Donor generosity taking USC to a new level
10 May 2008
For a long time it has been evident that no university in Australia can aspire to greatness without support from private donors. Taxpayer funded government grants provided to universities on the basis of student enrolments are no longer able to cover other than the most basic operations.
This University is under constant pressure to expand its operations well beyond the basic. We need more major buildings, more disciplines, more research, and more scholarships for needy students, in order to meet the escalating demand that has seen the University grow to over 6,000 students.
To meet these needs of the Region we last year embarked on a ‘Building Excellence’ campaign, in which we were targeting $5 million by the end of 2008. The money was to cover scholarships, campus enhancement and part-funding of the new Health and Sports Centre, where research, and the training of health professionals will contribute to the success of the new public hospital at Kawana, in particular.
Thanks to the generosity of a range of people we have reached $4 million of the $5 million target, and on Thursday at the University we honoured those who had contributed to the campaign in 2007.
At that event I stressed the importance of the example these donors provided, for they were investing in people and ideas that would ensure the University would continue to thrive.
Many believe that having paid their taxes, they have indirectly supported universities, but this is no longer providing the foundation for greatness. The great universities of the world have all, without exception, benefitted from the generosity of donors, and there are now, increasing numbers of such people acknowledging this on the Coast.
The exemplars we honoured I hope will be joined by many others who want to see the University develop and reach its $5 million target this year.
With that will come learnings and research outcomes that will provide inestimable benefits to Coast residents’ quality of life across the long term.
If you would like to contribute, please contact our Foundation Office on telephone +61 7 5430 1104.
Professor Paul Thomas AM is Vice-Chancellor at the University of the Sunshine Coast.