The Student's Union Gazette is one of the sixty seven manuscript publications issued by the university students between 1898 and 1944. They are located in the Archives and Special Collections at Jafet Library. The Gazette's holdings date from 1913 to 1932, and include some excellent pages and contributions by students who later became pioneers and eminent figures in their fields such as Emile Bustani.

Background of the Students' Union and its Gazette

In 1905, a group of students from the Syrian Protestant College, assisted by some of the College instructors, established the first society on campus known as "The Students Club". It was later renamed the "Students Union". Its aim was to unite the students and develop in them the ability of public speech and parliamentary discipline. A constitution was drawn up and contained the oath of its president emphasizing his loyalty to the Club and its advancement. The Club was made up of the the House and the Cabinet which elected three committees: Committee of the Judges, Judicial Committee and Play Committee.

The Union held several lectures, debates and speech contests delivered at its regular meetings and gave public plays. These activities flourished with time and were so successful that people vied with each other to obtain tickets for the annual performance. In 1907, it was decided to issue a gazette reporting on all these activites. It proved to be a very interesting addition to its list of endeavours. The Gazette's aim was to mainly encourage and motivate students to participate in this literary review and its debates. The first editorial in the 1914-1915 volume underlines this concern.

During World War I, the Union was closed and its Gazette did not appear. On November 29, 1919, the Union members resumed their work with the same zeal they had previously shown. Profs. Smith, Seelye, and Van Dyck helped the Union very much at its reopening, especially in reissuing the Students' Union Gazette. The constitution was adjusted to the new circumstances and the Union and its Gazette adapted themselves to the new environment at SPC. Again, in 1925, the Union readjusted itself, modified its constitution once more, and adopted many reforms. It was constantly growing. Years passed by and the Union and its Gazette went on from one success to another culminating in its silver jubilee (1930) which was very joyfully celebrated and widely acclaimed. Unfortunately, after reaching this climax, it began to decline and came to a stop in 1932.

In its first issue published in December 1933, the "printed" Al-Kulliyah Review announces that it has replaced the Students' Union Gazette, thus bringing to an end decades of student manuscript publishing at SPC / AUB. Times were moving forward, and new emerging needs had to be met in newer ways, but the contribution of the Students' Union Gazette remains a unique and valuable contribution in the student life of our Alma Mater.