available free of charge for faculty and staff. Students will pay a L.E. 3,500 to ride the bus, which, according to surveys conducted by the university, is in line with what other private universities in Egypt charge,
"We want to encourage people to take the bus to avoid the need for building parking lots on such precious land," said Arnold.
To ensure road safety, the university will cooperate with civil authorities in New Cairo to improve traffic for the students in the area surrounding the campus. However, the university security system itself will be confined to the AUC grounds.
"There will be three security rings for people coming into the campus. We will also monitor the whole campus using high technology surveillance equipment," explained Arnold.
To further ensure security, the university administration sent an e-mail on April 6 to all students, urging them to fill in their emergency numbers for direct contact in case of a threat of any type.
"There have been two recent events on US campuses of students with guns. The best way for urgent communication is through this instant messaging system. Criminal acts are now random and universities worldwide are working on ensuring security," said Arnold.
Arnold also dismissed rumors that the university’s move was motivated by a desire to distance itself from the heart of Cairo: "The decision to build a new campus was made 10 years ago; we are not abandoning the political center of Cairo because some of our facilities will remain here."
Meanwhile, some downtown facilities will be renovated. The university will open a new bookstore with an entrance on Sheikh Rihan St. and the School of Continuing Education (SCE) will be expanded. The management center and the law department will also remain downtown.
In addition, the university has decided to keep the Zamalek dorms due to a housing shortage on the new campus. Shuttles will run to and from the Zamalek dorms.
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