Press Release Archives 2006

Professor Patania Speaks at NATO Conference
By Jaden Rocco

Prof. Aldo Patania was a featured speaker at the 40th anniversary celebration of the NATO Defense College Rome Chapter. A special conference marked the occasion, on October 11, 2006. The idea of a NATO Defense College originated with General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who identified very early the need for a new international institution with a unique education mission. On April 25, 1951, he wrote:

“…There is a high priority requirement to develop individuals, both on the military and civilian side, who will have a thorough grasp of the many complicated factors which are involved in the problem of creating an adequate defense posture for the North Atlantic Treaty area.”

In fulfillment of this mission, the NATO Defense College opened its doors on November 19, 1951, to Course 1 in Paris. In 1966, the College was relocated to Rome where it continues to fulfill its mission. The Branch either independently or in co-operation with others, has organized conferences, seminars and workshops, specifically designed to answer the practical needs and research the interests of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership.

At its special 40 year anniversary conference, NATO’s New Prerogatives in the XXI Century were discussed, which focused on the role of the US and Italy in shaping the transatlantic consensus. Military officials, politicians, members of the press and professors from all around Europe that are part of the Alliance attended and shares insights regarding the organization’s present and future plans. The sessions in the morning focused on the historical evolution of NATO’s mission, prospects and challenges for modern crisis management, desired characteristics of officers who participate in multinational stabilization operations, the enduring influence of operations on NATO transformation, and NATO’s long term commitment to Afghanistan.

After the lunch break, talks continued with NATO and post 9/11 security challenges (given by the NATO Deputy Secretary General), Italy’s contribution to NATO’s transformation process, and US-Italy relations in the field of security (given by the US Ambassador to Italy). Finally, AUR’s own Prof. Aldo Patania, wrapped up the conference with a synopsis and closing remarks from the day’s events.

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Leading Strategy and Technology Consultant, Fernando Napolitano,
Lectures at AUR

Dr. Fernando Napolitano discussed his research in “Megacommunities”, an innovative public-private partnership, before a audience of faculty, students, and staff gathered in the AUR auditorium on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Dr. Napolitano is Partner and Vice President of one of the world’s leading strategy and technology consulting firms, Booz Allen Hamilton. In addition, he sits on the Board of ENEL SpA and the Italian Aerospace Research Center and is a frequent contributor to the business pages of Panorama and Economy magazines. Dr. Napolitano has received degrees from the University of Naples, Harvard Business School, and Brooklyn Polytechnic.
Not only is Dr. Napolitano a leader in the Italian business community he is also proved to be a wonderful speaker as he captured the AUR audience. The “Megacommunities” concept of which he spoke deals with creating and managing partnerships between private companies, governmental bodies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to solve social problems.
The topic that Dr. Napolitano touched on that really got the attention of the crowd was ‘What Characterizes a Successful Leader Today’. According to Booz Allen Hamilton and Dr. Napolitano, successful leaders in the future will have knowledge and expertise in two of the three “legs” of the Megacommunities model: Government; Business; and/or Non-governmental organizations (representing what he referred to as “Civil Societiy”. Students were very intrigued by this concept - especially coming from one of the leading global consultants.
Having Dr. Napolitano as a guest speaker was a real treat and AUR looks forward to having him back again in the future.

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AUR Alumni Event

More than 75 AUR Alumni, Faculty, Staff and current students gathered on Saturday evening for a reception marked by meeting old and new friends, an Italian buffet, door prizes and the renewal of the Rome AUR Alumni Association chapter. A ‘surprise’ rain shower promptly at the start of the festivities did little to dampen enthusiasm, and after a brief moment to allow the rain to pass, the crowd moved back outside into the gardens of Evans Hall.
A mini-Fair was arranged for the gardens and was quickly moved inside. The SGA was on hand to explain all of AUR’s new and expanded activities, and the student Business Club had a brisk business in selling AUR-logo clothing to eager Alumni. An Alumni Career table, Alumni services table and Alumni recruiting table rounded out the Fair.
After a Welcome from Casey Campbell, AURAA President, read by Cherisse Burgard, Class of 2006, Dr Robert Marino, President of AUR, welcomed the Alumni and introduced Dr Richard Resch, Provost, who also welcomed the Alumni and guests. Professor Robert Sonnabend told the gathering that AUR now has three Alumni working for the university, Mara Nisdeo as Director of Admissions, Sascha Kugel, Class of 2005, as Admissions Counselor, and Britni Harris, Class of 2006, as Administrator in the Washington, DC office. As the university continues its growth, more Alumni will be sought for the expansion of positions, Professor Sonnabend told the group.

