By Yara Darwish
When Rula Al-Baghdadi was driving into the Education City campus Sunday morning, she was shocked to find her graduation photograph replaced on its campus lamppost by a photo of another graduating student.
Every year, the graduating seniors of the Education City campuses have their photos displayed on lampposts around campus a few weeks before their graduation in early May.
The photo belonged to Rula Al-Baghdadi, a graduating senior who majored in biological sciences at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.
Al-Baghdadi said she was upset about this because she has has never heard of a student’s photo being replaced in the past.
“I feel very hurt and shocked by this action. I was very happy to see my photo put up for over a week–an experience that I have shared with family and friends, as well as my fellow classmates. To have my photo abruptly replaced is not something I expected,” said Al-Baghdadi.
When the student whose photo now hangs in Al-Baghdadi’s former place was contacted about the replacement, she said that she didn’t want to comment and asked to remain anonymous.
But at least three students told The Daily Q that they had spoken to her—-and alleged that it was this student’s parents who triggered the position change because they wanted their child’s photo up in a prime location by one of the main buildings on campus. The Daily Q could not reach the parents for a comment.
Organizers of the convocation photos denied those charges.
Eid Al Sayed, events manager at Qatar Foundation, said that the photo was removed for technical errors and that Al-Baghdadi’s photo will be reprinted.
“All the students to us are important,” said Al Sayed. “We don’t distinguish between any of the students. All graduates are important. [Rula’s photo] was removed for technical errors due to printing. We fight for the students and I will ensure that Rula’s photo is placed somewhere on campus.”
Al-Baghdadi also said that she has referred the matter to the Associate Dean at CMU-Q, Mark Stehlik, who told her he would ensure her photo is placed on campus.
“To be clear, Rula is our student and we’d like her photo up on the light poles. But this is not wholly under our control,” said Stehlik.
Rula • Apr 23, 2014 at 8:51 pm
Excuse me “Jinny” who the hell are you? I did not request my name to be changed so please don’t go speaking on my behalf… besides you genius the new picture up has the same exact spelling… How do you know how I spell my name?
Jinny • Apr 23, 2014 at 7:34 pm
As a matter of fact there was a technical error with Al Baghdadi’s photograph- her name had been misspelled and she requested for it to be corrected. Not saying that changes anything but it seems a lot of people are unaware of that.
Ahmed • Apr 23, 2014 at 4:19 pm
People are dying from starvation in Africa. Wait till you start working and see what racism is really like. QF is fantasy land.
Khalid • Apr 22, 2014 at 6:38 pm
That’s kind of sad to be honest. I won’t say this is a massive deal, but it is very disheartening. You only graduate once and as a senior, its pretty messed up to have your picture which you enjoy seeing replaced and if they put it somewhere else which can’t be seen, then that would hurt more than never putting it up. There is so much stress on the person too that it will just hurt their psyche more than is necessary as right now they could use some happiness and joy in their lives from graduation, and this is a privilege they earned. They deserve some spoilage by QF. Hope they get their spot or an even better one. 🙂
Dana • Apr 22, 2014 at 4:57 am
The issue underlying the replacement of the photo is discrimination. That building is Sheikha Moza’s office. Which is why a Qatari’s student photo “should” be according to QF. At the end of the day, we are all equal in the eyes of Allah. And it is very hurtful to see your photo being replaced by someone else’s merely because they have the maroon passport. I am a Qatari myself, and I believe that such an action is disgraceful. We are all equal. If QF want to fix this issue, Rula’s photo should be back where it was, not somewhere else around EC.
Sara • Apr 22, 2014 at 3:44 am
Walid, yes, indeed. Needless to say that this kind of behavior of an individual affects the image of the rest..it is unfair for the more sensible Qataris in EC.
Mskn • Apr 22, 2014 at 1:05 am
Wow! So what about those who couldn’t get their photos taken? Those who sent countless of emails for a alternate photoshoot but were discarded??
At least she got to be “very happy to see [her] photo put up for over a week–an experience that [she] have shared with family and friends, as well as [her] fellow classmates!!
““All the students to us are important,” said Al Sayed. “We don’t distinguish between any of the students.””
How can you not distinguish between any students when other graduates of 2014 were NOT even included in the Photoshoot?!
Talking about having equal opportunity?
Kampl • Apr 22, 2014 at 12:26 am
Notty notty, def some abaya girl replaced her
Boglodite • Apr 21, 2014 at 10:07 pm
The excuse that her picture was removed for “technical errors” is a pathetic attempt to cover the issue up.
a) This post already mentions that the parents of the girl who’s picture replaced Al Baghdadi’s photo were responsible for this replacement
b) If her photo was removed for “technical errors” and was being reprinted, why was another girl’s photo placed there afterwards?
c) Judging from the photo shown above AND seeing it with my own eyes, there were absolutely no errors with Al Baghdadi’s photo whatsoever.
and also Haider, the reason this is “hyped up” is because this shows how corrupt this system is, doing things in favor for certain people
Daniel • Apr 21, 2014 at 8:54 pm
Removing someone’s picture and placing another one instead is something unacceptable and whether a person’s picture is on a pole is something else. We are all students here and we all should be given the same opportunity.
Walid • Apr 21, 2014 at 8:51 pm
Was it a Qatari girl who had Rula’s picture replaced with hers?
Sameer • Apr 21, 2014 at 8:23 pm
Well Haider, you have clearly not understood the issue here. It’s not about a picture on a lamp post or of that sort. The issue indicates a much greater deal, it shows lack of organisation and systematic approach in a such huge multimillion foundation. The aim of this article is to spot the light on such phenomena for future improvement and the creation of a more solid system when such things happen. Having people do what they solely feel like doing through personal connections on behalf of other people’s emotions is frankly speaking just STUPID. I hope you give it a little more thought the next time you try to openly share your personal opinion.
Haider • Apr 21, 2014 at 5:35 pm
This situation is unnecessarily hyped up. They’ll put up her photo elsewhere, what’s the big deal? Let’s grow up and move on.