Qatar-UT Talks Not A Surprise for UNC

Officials at the University of Texas at Austin confirmed Tuesday that representatives of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development had approached them about establishing a business school in Qatar -- a move that members of the UNC community said they found distressing but not unexpected.

"I'm not incredibly surprised because I view (the foundation) as being very serious about the program," said business Professor Jennifer Conrad.

A UT business school would be in lieu of a branch of UNC's business school in Qatar.

Student Body President Justin Young also said he was not shocked that the foundation has been speaking to other business programs. "It doesn't really surprise me that much that they're shopping around."

UNC has been considering the possibility of creating a business school in Qatar since June 2001, but the Middle Eastern country first approached UT several weeks ago, according to UT officials.

Though the news that Qatari officials have approached multiple business schools might introduce an element of competition, many involved in negotiations said they are comfortable with Chancellor James Moeser's approach to the deal.

"I think the chancellor has taken a very thoughtful and measured approach," said business Professor Bob Adler.

Moeser has set stringent guidelines in his negotiations with Qatar, including sticking to the implementation of UNC General College requirements -- a strategy that might have displeased members of the Qatar Foundation but one that UNC officials say they support.

"I think the way the chancellor has approached this has been absolutely the right way," said Provost Robert Shelton. "He has set forth some principles consistent with what we feel is a Carolina education and stuck to them."

Officials said UNC should not compromise the integrity of its degree, even with the news that the foundation might make a deal with another business school instead. "There are some fundamental things that you shouldn't sacrifice," Young said. "We should be coming to the table with things that are important to us."

Shelton also said he believes UNC should stand by its guidelines.

"The value of a Chapel Hill degree exists because of the kind of principles we have and the way we do higher education here," he said. "If they want that degree ... they have to work with us on those points."

If a deal between Qatar and UNC does indeed fall through, Shelton said, the only cost will be the loss of the overseas program, because Qatar gave UNC a stipend to cover administrative and negotiation costs. "I all along have personally felt this would be a good thing to do," Shelton said. "I would be disappointed because I feel it's a unique opportunity in that part of the world. But if they pull out, we will have to wish them well and move on with life."

While discussions are still taking place, Young said the possibility of Qatar's business school venture with UT and the competition it could create only further confirms some people's doubts about the negotiating process.

"It bothers me a little bit because it kind of puts Chapel Hill on the auction block a little more so than before."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.