The Alumni then met to re-form the Rome chapter of the Alumni Association.

An Executive Committee was organized: Chapter President Tony Haddad (Class of 2005), Vice President Vanessa Greco (Class of 2002), and three members of the Executive Committee: Cherisse Burgard (Class of 2006), Amy Schonberg (Class of 2004), and Floriana Sementini (Class of 2006). Just before a buffet dinner, the entire group of Alumni was observed as busily organizing their first event – a Halloween party for October 31.
After dinner the Door Prizes were drawn with AUR merchandise ranging from stadium scarves to polo shirts to the grand prize of a sports duffel bag filled with AUR logo clothing. Grand prize winner Amy Schonberg was delighted with her good luck as were the other winners of merchandise.
The Alumni present were quick to note the positive numbers present, and to agree to work to grow the Rome chapter with events and services for AUR. After the close of the reunion, newly elected President, Tony Haddad, suggested continuing the event at a downtown club; a motion was then passed by acclamation!
For more information, contact alumni@aur.edu

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The Board of Trustees visit AUR

Fifteen members of the Board of Trustees visited The American University of Rome over three days in September to attend lectures, presentations and meetings in the Auriana Auditorium. The trustees also met with representatives of the AUR community at the special evening events organized for their stay in Rome

On Wednesday September 13th, the trustees joined distinguished friends of the University, members of the faculty and administration and students from the International Relations department for a special lecture on US-Italy relations by H.E. Ronald P. Spogli, the US Ambassador to Italy.

The lecture and discussion period was followed by a welcome reception at Villa Richardson, the residence of H.E. Francis Rooney, the US Ambassador to the Holy See.

On Thursday September 14th, the trustees heard presentations by the President, the Chairs of the academic departments, the Director of the Library, the Director of Enrollment Management and Student Government representatives. The presentations were followed by discussions with the AUR community on strategic planning, department development, outcomes assessment, marketing and recruitment and issues of interest to students.

On Friday September 15th, new trustees were provided with a tour of the campus and an orientation session before they held their formal board meeting, while Art History Professors Valerie Higgins and Paul Gwynne led cultural tours of the Campus Martius and the recently opened Ara Pacis museum for spouses. At the end of the day, the trustees, spouses and special guests met with members of the AUR Community for a closing dinner reception on the beautiful terrace of Castel S. Angelo.

The trustees’ extended visit to the AUR campus combined with their formal board meeting in Rome provided a great opportunity to showcase cultural wealth of the Italian capital as well as the values, vision and mission of AUR at a time of rapid institutional growth and development. We look forward to welcoming the board to the AUR campus again next September to build on the success of this visit.

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AUR President Dr. Robert A. Marino Receives Awards

The American University of Rome’s President, Dr. Robert A. Marino, recently received two awards – one from the Belgrade Business School in Serbia, and the other was presented by the Presidency of the Italian Republic.

On September 7th, Dr. Marino traveled to Belgrade, Serbia with Professor Robert Sonnabend and Director of Admissions Mara Nisdeo. They were preparing for their first day of work with AUR’s Belgrade Business School partners when they were surprised with an elegant welcome ceremony.Members of foreign embassies diplomatic corp were invited – as were high ranking officials such as Dr Milos Jankovic, a member of the Ministry of Education.

Together with the BBS Director, Mila Jancetovic, Mr. Jankovic presented Dr. Marino with a certificate certifying an honorary professorship. Dr. Marino is the first person in BBS history to be awarded this honor.
Shortly after returning from Belgrade, Dr. Marino attended a ceremony held by the Presidency of the Italian Republic. He received one of the “Premio Filippo Mazzei – The Bridge” awards. Filippo Mazzei was an Italian who helped write the American Declaration of Independence in 1776. The award went to several people who have helped to ‘bridge’ relations between the United States and Italy.

Among others, some of the recipients of the award included: U.S. Ambassador to Italy, Ronald Spogli; and, President of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, Louis Tallarini.
Reflecting upon his awards, Dr. Marino states, “In both cases, these awards reflect more the value of AUR - its work to fulfill its noble mission – rather than any personal achievement on my part.”

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Professor Kirk's Wall Walk!

On Sunday, September 10th, more than 50 intrepid AUR students walked the walls of Rome to discover many of the city's more hidden treasures of architecture and artistic beauty. Led by Professor Terry Kirk of the Arts & Humanities Department, the students hopped, skipped and jumped (walked) more than 15 miles around an extensive loop of Rome's ancient and notable walls.

