News Release

2008-10-29 09:10:16

UW chair Bob Harding donates $3 million for research and scholarships

WATERLOO, Ont. (Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008) -- The chair of the board of governors at the University of Waterloo is committing $3 million to Campaign Waterloo. Two thirds of the gift will establish undergraduate scholarships and faculty fellowships in UW's school of accounting and finance, with the remaining $1 million directed to a newly established humanities and social sciences research endowment.

UW mathematics accounting graduate Bob Harding, chair of Brookfield Asset Management, will establish two endowments, one supporting 10 president's entrance scholarships for accounting and finance students and one funding three faculty fellowships to help UW recruit and retain the best students and academics in the industry. This is the largest one-time donation ever received by the school of accounting and finance.

Harding, who has also been chair of Campaign Waterloo since 2001 and a long-time supporter, will be a pivotal donor to the newly established humanities and social sciences research endowment, which will provide annual awards to UW faculty conducting performing arts and social science research.

"During difficult times such as these, it is even more important than ever to support students and researchers who will make a fundamental impact on the future of our Canadian businesses and economy," said Harding. "The great issues of our day -- globalization, the financial crises, intercultural relations, political stability, security, the social impact of technology -- all require the insights generated by research in the humanities and social sciences."

Harding recognizes the importance his education played in his successful business career and wants to help UW attract the brightest students and most accomplished faculty to campus. This gift will help enhance the school of accounting and finance's reputation as the leading centre for accounting and finance in this country and help the school achieve its plan for expansion. The school of accounting and finance produces the largest number of accounting and finance PhD graduates in the country and fuels the accounting and finance industry in Canada.

As chair of the board, Harding understands UW's funding needs and knows social science research is often underfunded. He views his gift to the humanities and social sciences research endowment as a way to help to the university fund worthy and challenging projects.

"Bob has been a magnificent leader at this institution, committing his time, wise counsel, and leadership to help UW become one of the premier universities in this country," said UW president David Johnston. "His generous gifts to the social sciences and to accounting will allow us to offer much-needed opportunities for arts and social science research as well as the recruitment of the top accounting and finance students and faculty - ultimately helping us all better understand and appreciate the human condition."

The humanities and social sciences research endowment, which now exceeds $2 million, will help researchers in the social sciences, humanities, and fine and performing arts improve their success of securing external grants and support small-scale or start-up projects. Social science and humanities research includes diverse subjects such as the behavioural effects of tobacco control policies, the impact of cyber culture on society and the manipulation of mathematical models to understand the mind. UW plans to grow this endowment fund to $10 million by 2017 as part of its commitment to expand the quality and intensity of its research.

Last year, the University of Waterloo raised more than $100 million cash-in, pushing the Campaign Waterloo total to more than $466 million.

Resources

Contacts:

Linda Kieswetter, UW office of development, 519-888-4567 ext. 32961

Ken Coates, dean of arts, 519-888-4567 ext. 32217

Jim Barnett, director, school of accounting and finance, 519-888-4567
ext. 35143

Michael Strickland, UW media relations, 519-888-4777

UW news release no. 80

2008-10-29 09:10:16