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Media Coverage
News from 1999
Board of Trustees forms
May 1999
Back in the spring of 1999, as Ashesi's co-founders started
the process of shifting the Ashesi project from a business
plan to an actual functional entity, one of our first orders
of business was to recruit a strong Board of Trustees.
Mining the rich resources of UC Berkeley, we were able to
bring in three Trustees, each able to contribute different
assets and much enthusiasm to the Ashesi project. As Dean of
International and Area Studies at UC Berkeley and an
accomplished Political Science scholar specializing in
African studies,
Dr. David Leonard
brings much experience and knowledge about academic
institutions and Africa to the project. Dr. Leonard has
lived and researched in various parts of Africa throughout
his career. Having known founder Patrick Awuah for years, he
has known about the idea of Ashesi practically as long as
Awuah has - and he has followed its development and provided
advice along the way.
Joining Dr. Leonard are
Keval Desai
and
Annie Chan,
both MBA graduates of UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business
and classmates of Ashesi's founders. With graduate degrees
in computer science and business, Desai brings solid
managerial experience culled in Silicon Valley's high
technology field as well as an entrepreneurial flare to our
nonprofit startup. Annie Chan has agreed to assist
especially with Ashesi's financial management by serving as
the Treasurer of our board, making full use of her strong
financial background.
Our well-qualified Trustees have committed themselves to
meeting quarterly and making themselves available throughout
the year to work closely with the Foundation's management
team to make strategic decisions, monitor our financial
status and join in fundraising efforts. They have already
been actively contributing their various skills, ideas and
enthusiasm toward making Ashesi's goals a reality. While
nominations for a few more members are currently being
considered, Ashesi plans to maintain a Board of no less than
three and no more than 15 Trustees.
(For information on all of our advisors and trustees, see About
Ashesi.)
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Academic Council for business curriculum forms at
UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business
Jun 1999
The first of our three advisory councils for curriculum
design was established at UC Berkeley's Haas School of
Business early this past summer. Twelve professors and
administrators representing all of the major subjects of the
Haas curriculum agreed to help shape Ashesi's business
administration curriculum. A number of these advisors had
already played a part in Ashesi's development, contributing
advice or reviewing the team's work. We are very excited to
have such well-experienced, high-caliber advisors bringing
their creative ideas and enthusiasm to the Ashesi
curriculum. (For a full listing of the members of this
council, see About
Ashesi.)
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Advisory Council forms in Ghana
Jul 1999
During his working visit to Ghana over the summer, founder
Patrick Awuah expanded our official and unofficial network
of Ashesi supporters. He formalized relationships with three
people,
Nancy Keteku,
Kofi Kwakwa
and
Ken Ofori-Atta,
bringing them onto Ashesi's Ghanaian Advisory Council.
Together they bring great management experience and
knowledge of both business and academia in Ghana today. Our
Ghanaian advisors are already giving us input concerning
what opportunities to pursue, what pitfalls to look out for,
and how to proceed in building Ashesi. Their quick feedback
and high level of interest in our project will no doubt be
all the more valuable as we establish operations in Ghana.
(For information on all of our advisors and trustees, see About
Ashesi.)
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Ghana's Deputy Minister of Education endorses Ashesi
University project
Jul 1999
During a working visit to Ghana in July this past summer,
founder Patrick Awuah visited the Ghanaian Ministry of
Education. He met with
Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Deputy Minister of Education
in charge of tertiary education, to discuss the Ashesi
University project and the process of accrediting the
school. Dr. Chambas was very enthusiastic and optimistic
about the project, as reflected in the strong letter of
endorsement he then drafted on our behalf. [See
Dr. Chamba's letter.] The Ministry of Education has
asserted its desire to see private investment in tertiary
education, placing its goals very much in alignment with our
vision for Ashesi University.
