UrbanGlows - The ALI is Disorganized

The ALI is Disorganized

Posted September 27, 2006

xactly three weeks into the semester, I got an email from the ALI requesting my presence in their offices. I visited them and had a bit of a surprise: as it turns out, they have been shortchanging me class hours so far in the term. Because I feel too strongly to present “their side” of what went on accurately, I give you this dramatized version.

ALI (employee): Even though placing you in Arabic courses was our responsibility, we don’t have you enrolled in enough class hours. You can’t get a certificate at the end of the year if you don’t enroll in more hours.
Me: It’s three weeks into the term. When was the ALI planning to tell me this?
ALI: We didn’t get to it until now because we’re disorganized!
Me: What do you intend to do about this to make it up to me?
ALI: Well, as an ALI student, you are barred from enrolling in any regular AUC courses, such as the various Egyptology courses you are interested in and would enjoy. How would you like to enroll in any of these Intermediate or Advanced Arabic courses, all of which are far above your ability level?
Me: What else ya got?
ALI: A total lack of professionalism!

fter stating just how I felt about this revelation, I succeeded in getting the ALI employee to promise to look into alternative ways of providing me with the class hours they owe me. The next day, they called me into their offices for the first bit of good news I’ve heard from them: they’ve given me four hours of tutoring per week with an ALI teacher.

L

ook, I’m really glad the ALI finally did something right, but the preceding was not an unusual or isolated example. From my first interactions with them, the administration of the ALI has been largely an obstacle to getting things done in any manner, much less an efficient manner. I do not refer to the quality of the instruction, but to the mainframe of the organization itself. I’ll give another example.

O

n 27 March 2006, a couple weeks after I’d been accepted to the ALI, they sent me an email informing me that their New York offices required the following items by 1 April 2006, or my enrollment would be considered to be on a “wait-list basis” until such materials were delivered: a letter of reference; a letter confirming outside financial support, if any; two passport-sized photos; a copy of the information page of my passport. This seemed like an organizationally reasonable request, if not a bit rushed. But when I looked at the email header more closely, I discovered – lo and behold! – that the AUC had sent this email to all of its departments on 21 March 2006. Let me sum that up in a nice bold face:

The ALI, a department of the AUC, sat on a time-sensitive email to its students until three working days before the deadline when they would bump our enrollment status to a waiting list.

his sort of thing is consistent when you deal with the ALI, and it can be very frustrating to encounter. Of course, Egyptian culture does things differently, as evidenced by the half-hour it may take a server at a restaurant to bring you a bottle of water or a four-item bill. Event starting times are more like suggestions. But the ALI is on an entirely different level of disorganization. It is, frankly, astounding anything gets done.

S

ince this is sounding more and more acerbic, let me say something nice about the ALI. The teachers are excellent and know what they’re doing. I have a feeling they are also on the receiving end of the ALI’s mismanagement. Let’s hope they don’t withdraw my tutoring situation. I wouldn't be surprised.

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	The ALI is Disorganized Posted September 27, 2006 Exactly three weeks into the semester, I got an email from the ALI requesting my presence in their offices. I visited them and had a bit of a surprise: as it turns out, they have been shortchanging me class hours so far in the term. Because I feel too strongly to present “their side” of what went on accurately, I give you this dramatized version. ALI (employee): Even though placing you in Arabic courses was our responsibility, we don’t have you enrolled in enough class hours. You can’t get a certificate at the end of the year if you don’t enroll in more hours. Me: It’s three weeks into the term. When was the ALI planning to tell me this? ALI: We didn’t get to it until now because we’re disorganized! Me: What do you intend to do about this to make it up to me? ALI: Well, as an ALI student, you are barred from enrolling in any regular AUC courses, such as the various Egyptology courses you are interested in and would enjoy. How would you like to enroll in any of these Intermediate or Advanced Arabic courses, all of which are far above your ability level? Me: What else ya got? ALI: A total lack of professionalism! After stating just how I felt about this revelation, I succeeded in getting the ALI employee to promise to look into alternative ways of providing me with the class hours they owe me. The next day, they called me into their offices for the first bit of good news I’ve heard from them: they’ve given me four hours of tutoring per week with an ALI teacher. Look, I’m really glad the ALI finally did something right, but the preceding was not an unusual or isolated example. From my first interactions with them, the administration of the ALI has been largely an obstacle to getting things done in any manner, much less an efficient manner. I do not refer to the quality of the instruction, but to the mainframe of the organization itself. I’ll give another example. On 27 March 2006, a couple weeks after I’d been accepted to the ALI, they sent me an email informing me that their New York offices required the following items by 1 April 2006, or my enrollment would be considered to be on a “wait-list basis” until such materials were delivered: a letter of reference; a letter confirming outside financial support, if any; two passport-sized photos; a copy of the information page of my passport. This seemed like an organizationally reasonable request, if not a bit rushed. But when I looked at the email header more closely, I discovered – lo and behold! – that the AUC had sent this email to all of its departments on 21 March 2006. Let me sum that up in a nice bold face: The ALI, a department of the AUC, sat on a time-sensitive email to its students until three working days before the deadline when they would bump our enrollment status to a waiting list. This sort of thing is consistent when you deal with the ALI, and it can be very frustrating to encounter. Of course, Egyptian culture does things differently, as evidenced by the half-hour it may take a server at a restaurant to bring you a bottle of water or a four-item bill. Event starting times are more like suggestions. But the ALI is on an entirely different level of disorganization. It is, frankly, astounding anything gets done. Since this is sounding more and more acerbic, let me say something nice about the ALI. The teachers are excellent and know what they’re doing. I have a feeling they are also on the receiving end of the ALI’s mismanagement. Let’s hope they don’t withdraw my tutoring situation. I wouldn't be surprised.
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