Administration and Academic Development: An American University Coping Under the French Mandate
A modernizing University
"[...] in June, 1923, a committee at Beirut drew up a new constitution for the University, which contained two important innovations. One of these was provision for retirement at 65 and what in those days seemed like an adequate pension system. The innovation was the placing of professors of equal rank on an equal basis, regardless of nationality and sect. In the past, Lebanese and European professors had not enjoyed the same rank and salary as the Americans and they had not been members of the faculty group, which served as the local executive committee. From now on the professor's salary was to be raised from $2,200 to 53,000. All were to be treated alike except for two points of difference. Educational allowances for children were adjusted to the needs of the country to which the father belonged, and whereas furloughs were guaranteed to foreign professors, they had to be authorized by special action for the citizens of the Lebanon. Men of all nationalities had the same right to vote in the various faculty groups and committees of the University."
Dodge, B. (1958). The American University of Beirut: A brief history of the university and the lands which it serves. Beirut: Khayat's. p:56
New administrative plans
"The old departments became schools, with deans and divisional faculties in charge. An efficient Registrar's Office was organized by Habib A. Kurani, a new budget system was adopted and a new plan for personnel contracts was enforced."
Dodge, B. (1958). The American University of Beirut: A brief history of the university and the lands which it serves. Beirut: Khayat's. p:56
Competing with French Educational Institutions
"As the Universite Saint-Joseph naturally supplied higher education in French, it seemed wise for the American institution to continue to use English for its university courses, rather than to duplicate what the French institution was doing. But in order to fit Lebanese and Syrian boys for work in the territories under French mandate, a French lycee course was started, which became known as the "Section Secondaire". Philippe Bianquis was in charge of the French Department, while first Robert Widmer and later Roger Valla presided over the lycee course. At the same time the English secondary school course was kept going for boys from the British districts."
Dodge, B. (1958). The American University of Beirut: A brief history of the university and the lands which it serves. Beirut: Khayat's. p:57
The Mandate: AUB Medical school collaborates with schools in France
Also, during this period, the medical program was extended over five years and students were permitted to take the fifth year in one of the universities of France.
Russian refugees and Classical Music at the University
Another development, which had a cultural impact on the Univeristy and its communtiy, was the flocking of some Russian refugees fleeing the revolution and settling in Beirut: the hiring of Arkadie Kouguell who came to Beirut as a refugee from Crimea, in the wake of the Russian Revolution transformed the cultural and music scene on campus. Kouguell organized the Institute of Music, under the auspices of "l'Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris", and Institut Cortot. Through Kouguell's excellent work and leadership, and orchestra (formed moslty of Russian emigrants) was formed, and many concerts, with top musicians took place on campus: classical music gained followers, and lovers, and musical cultural life flourished on campus.