Justin Edmonds, a Study Abroad student from Denver University and expert photographer said, "I would like to truly thank Professor Kirk for his insights today. It was quite honestly one of the best experiences of my life; it was something that I would have never discovered without the University or Professor Kirk. Thank you."

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AUR Welcomes The International Islamic University Malaysia

On September 4, 2006, Madame Hasnah Hashim and Mr. Asnyat Bin Asmat visited The American University of Rome. The two delegates were representing The International Islamic University Malaysia, and the purpose of the visit was to establish relations with AUR and to open a dialogue for future cooperation. The two representatives met several of AUR’s faculty and staff in order to better understand the educational and functional activities of AUR. The schedule included meetings with AUR’s Professor Robert Sonnabend, Stefania Iorio (Registrar), Mara Nisdeo (Director of Admissions), Alexander Kugel (Admissions Counselor), and Dr. Richard Resch (Provost). Commenting on the outcome of the visit Professor Sonnabend stated, “We feel that their visit was a successful start at laying the groundwork for a fruitful relationship between AUR and The International Islamic University Malaysia.”

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Dr. Richard I. Resch named new Provost of The American University of Rome

On September 1, 2006, The American University of Rome officially named Dr. Richard I. Resch the new AUR Provost. When asked what he thinks about AUR so far he stated, “I think it is great! There is a lot of good energy and positive feeling about the University’s direction. I have felt very welcome.”

Before coming to AUR, Dr. Resch has been a ‘leading international educator with eighteen years of higher education experience abroad’. He has worked in the United States, England, the Middle East, China, Japan, Italy, Brazil, the Virgin Islands, and the Caribbean. A few of his many accomplishments include: successfully leading the first ever British accreditation effort for a US University; establishing study abroad centers in Europe and Japan for American colleges; and speaking at the International Scientific Committee (of which he is also a member) for the International Conference on System Science and World Economy in China. Dr. Resch has also been the Provost of two other Universities as well as the Dean of Science and Technology and Associate Professor of Mathematics at the College of Staten Island of The City University of New York.

Even though Dr. Resch is just getting settled in at AUR, he is already very busy with getting familiar to the AUR community and the needs of the University. He states, “I have asked the AUR Student Government to invite me to meetings so that I can hear the concerns of the students. I would like all students to come see me with academic issues so I can help solve problems. I want to be approachable to students.”

The highest priority on Dr. Resch’s agenda, however, is gaining regional accreditation through the Middle States Association. He states, “That would bring us to a new level of recognition and open up more doors for development and growth.”

Dr. Resch has high hopes for the advancement of AUR on the academic front. He says that he hopes people will remember his work at AUR because his overall goal is, “to build the academic reputation of the University through quality and the furthering of excellence. I think the purpose of a University is to provide an environment for students and faculty to succeed so all my administrative work is one with that in mind.”

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The Robert and Maria Evans Hall

July 13, 2006 - In a ceremony attended by AUR's students, faculty, staff and many friends, Maria Evans dedicated the Robert and Maria Evans Hall to the memory of Dr Robert Henry Evans, past President of AUR. The ceremony unveiled a white marble plaque paying tribute to the contribution made by both Dr Evans and his wife, Maria, to the dynamic academic growth and physical expansion of The American University of Rome.

During the ceremony in the beautiful gardens surrounding the 19th century Romanesque villa, Dr Robert Marino, President of AUR, spoke of his time at AUR in the Provost's position, working with Dr Evans to shape a future for the university and Dr Evans immense vision of what AUR should become. Dr Marino thanked Maria Evans for her own infdividual contribution, not only for being a supportive partner of Dr Evans, but for her positive contribution to the daily life of the university. Maria Evans spoke about her time at the university and the enjoyment of being with students, faculty and staff and involving the widerr community.

Evans Hall was formerly known as 'the Villino', and houses the Arts & Humanities Department offices, and the AUR-Philadelphia Fashion & Design Program.

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AUR’s Rowing Club Debuts in Venice’s ‘Vogalonga’ Regatta
Venice, Italy, June 4, 2006.

The American University of Rome’s newest sports club made an impressive debut by participating in the 32nd annual ‘Vogalonga’, or ‘long row’ in Venice, Italy on Sunday, June 4, 2006.

