Job Discussion Forums

[battleshipb_b]

How many teachers do they need? I read one of the posts which said they have some sort of 'understanding'.

QU should facilitate the transfer of some teachers to this school (which I just saw yesterday when I was cruisiing around town - how Doha has changed from my day). This would be a solution for some, especially the American teachers if Americans are what they hire. QU should definitely allow teachers to resign without penalty if they find another job even if it is past the resignation notice time. That would be the decent thing to do under the circumstances.

[WantToKnow]

no orientation manual for some groups of teachers at CCQ; however,
below now posted on Houston Community College website, which is http://sites.hccs.edu/qatar/

http://sites.hccs.edu/qatar/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ccqorientation01102012.pdf

[veiledsentiments]

Some very bizarre things are their suggested shipping lists... why would you ship paper towels? Kitchen and laundry supplies? They don't sell laundry baskets or spatulas or paper towels in Qatar?

I also find the use of the term "seconded" very bizarre. Why are they using old British military terminology? I've never heard it used in the US before.

The summer ticket is to Houston? What if that is not your home? Or are they still bringing all teachers over and not doing any other hiring?

VS

[WantToKnow]

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/HCC-in-Qatar-A-long-distance-challengeHCC-had-3039161.php

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Accreditation-a-key-concern-for-HCC-campus-in-3035400.php

[WantToKnow]

If people hired are from other places besides Houston, these people have to pay to get to those places.

[veiledsentiments]

[johnslat]

Dear WanttoKnow,

"If people hired are from other places besides Houston, these people have to pay to get to those places."

That's rather confusing - why would people have to pay to get to "those places" when, according to your post, they are already "from (those) other places?

Regards,
John

[WantToKnow]

It is my understanding that roundtrip airfare is paid for CCQ employees to and from Houston. If CCQ employees want to go to another place besides Houston, it is at their own expense. This may be true for shipping personal goods as well so that CCQ employees pay to ship what they are taking to Houston. CCQ then pays for these goods to be air shipped to and from
Qatar.

[WantToKnow]

recent February 4 or 5, 2012 posting about CCQ (in addition to many
others in the past) at: http://www.insidehccs.com/

[helenl]

As one clarification, jews are not prohibited from teaching in Qatar (not sure about HCC/CCQ but I doubt if either ask about religion in the employment process - and most, if agnostic, atheist, bhuddist or hindi just tick the Christian box if they want the job and that box is included on any official forms).

I've known any number of the above working and living happily in Qatar and the rest of the GCC - they are just not making an issue of their religion. The worst religious "offenders" and the ones who usually end up in trouble with authorities in my experience are Christians who proselytise, this latter practice being illegal in all GCC countries.

The actual private practice of the Christian faith (or the Jewish faith for that matter) are not illegal (and several countries' leaders have set aside areas for churches to be built - no synagogues that I've heard of) as followers of Islam, Judaism and Christianity are all considered people of the book.

If one feels the need to make a point about their religious affiliations when applying for work in the GCC then those people are probably better suited to jobs elsewhere in the world - is it discrimination? Probably to a certain extent, but then I watch the news from US TV stations and I wonder, are we in the West really all that much better?

[yellofello]

[yellofello]

This doesn't sound too good. Nice visit and all but this seems like CCQ may be going the QU way. From what I heard HCC chose that madwoman dean not the Qatar gov't according to a friend's friend who worked here. And what's this about visa issues? Maybe I'd better stay where I am.

[WantToKnow]

from http://sites.hccs.edu/qatar/gigi-do/category/ccq-orientation

days 1 & 2:

http://sites.hccs.edu/international/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Qatarday1_2_-Orientation_Aug16_17_-11.pdf

day 3:

http://sites.hccs.edu/international/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Qatar_day-3-orientation_August18_11.pdf

[WantToKnow]

http://www.insidehccs.com/

Of course HCC's take on it is always put a spin to it, What one does not not know can not hurt, here is HCC on Qatar. The media and blogs are having a field day with the "Crazy College of Qatar". Here is the articulation agreement that the CCQ (Crazy College of Qatar) signed with Qatar University. Take the news from over there for what it is, completely controlled by the government. At least here our media is controlled by the dollar and HCC spends more money on advertising than they do in providing programs that excel.

My take on this is that Art and Mary are at their best when they are explaining their failures which are often but normally hidden. If one had followed their comments through this episode one would not have come away with what HCC is now stating. I maintain that HCC has lost money in Art and Mary's little venture to the Middle East.

Other serious allegations have been brought by other employees who found themselves quickly transferred when they pointed out improper movement of money within various accounts. People at Main know that if they want to keep their jobs they have to keep their tongues from wagging. There are exceptions if one knows too much and one has it documented they may get mad at you but they will transfer you to a better paying position to keep one from talking and going to the police.

[sharter]

Are we in the west really that much better?

We are certainly more tolerant. We have laws which are implemented protecting against discrimination and certainly in Europe you'll find mosques everywhere.

That said, most of us are in the GCC for the money, so we put up and shut up.