US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT4989

UNCLAS KUWAIT 004989 
 
SIPDIS 
 
State for IIP/G/IR-BConaty; NEA/PPD-JDAVIES; NEA/EX; NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRC, KMPI, OIIP, SCUL, KPAO, KU 
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR AMERICAN CORNERS FUNDING 
 
 
1. FUNDING REQUEST: PAS Kuwait requests $52,376.52 to fund 
an American Corner at the main library of Kuwait University. 
We have agreed with the Dean of Arts and Sciences that this 
resource, if approved, will serve as the basis for an 
American Studies program in the College of Social Sciences. 
 
2. IMPACT: With approximately 16,000 full-time students, 
Kuwait University is the largest public university in 
Kuwait, and remains the top choice for students who do not 
choose to study abroad. Despite its size, up-to-date 
materials and information about the US are in short supply 
at the university library, and post efforts to establish an 
American studies center/curriculum have thus far met with 
little success.  Additionally, student activities tend to be 
dominated by the Islamist student union, some of whose 
members (though by no means all) serve up the occasional 
anti-US diatribe in campus publications and speaking 
programs.  During a lecture by a US speaker to the 
university last November, for example, PAS staff was struck 
at the very harsh criticism leveled against the US by 
Islamist and liberal students alike.  While we attributed 
much of this to frustration over the Palestinian issue and 
angst during the period leading up to confrontation with 
Iraq, some of what we heard reflected an abysmal 
understanding of American life and institutions, an 
impression underscored during other interactions we have had 
with students there.  Providing an American Corner at the 
university library would, we believe, provide a much-needed 
source of information about the US for Kuwaiti students, and 
would constitute a vital first step in the establishment of 
an American studies center and curriculum at the university. 
 
3. Following is a list of materials requested for the 
American Corner at Kuwait University. Please note that we 
have added five percent to the costs of the American Studies 
modules in order to accommodate any rise in costs: 
 
KUWAIT UNIVERSITY AMERICAN STUDIES CORNER: 
 
English Language Training Module:  $6,208.46 
Core Reference Collection:         $7,247.97 
Educational Information Module:    $2,305.22 
Advising Reference Module:         $2,738.23 
Business Information Module:       $2,083.67 
CD-ROM Module:                $5,679.25 
Reference- Non-Serial:             $50.00 
IRO Presentation Module:      $415.94 
Videocassettes Module:             $4,047.78 
 
Library/Multi-media resources: 
 
Additional 250 Volumes             $7,500.00 
15o educational/cultural films     $4000.00 
 
Sub-total:                        $42,276.52 
 
Computer/multimedia equipment: 
 
4 Desktop Pentium Computers:       $8,000.00 
1 Laser Printer:                   $1,000.00 
1 Scanner:                         $  200.00 
34-Inch Multi-system TV Monitor:   $  900.00 
 
Sub-total:                        $10,100.00 
 
TOTAL:                       $52,376.52 
 
4.  Post commends IIP for this important initiative. 
 
JONES