The rowing club began as an idea of Registrar Stefania Iorio, and Professors Terry Kirk and James Walston, all experienced and dedicated rowers, who wondered aloud if there was interest in forming a rowing club to participate in Venice’s annual June regatta. The call for members was quickly answered by a number of students, faculty members and spouses/partners. Training began in earnest on the first of March along the banks of the still fast-moving Tiber, and continued three times a week until the week of the race.

After sizing up the volunteers, it was quickly decided to choose an eight plus cox craft, and due to the combination of the eager but novice crew and the possibility of uncertain weather conditions, a more sturdy ‘Yola 8’ wooden racing shell was chosen. Stefania contacted the Canottieri Querini, one of the oldest and largest rowing clubs in Venice, and the commitment was made.

The ‘vogalonga’, or appropriately named ‘long row’ is a 32 km or 19 mile course, beginning and ending at the basin in front of St Mark’s square. The course circles the islands of Burano, famous for its hand-crafted lace products, and of Murano, equally famous for its glass crafts, and then enters the Grand canal through the famous Cannareggio canal, next to the train station. The course ends again at St Mark’s basin with a triumphant calling out of all finishers names and their affiliation.

AUR’s rowing club joined 1500 other entries, totalling more than 5000 participants from all over the world, a truly international gathering. Entries ranged single person kayaks through two, four and eight racing boats to large 16 and more single-oared canoes. Traditional Venetian boats from many different eras added to the spectacle.

The club has quickly attracted a number of supporters, and the Venice weekend was enhanced by the attendance of Dr Robert Marino, president of AUR. Dr Marino accepted the pennant of the Canottieri Querini at the weekend kick-off event. Also participating were wives, girlfriends, relatives from the UK and New York, and Italian friends.

The club is currently comprised of students Methab Dere, Adam Linnell and Paul Scaglia (an Alumnus on the day of the event!), AUR’s Registrar Stefania Iorio, Professors Terry Kirk, Bob Sonnabend, Antonio Vasquez, and James Walston, and partners/spouses Sharon Vasquez and Paolo Verdeschi.

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The American University of Rome graduates 39 students
and awards Honorary Degrees to
Adriano La Regina and Pier Francesco Guarguaglini

See the Commencement 2006 Photo Gallery

The American University of Rome 2006 Commencement Exercises took place at the Villa Aurelia on Friday May 26 at 11:30 am. There were 39 students in the 2006 graduating class, representing nine different countries: Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Spain, Sri Lanka and the United States. Graduates were joined by their families, friends, faculty and staff to celebrate at the ceremony and reception in the gardens of the Villa.

Adriano La Regina, Professor of Etruscology and Italic Antiquities at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” was the 2006 Commencement Speaker. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa from The American University of Rome along with Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Finmeccanica S.p.A. Professor La Regina’s work as “Rome’s superintendent for the conservation of the city’s artistic and archeological patrimony - covering a span of 28 years - is admired internationally,” said Dr. Robert Marino, President of The American University of Rome. Dr. Guarguaglini was honored for his role as a “manager, an educator, an engineer, an innovator, a community leader and a statesman for the business world” Read more.

Grand Marshal Claudio Lodici led the Academic Procession, Reverend David Hodgdon of the Rome Baptist Church gave an invocation and benediction and representatives from the Graduating Class, The Alumni Association and the Board of Trustees of The American University of Rome addressed the graduating seniors at the ceremony. The Amazing Grace Gospel Choir, led by AUR Professor Timothy Martin, sung the National Anthems of Italy and the United States and provided a rousing musical interlude.

After all of the honorary degrees, undergraduate degrees and awards were conferred, Dr. Marino gave a speech to highlight the achievements of the graduates and the University over the past four years. He pledged to further AUR’s position as an “American institution of learning in the heart of Europe, renowned for its excellence and for preparing its graduates to be a cut above the rest” Read more.

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The American University of Rome names Doctor Robert A. Marino President

On behalf of The Board of Trustees I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Robert Anthony Marino as President of The American University of Rome, effective July 1, 2006. This appointment follows an international search launched in the summer of 2005.

Dr. Marino first joined AUR as Provost in the Spring of 2002. Since the Spring of 2005 he has served as Interim President, following the resignation of President Robert H. Evans for health reasons.

