University lawyers and Qatari officials are still working out the kinks in the University's contract to help create a satellite campus in Qatar.
"The whole thing has been in the hands of the lawyers for about six months," Board of Visitors Secretary Alexander "Sandy" Gilliam said.
The time between the final go ahead for the project and the delay in finalizing a contract is due to contract negotiations, Gilliam said.
"It's working out a contract and agreement, it's just being negotiated-these things take time," he said.
He added that the satellite campus definitely will be built.
Qatar is funding the project but the University will oversee the facilities.
Qatar is planning for an entering class of 250 in the fall of 2001. Projected total enrollment is 1,000.
"The Qataris wanted something up and running as soon as possible, that being a concern because it just takes a while for things to get started," Gilliam said.
Qatar is an oil rich country located on the east coast of the Arabian peninsula with a population of about 550,000.
About 13 percent of the population have completed a high school level education.
The Board passed a resolution 9-6 to build the satellite campus at their January meeting. The General Assembly also passed two bills in favor of the campus during their 1999 legislative session.
"We had further discussions" last week, University President John T. Casteen III said.
"I do not know when the discussions will end because this is, among other things, a negotiation about a business transaction that must suit both parties," he said.
"In addition, there are many more than two, i.e. yes or no, outcomes of the discussions, and creative approaches to major issues take time," he added.
The University will hire the Qatar campus faculty from an international and national pool.
The curricula of the new satellite campus will focus on pre-medical, engineering and business programs.
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