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Ashesi University Foundation incorporates as nonprofit
corporation
Aug 1999
On August 19, 1999, Ashesi University Foundation was
incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in the state of
Washington. In order to register, we were required to
establish our Board of Trustees and write up our Articles of
Incorporation and By-Laws. Ashesi University Foundation will
eventually sponsor an organization in Ghana which will manage
the operations of the university. The US-based foundation is
undertaking all strategic planning, curriculum design,
fundraising, and recruiting. There are two fulltime
employees at the foundation; for the time being, we are not
planning to grow any larger.
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Application for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status filed with IRS
Sep 1999
Having completed all the paperwork to get ourselves
incorporated and licensed as a corporation by the city and
state, in mid-September we were able to file our application
with the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
status. Designation as a 501(c)(3) entity enables an
organization to accept contributions which can be claimed as
tax deductions for the donors.
We have since been notified that our application has been
received and is in process. We hope to have news within the
next few months of our status. In the meantime, we are
proceeding with our fundraising efforts by accepting pledges
for contributions to be made once our tax-exempt status is
confirmed.
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Ashesi sets up office in Seattle
Sep 1999
In early September, the Ashesi project moved into its first
permanent home, in an office in Seattle's lively and fun
Fremont district. Located in the heart of Fremont, the
building we are in is considered to be a historical icon of
sorts. It houses not one but two lively pubs downstairs,
including the Red Door Ale House. This 'institution' seems
to be recognized by many Seattleites, perhaps because its
bright red door warmly greets all northbound traffic
crossing the Fremont Bridge. Our one-room office on the
atrium floor is neighbored by an architect, an internet
startup, an import/export firm, an attorney and a software
company. We have finally grown accustomed to working on the
project in an office - rather than around a table in the
Haas School's Forum! We hope you'll come visit!
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Logo design begins
Sep 1999
We have a strong vision of what Ashesi's mission is and what
sort of education we are aiming to provide. And we believe
it is important to have a strong mark representing Ashesi
and its mission. In order to brand Ashesi deliberately and
effectively in both Ghana and the US, we have begun working
with a designer to find the right logo or emblem that will
symbolize Ashesi. We have already gone through many
iterations of the design, and look forward to announcing our
emblem and seal once our design work is complete.
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Ashesi contracts Jacobson Jarvis & Company as accountants
Sep 1999
Along with assembling our furniture and configuring our
computers and server, one of the first steps we took to
start up our office was identifying an accounting firm to
assist us in setting up our accounting and reporting system.
The firm we chose, Jacobson Jarvis & Company, has much
experience and expertise with nonprofit organizations.
Jacobson Jarvis helped us install and configure an
accounting program and will meet with us regularly to review
our books.
Jacobson Jarvis is also advising us on various types of
internal control measures we can consider using. Our goal is
to ensure that the foundation's financial status is
regularly monitored and evaluated by board members and
independent accountants.
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Haas academic council agrees on business curriculum outline
Oct 1999
Ashesi's council of advisors at UC Berkeley's Haas School of
Business met on October 11 to discuss a proposed curriculum
drafted for the business program by Professor
Rich Lyons
and
Dan Hilemstein,
Director of the Undergraduate Business Program. Among issues
discussed by the council were the necessity of certain core
classes, how to incorporate IT issues into the curriculum,
and where to fold in topics related to African history,
political theory and developmental economics. Ultimately,
the Haas advisors reached consensus on Ashesi's business
curriculum outline and agreed to start working individually
to formulate course descriptions and topics to be covered
for each of the courses. As the three academic councils
formulate their respective outlines for the core, business
and computer science curriculums, we are paying close
attention to building in linkages between the three. All
students will take the same core classes before branching
into their respective majors. In the final semester,
business and computer science students will work together in
mixed teams on a final, integrative project.
(For a full listing of council members, see
About Ashesi.)
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Academic council for core curriculum forms at Swarthmore
College
Oct 1999
Ashesi will have a core curriculum spanning the first three
semesters, providing students with a liberal arts foundation
before focusing on either business administration or
computer science. Several professors at Swarthmore College
have agreed to help us design this core curriculum, taking
into account the types of academic programs students will be
undertaking after the core, and the African context in which
the classes will be taught. This council is comprised of
professors of dance, engineering, history and political
science and feature lively discussions and creative ideas
about how to create the ideal core program within given
constraints. We believe Ashesi students will enjoy a rich
academic experience through the core curriculum that is
currently being designed.