Born in Positano, Italy, Robert Marino took his undergraduate degree at the City College of New York and his Ph.D., in physics, at Brown University. He was a member of the faculty at Hunter College of the City University of New York from 1970 to 2002. His administrative appointments at Hunter/CUNY included Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Acting Dean of the Division of Sciences and Mathematics and Assistant Dean for Research, Planning and Facilities. In his last position at Hunter/CUNY, he headed the Office of the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. In addition to his thirty-two years at CUNY, Dr. Marino held year-long senior research positions at Block Engineering in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and in the Department of Physical Chemistry at the University of Geneva. He currently serves on the Science Advisory Board of SIV Technologies Inc., Cherry Valley, MA.

A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Dr. Marino has published widely in nuclear quadrupole resonance. He has an ongoing interest in exploiting the introductory physics laboratory experience for the general education of liberal arts undergraduates.

Founded in 1969, The American University of Rome is Italy’s first American independent degree-granting institution. AUR offers bachelor and associate degrees in Art History, Business Administration, Communication, International Relations, Italian studies and Interdisciplinary Studies. It hosts semester- and year-long study abroad students seeking an educational experience abroad. The campus of The American University of Rome is located on the prestigious Janiculum Hill, minutes from the wealth of educational and cultural resources of Rome’s historic center.

Joseph V. Del Raso, Esq
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
May 12, 2006

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AUR hosts conference on upcoming Italian elections, March 24 – 25

From March 24-25, The American University of Rome will be hosting all-day conferences on the approaching Italian elections between Silvio Berlusconi and Romano Prodi. The topics discuss range from “The Media and the Campaign”, to “Italian Foreign Policy in the Elections”. The conference will host 18 speakers from various backgrounds and political views.

Link: Full conference details… download pdf

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AUR Trustee Represents U.S. at Closing 2006 Olympics Ceremony

In mid February, President George W. Bush announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to attend the closing ceremonies of the Winter 2006 Olympics. Mr. Lawrence E. Auriana, an AUR Board of Trustees member, was one of those designated by the U.S President.
Mr. Auriana is not only an AUR Trustee, but also the Chairman of the Columbus Citizens Foundation. At the closing Olympic ceremony, Mr. Auriana was accompanied by three other Presidential Delegates - including World Champion Race Driver, Mario Andretti; U.S. Ambassador to Italy, Ronald P. Spogli; and, CEO of the National Italian American Foundation, Dr. A. Kenneth Ciongoli. The Delegation was led by Rudolph Giuliani, Former Mayor of New York City.
The American University of Rome is proud to have such a distinguished person as a Trustee

Source: http://olympics.usembassy.it/

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THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION VISIT AUR
By: Joan Gill

On February 3rd, a ceremony was held in the library for the contribution of the Daughters of the American Revolution community service project. Three DAR members visited AUR for the ceremony. This donation represents a substantial contribution towards purchasing the collected works of Lewis Mumford. Lewis Mumford was one of “the last great humanists.” He was an author, a philosopher, and a historian. His “American thinker” collection will greatly enhance our library’s resources.

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Ghana Trip: FUN IN THE SUN
By: Paul Scaglia

Wouldn’t you love to attend classes in flip flops with the sound of the ocean in the background? Or how about walk on a suspension bridge over 40 meters above a tropical rain forest? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then the program offered by Dr. Walston, chair of the International Relations at The American University of Rome in cooperation with the Kokrobiety Institute in Ghana West Africa is a program you have to attend.

With the sun rising over the water and the ocean crashing on the beach less than 50 meters away, students start the day with breakfast followed by a morning meeting that would discuss the upcoming day’s events. After a short break and the beating of a drum, the students would gather for one of the distinguished guests speaking on a variety of topics.
Sitting under a shaded canopy in your flip flops and shorts and listening to the impressive list of guest speakers is a great benefit of the learning experience in Ghana.

The caliber of speakers that Dr. Walston and the Kokrobiety Institute have for the students is always high. This trip, students got to meet Mats Karlsson, The World Bank’s Country Director for Ghana, as he discussed the role of the World Bank in Ghana and The World Bank’s effort in poverty alleviation. Another guest speaker included The World Food Program director for Ghana, Trudy Bower-Pirinis, who discussed the situation in Ghana and the progress it has made with introducing micronutrients in the food supply in parts of Ghana. And finally, Jane Muigai, a Protection Officer from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees who gave an extensive overview of the aims of the UNHCR in Ghana.

