Gala evening kicks off fund raising By GAVIN WILSON UBC launched the largest fund raising campaign in Canadian history Monday with news of a $10-million private donation and $75-million in additional government funding. The target is $132-million, including $66-million in B.C. govern­ ment matching funds, Campaign Chairman Robert Wyman announced Photo by David Gray at a black tie dinner at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. More than 1,000 gathered at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre to launch UBC's fundraising campaign. See CAMPAIGN on Page 2 New strategy on education announced I ho I niversih of lii liisli ( olunilii.i. \ ancixivcr,!!.( Volutin- 35. Nimitwr 6 March IX l<»S') by Hagen By GREG DICKSON A new post-secondary education strategy that will create 15,000 addi­ GO B.C. awards Crane tional university places, establish full degree-granting programs at three community colleges and lead to the $150,000 for taping creation of a new university in northern B.C. was announced earlier this week by Advanced Education Minister Stanley By GAVIN WILSON research material and exams for the uni­ The funds will help replace duplica­ Hagen versity's 35 blind and visually disabled tors used to make high-speed, multiple Hagen GO B.C., a provincial government agency, has made a special award of students. The breakdowns also affected copies of texts and other research mate­ Hagen said the strategy will cost the government $150,000 to Crane Memorial Library to services for distance users throughout rial on cassettes. The taped texts, called $35.3-million in the first year of operation. B.C. and Canada. talking books, form the largest part of replace badly needed audio taping equip­ "The Access for All strategy will enable students to ment. "Needless to say, we are absolutely Crane's collection. earn a recognized university degree at community col­ GO B.C. is a capital funding program delighted," said Paul Thiele, Crane head. ' 'This new equipment will provide a that distributes proceeds ofthe B.C. Lot­ The funding proposal was submitted better product for the students and make leges in Kelowna, Kamloops and Nanaimo," said Hagen. tery Corp. The award came after Crane to GO B.C. by the Kinsmen Club of better use of the volunteers who contrib­ UBC is completing negotiations with Okanagan Col­ had made an urgent appeal for additional Vancouver, Thiele said. The Crane proj­ ute their time," Bill Reid, minister re­ lege in Kelowna and Cariboo College in Kamloops to funding. sponsible for the Premier's Advisory ect was recently tied to the university's offer degrees in those communities. Equipment failures at the library had major fundraising campaign, coordinated Council for Persons with Disabilities, disrupted production of taped textbooks, by the Development Office. said in a news release. "UBC with Okanagan College will focus primarily on arts and sciences. At Cariboo College we will focus on $100.000 annually arts, sciences and education," said President David Rotary supports research for deafStrangway . See VICTORIA on Page 2 By GREG DICKSON Dr. Patrick Doyle, a UBC physician can understand sounds so well that they Hagen gives UBC Financial support from the Rotary who heads the cochlear implant team at can carry on in the hearing world," he Club of Vancouver will help UBC to St. Paul's Hospital, said the implants are said. become a center for research into special a step forward but don't work for every­ The sounds heard with the help of the body. $9.6 million grant implants that help the deaf hear. implant have been compared with the The club hopes to raise more than "At least half (the patients) can under­ sound of a weak radio signal. With the $100,000 annually through its Rotary stand some speech without lip reading helpof funding from Rotary, Dr. Doyle Hearing Foundation to support the re­ and can use the telephone. About a third said UBC hopes to refine the technology. for new equipment search of Dr. Dietrich Schwarz, who has "Our main goal is to see improve­ By GREG DICKSON crease in the level of equipment replace­ been working on improvements in coch­ ments in the machinery that will allow the $750,000 centre ment funds," he said. "They will allow lear implant technology. totally deaf to hear speech in a normal UBC will receive $9.6-million over two years to upgrade equipment under a post-secondary institutions to acquire the The cochlear implant device looks manner," he said. will be built new grant program announced by Ad­ equipment required to train students for like a hearing aid, but the most important Ruth Mathers of" West Vancouver had vanced Education Minister Stan Hagen. B.C.'s rapidly changing technological