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trapezius

I have been offered a job as a Math Lecturer at Hail University. (through Al-Falak Co.)

Hail Community College, part of KFUPM, has been upgraded to Hail Uni, and starting in September will be its first year as such.

Does anybody have any info about HCC/HU? Their website (http://www.hcc.kfupm.edu.sa) seems to be out of commission, as in, it doesn't exist anymore, I guess because they are going to be a uni now, but as far as I know, there is no new website yet.

I am specifically looking for info about:

- working conditions (environment, people, work ethic, load of work, etc)
- students (hardworking, level of English, friendly, etc)
- housing (maybe it is new this year, but any info is helpful)
- the city itself, including shopping centers (grocery stores, electronics, etc)
- anything else I should look at

But mainly, I am concerned about the higher ups at the uni. Are they professional, fair, friendly, etc.

BTW, I am not Western, so I guess that's one less thing I have to worry about (after reading about all the anti-Western bias that seems to be prevalent in a lot of unis/colleges).

Any info would be helpful.

Thanks,
trapezius Cool

trapezius · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:24 pm Post subject:

P.S. Please reply soon because I have to let them know about my decision by Saturday. Thanks.

(BTW Is there no way to edit one's post after posting it? I didn't see a link/button for that)

Cleopatra · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:23 pm Post subject:

I think people will let you have their advice as and when they see this post, you can't really give them a deadline. Personally, I can't really help as I don't know anything about Hail.

As for 'editing' , see that little sign in the top corner of your post? That's the 'edit' button.

trapezius · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:02 pm Post subject:

Frank Verity · Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 35 Location: INDIANA

Hail is an extremely civilised place to work and the Saudi managers are perfect gentlemen.

Cleopatra · Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 2:31 pm Post subject:

kanterbrau · Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 38

Like the previous contributor I have absolutely no wish to alarm you but I must agree with every word Cleopatra has to say about the Saudi attitude towards "non-whites" - I really don't like that expression but I can't think of an alternative at the moment.

Some years ago I worked on a military contract in Saudi Arabia and among the staff were two black American converts to Islam. I cannot honestly comment on how much the treatment they received was also due to their nationality or to the fact that they were converts but the behaviour of both Saudi students and staff towards these two professionals would most certainly NOT have been tolerated in a Western educational establishment. Fortunately, one of the teachers was a Samuel L. Jackson-type character who gave as good as he got but the other, I regret to say, took it all very much to heart and, having looked forward to going to KSA for so long, departed a sadder but wiser man.

I repeat, I am not trying to alarm you but "Forewarned is Forearmed", nor am I trying to make light of the situation when I advise you to keep Samuel L. Jackson in mind.

I wish you every success.

Good luck.

Frank Verity · Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 35 Location: INDIANA

We are in danger of over emphasizing Saudi racial attitudes;I have never encountered racial animosity from the Saudis.Conversely when I was at
GPT in the early 90s the simple minded Yorkshire beezer and the Welsh alcoholic used horrid racial epithets.The elderly macho British peasant is far more likely to cause racial strife than an educated Saudi.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Hail is okay. Not the best but not the worst. Good climate - rather like Arizona nor Nevada.

Students are not he sharpest pencils in the box. You would do well to learn Arabic. You will have to create your own entertainment.

kanterbrau · Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 38

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

A racist is a racist... no matter what the color of his skin or religion... and Frank has shown everyone very clearly that he is just as bad as those he criticizes.

Cleopatra · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:41 pm Post subject:

I think Frank may actually have a point in that none of the many Asian colleagues I have had have every complained of overt racism from students. But of course it is there none the less. Students frequently moan about not wanting to be taught be "Indians" or even "Arabic people". Of course, some of this is linked to the whole "native speaker" thing but still, given a choice between a white American or an African-American (or whatever faith), most students would definately opt for the former, regardless of teaching ability.

Friends who have worked in Japan say a similar situation prevails there:being young, white and good-looking is far more important than being a decent teacher.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Frank Verity · Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 35 Location: INDIANA

Not at all;the achievements of British culture from Kipling to the Anglo
Saxon Chronicle are magnificent but the fact is that elderly geriatric
boozers of all genders are not really representative of this cultural legacy.
I am sure Martin Luther King would concur with the venerable and rightly veiled sentiments about 'racism';sentiments which are hallowed by antiquity and justified by the wisdom of the aged.
I am actually a respecter of women with the exception of the ancient harridans and albatrosses of the ilk of Susan Sontag.

Frank Verity · Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 35 Location: INDIANA

At least the Saudis don't subject staff to the indignity of the pink slip and
advise downsized employees to search garbage containers for trinkets.