Is the House a Machine?
Arts and Humanities is holding a one-day international colloquium
on November 24th to answer just that question.
The Invitation
Read about the colloquium
Read about the participants

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One of the familia?: Roman Slavery
Professor Valerie Higgins
This paper will examine what it was like to be a slave in Roman times. The dependence of the ancient economy on slaves has always been an aspect of Roman history that modern western societies have had difficulties with. We admire the achievements of the Romans but we largely ignore the slave labor upon which it was predicated. Slavery in the ancient world is fundamentally different from modern slavery. It was the lowest rank of a complex structure in which every level of society was subjected to restrictions of a type that would seem to us today to be an infringement of civil liberties. It was not like contemporary slavery, a result of a capitalist economy in which everything, including people, can be bought and sold. Nor was it exclusively the result of ideas of racial superiority like North American slavery. It was the product of an ordering of society that defined liberty in terms of social control and slaves found themselves at the bottom of the pile.

Historical & Contemporary Perspectives
Captives and Slaves Across the Mediterranean
Professor Cristina Lombardi-Diop
The issue of slavery in Italy and the Mediterranean has become an urgent one since the discovery last summer of forced labor exploitative conditions of clandestine immigrants in the South of Italy. The paper will open with this contemporary perspective in order to investigate how slavery has historically constituted, as Fernand Braudel has argued, “a structured feature of Mediterranean society.” The paper looks at the enslavement by both Christians and Muslims of captives and prisoners as a common characteristic of Mediterranean countries. The paper analyzes how, in Christian and Islamic doctrines, the idea of slavery developed in relation to social categories of exclusion and inclusion that influenced each other during the encounter between Christianity and Islam.

Modern Slavery in Rome: Illegal Chinese Migration
Professor Melanie Blackwell
Human trafficking is the modern version of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade; it is a process that involves three phases: “recruitment”, transportation, and delivery into an exploitive situation with the full knowledge and complicity of the transporters. Many illegal Chinese migrants in Rome were trafficked into the city by organized criminal networks, lured by the promise of economic opportunities that do not exist in China. Since the majority of these migrants cannot pay the substantial smuggling fee to get to Rome, they agree to work for co-ethnic “employers” once they get here. The migrants are essentially “bought” for the remainder of their smuggling fee and the “employers” exact years of labor in return. I argue that there are essentially five forces that foster an environment in which a modern slave trade has developed: 1) the existence of an ethnic economy, 2) the phenomenon of chain migration, 3) the pressures of globalization and comparative advantage, 4) more restrictive immigration policies in the EU, and 5) greater involvement by organized crime networks in the trafficking of humans.

Methods of Inquiry & Persistent Issues
Roma / Gypsy Slavery: An Unacknowledged History
Professor Isabella Clough
There is significant evidence that Roma/Gypsy communities were held as slaves in parts of Eastern Europe and the Balkans from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Some data also suggest that Roma may have been victims of the Atlantic slave trade. This aspect of the history of slavery, however, remains largely neglected in teaching and academic research. This paper will present what scarce material has been published on this issue, drawing primarily from the work of Ian Hancock, and will attempt to draw some conclusions about the effects of this history on contemporary perceptions and treatment of Roma in Europe.

The Atlantic Slave Trade from Ghana
A preliminary enquiry
Shirley Mustafa, Professor James Walston
The research is a contribution to AUR’s Africa Program and in particular will contribute to the commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Atlantic Slave Trade by Great Britain in 1807. It first aims to provide an empirical outline of the extent of the Atlantic slave trade which was conducted from Ghana: estimates will be made on the numbers, gender and age of slaves with trends over time, their destinations in the Americas, the nationalities of vessels and influence of foreign powers. A secondary aim of the initial project is to search for other scholarly material regarding the Atlantic, African and eastern trades where they regard Ghana in some way.

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Open House

The American University of Rome’s will be holding an Open House on Thursday, November 9, 2006 from 3 pm to 6 pm, and will include the following activities:.

*Tours of the university’s campus, guided by AUR students

*Opportunity to visit classes taught by AUR Faculty, where students will gain an insight into the university’s academic system

*Question and Answer Panel

*An ‘On the Spot’ Acceptance opportunity for the Fall 2007 Semester. Please request that your students bring a copy of their most recent transcript, SAT / ACT scores, letter of Recommendation, Personal Essay, and application form (on-line at www.aur.edu). Please contact the Admissions Office for further details

*AUR’s student clubs and Student Government Association exhibits providing information on their activities, including Athletics, Acting, Business, Communications and International Relations Clubs

*Light refreshments.

School Faculty, Administration and parents are also welcome to attend the Open House. Please R.S.V.P. emailing openhouse@aur.edu or by phone.

For more information please contact:

Alexander Kugel
Admissions Counselor
Email: a.kugel@aur.edu