(For a full listing of council members, see
About Ashesi.)
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Academic council for computer science curriculum forms at
University of Washington
Oct 1999
The computer science (CS) academic council consists of six
professors from University of Washington's CS department and
its Bothell campus, as well as a former Microsoft engineer
and CS professor. The CS council will design the curriculum
for Ashesi's computer science majors. It will craft an ideal
sequence of courses linked with Ashesi's core curriculum and
with the culminating integrative class to be taken during
the senior year, bringing CS students together with business
majors on project teams.
(For a full listing of council members, see
About Ashesi.)
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Patrick K. Nutor joins Ghanaian advisory board
Oct 1999
Born, raised and now back in Ghana,
Patrick Nutor
has also studied in the US and France. He is the founder and
Managing Director of Accu-Computers Ltd. and Accu-Works
Ltd., both based in Accra, Ghana. Previously, he worked as a
senior field engineer at Schlumberger Wire Line Services
where he oversaw a crew of eight people and generated over
$6 million in revenue for Schlumberger. While at
Schlumberger, Nutor worked in Italy, Angola and the Congo.
Nutor holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical and
Electronic Engineering from Dartmouth College in New
Hampshire, and has done graduate research in Super
Conducting Field Effect Transistors and other devices.
Patrick Nutor has been involved in Ashesi's development
since the project was first being seriously evaluated. He
assisted the team of four students from UC Berkeley's Haas
School of Business that traveled to Ghana in the summer of
1998 to conduct a
feasibility study of the university project. He provided
advice on both strategic issues and logistical challenges we
faced (the latter being particularly important when
operating in a country experiencing scheduled blackout
periods due to energy shortages!).
As an advisor, Nutor has already begun giving quick, frank
feedback to the US management team by email and phone. We're
delighted to have his input and look forward to culling more
knowledge from this energetic entrepreneur.
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Three new trustees join Ashesi's board
Nov 1999
Kwame Anthony Appiah, Mike Murray and Patrick Nutor have
joined Ashesi's Board of Trustees. We now have seven
trustees bringing various perspectives and areas of
expertise to our strategic planning, financial management,
and fundraising activities.
Kwame Anthony Appiah
is Professor of Afro-American Studies and Philosophy at
Harvard University. He was raised in Ghana and educated at
Cambridge University. Among his published works are In My
Father's House: Africa in the Philosophy of Culture,
Color Conscious: The Political Morality of Race, and
Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African
American Experience, which he co-edited with Professor
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. In accepting our invitation to become
an Ashesi trustee, Appiah stated, "I think what you are
doing is terrific...I would be honored to be on your board."
Mike Murray
recently retired from Microsoft Corporation, where he was
Vice President of human resources. Explaining why he decided
to join Ashesi's board, Murray stated: "[Patrick Awuah is]
an exceptional person with the values, character and
integrity of someone who can change the world. It's as
simple as that." Murray brings excellent management
experience to Ashesi's board.
Patrick Nutor,
who already serves on our advisory council in Ghana, has
agreed to join as a full member of our board of trustees.
Nutor is Founder and Managing Director of Accu-Computers and
Accu-Works Limited in Ghana. He previously worked as a
senior field engineer at Schlumberger Wire Line Services and
undertook graduate research in Super Conducting Field Effect
Transistors at Dartmouth College's Thayer School of
Engineering. (See previous article
on Patrick Nutor for more details.) We are excited that
Nutor is now deepening his involvement with the Ashesi
project and adding greater local Ghanaian expertise to the
board.
Together, our three new trustees bring a wealth of knowledge
in African history, strategic planning, and specific
implementation issues likely to be faced in Ghana. Their
expertise and enthusiasm will contribute greatly to the
realization of Ashesi's mission.
(For information on all of our advisors and trustees, see About
Ashesi.)
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Copyright © 1999-2008 Ashesi University Foundation. All
rights reserved.
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