Fundraising builds “dreams and futures”
by Ashley Martin
the Carillon

Launching largest fundraising campaign in U of R history
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The end of September marked the beginning of the public phase of the largest fundraising campaign the University of Regina has ever seen.

With the goal of raising $75 million through 2006, the “Building Dreams and Futures” campaign has already succeeded in raising about 64 per cent of its goal. As of September 30, the total raised was $48,033,228.

The campaign, which, according to the committee chair Garry Huntington is an “ambitious campaign for an ambitious university,” divides its efforts among five key areas: student support, research support, the new Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport, the 2005 Canada Games and emerging priorities.

In terms of student support, to which $7.5 million will be directed, scholarships and bursaries will be created to help attract students to the U of R. A sound recording studio, a laboratory for engineering education and a community teacher fund are among the projects in research support. The new Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport, which, according to Huntington, “fosters major advancements in healthcare and wellness,” will receive $12 million to go toward paying its $32 million cost. The 2005 Canada Games will receive $10 million, and the remaining funds will be set aside to go toward any other important projects that may emerge.

The campaign began with a “family campaign” and a goal of raising $750,000. By approaching the university community, including students, professors, employees and alumni, the family campaign doubled its goal, raising $1.5 million. The Honorable Andrew Thomson, Saskatchewan’s Learning Minister, believes the campaign will strengthen the U of R’s reputation throughout Canada.

“By taking the campaign beyond the campus, the university is going to help elevate its profile of academic programs and excellence throughout the community, and throughout our country.

“This campaign reflects, in many ways, the rich history of this university. It has certainly come a long way since it started in 1911 as a high school with 27 students.”

His Worship Mayor Pat Fiacco agrees, stating that the U of R has recently undergone “unprecedented physical growth.” David Barnard, the U of R’s president, reinforces that, saying, “The university’s footprint has more than doubled since 1997.” The U of R is an institution of many firsts. The First Nations University of Canada is the only one of its kind in the country. The School of Journalism was the first in Western Canada to offer a degree. The police studies and cooperative programs are unique as well.

Thomson says that, in looking around the university today, “you can see why the University of Regina is coming into its own as one of the great institutions in this country.”

Fiacco agrees.

“Building dreams and futures: what a perfect title for this campaign. That’s exactly what this institution does every day.”