Logo
News

NewsEvent Calendar

Home
About
Academics
Admissions
Career Services
News & Events
Campus Life
Friends & Donors
Ghana
Search

Current News | Archived News | 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.)
Back to top

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.)
Back to top

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.)
Back to top

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.
Back to top

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 establish a subsidiary 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.
Back to top

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.
Back to top

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!
Back to top

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.
Back to top

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.
Back to top

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.)
Back to top

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.)
Back to top

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.)
Back to top

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.
Back to top

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.)

Back to top

Copyright © 1999-2005 Ashesi University Foundation. All rights reserved.