Let Moeser Make Qatar Decision

To do so would be selling out. It would bolster an autocratic regime that ignores basic human rights. Qatari students would be able to earn UNC degrees without coming within thousands of miles of Chapel Hill. And students would have too small a voice in the decision to open this satellite campus.

All these arguments scare me. Not because they're right, but because I fear they might sway policymakers. If you agreed with anything in the previous paragraph, please read on.

First of all, it is entirely appropriate that students not have a casting vote in this decision. Here at UNC we have a wonderful tradition of student self-governance, and from allocation of funds to Honor Code violations, students have more of a say in their own future than at most other universities, public or private. But unfortunately, some students here seem to think that means we deserve a say in decisions that don't even concern us.

The opportunity to open a Qatar campus is not about students in Chapel Hill. It is about students in Qatar. And the proper people to make the decision are Chancellor James Moeser, the Board of Trustees and Dean Robert Sullivan of the business school. They are the administrators of this University, and it is their role, not ours, to administrate it.

Nor is Moeser deaf to the voices of students. He attended a forum hosted by student government and the Campus Y last Wednesday to hear students' views of students, and an advisory seminar is now being formed. While Moeser should not necessarily let this committee prevent the Qatar proposal, students should support his decision, so it is good that he is listening to student opinions.

Then there is the issue of Qatar's government. According to recent reports, Qatar is moving toward a freer and more democratic society. Already it is considered the most progressive nation in the region; education is not only free but compulsory for all citizens, including women.

But the government is not a democracy. Many freedoms we might take for granted do not exist there -- Islam is the state religion, and religious freedom is by no means guaranteed, the ruling emir holds absolute power, freedom of assembly is limited, the legal system is biased and inefficient.

But just because Qatari society differs from ours is no reason to shun the country. In fact, it is all the more reason to go.

A point that was made repeatedly at Wednesday's forum was that the Qatar campus would be a unique opportunity for cultural exchange. Just because Qatar is different does not mean it is bad. Most Americans know little about conditions in the Arabic world, and even if we do believe democratic governments are superior, we'll never spread those ideals by refusing to deal with Qatar at all.

Only by having a relationship with the nation can the United States foster Qatar's tentative steps toward democracy. For UNC to be a part of that relationship would be a unique honor.

As for "selling out," UNC would be doing anything but that by accepting the Qatar Foundation's invitation. The reason it is contacting U.S. universities, Moeser said Wednesday, is that its own schools have become mired in a social system that gives personal and family connections more weight than merit. The Qataris insist as strongly as we do that no UNC degree be given unless it is earned and that students there be held to the same standards as those in Chapel Hill. Nor would students here or the University itself lose anything. The foundation has committed to paying all costs, including the costs of bringing distinguished visiting faculty to Chapel Hill to replace professors who go to Qatar.

UNC would have nothing to lose in the deal, and everything to gain: a broadened perspective for faculty, opportunities for study and research abroad for students, a chance to engage and interact with the world on an international scale.

The opportunity to spend a semester in Qatar might even help attract top-level faculty to UNC, an important consideration in the coming years.

"Our goal (is) to infuse internationalness on this campus," Moeser said at the forum. "We're depriving you of your education if we don't show you there's more to the world than North Carolina."

Columnist Geoff Wessel can be reached at vrooom@email.unc.edu.