component cannot be seen because it is at VGH the first implant operation in Canada two President David Strangway said society." surgically inserted in the inner ear. An years ago. The 6f>year-old businesswoman By GREG DICKSON the money hasn't been earmarked for Hagen said the funds will supplement, external microphone picks up sounds lost her hearing in the early 1970s. With Construction will start soon on a specific purchases, but will be ased where not replace, existing equipment spend­ much like a hearing aid, but those sounds the help of cochlear implant technology S750.000 UBC Medical Student and needs arise. ing. He expects universities, colleges and are then coded by a speech processor and she was able to attend the news confer­ Alumni Center at Vancouver General institutes to use the money to provide relayed to the implant which stimulates ence and answer reporters' questions. "I'm very pleased in view of the Hospital. state-of-the-art instruction. nerve fibres in the inner ear electrically. "I'm hearing your words clearly, but serious needs for teaching and research ' 'The centre will be a unique forum The nerves then send sound messages to your voice sounds very mechanical. I've equipment in all parts of the university," for professional and educational devel­ Post-secondary institutions were en­ the brain. gotten used to it,'' she told a journalist. he said. opment," said Campaign Co-chairman couraged to seek matching contributions '" People who were completely deaf Hagen said a total of $26.5-million Dr. Curtis Latham. Mathers said being unable to hear was from the private sector for equipment can now receive useful hearing," Dr. would be provided to B.C. post-secon­ The facility will include meeting space frightening. Now she can answer the purchases. Hagen said he hopes joint-use Schwarz told a news conference to an­ phone or carry on a normal conversation, dary institutions under the program. agreements can be negotiated with re­ nounce the Rotary funding. See CENTRE on Page 2 even in a noisy restaurant. "The grants represent a major in­ lated industries. UBCREPORTS March 23,1989 2 $44 million raised Campaign target $132 million Continued from Page 1 The funds will help finance three major cellor Robert projects: the Forest Sciences complex Wyman attributed Wyman told more than 1,000 guests at that will help make B.C. a wedd leader in much of the suc­ Architect's model of new Medical Student and Alumni Centre at VGH. the glittering affair that $44-million has forest management and product develop­ cess to the calibre already been raised from the private sec­ ment; laboratories for advanced materi­ of people the cam­ tor in the initial phase ofthe campaign, als and process engineering that will put paign has been Centre a component two-thirds of the final goal. UBC at the forefront of research into able to attract. ' 'We are extremely pleased with the space-age alloys, electronics materials, "We have response the campaign has received so plastics and superconductors; and a new recruited an out­ of medical education far," UBC President David Strangway home for the Centre far Integrated Com­ standing Leader­ said. puter Systems Research. Continued from Page 1 by sponsoring high-profile conferences," Donations received include a $ 10- ship Committee to Wyman New construction supported by the secure $66-million in private-sector gifts for Continuing Medical Education courses saklCo-chairrnan Dr. Richard Beauchamp. million gift from a Hong Kong family fundraising campaign will include a to the campaign," he said. and social gatherings, and a dining com- So far, more than $700,000 has been with ties to Vancouver. The family has Creative and Performing Arts Centre, plex. Jhere will also be a fitness area with raised with more than $40,000 coming requested anonymity. UBC alumnus and author Pierre Ber­ with a conceit hall that will be used for a universal gym, showers and lockers for from medical students. Gifte contributed during the campaign, ton was host of Monday's gala. Pianist Convocation ceremonies, an art gallery, the use of students and alumni. which continues through 1990, will go Robert Silverman and the University Construction of the first phase should studio resources centre and the Walter toward new buildings, endowed chairs, Singers performed a campaign theme The building, described as an Oxbr­ be completed by Fall 1990. Eventually, Koerner Ceramic Gallery; a new Student scholarships, professorships, facilities and song written by Michael Conway Baker idge-type design, will be located at 12th project planners hope to add a state-of- Sports Centre, which is supported by a equipment. and a video highlighting university ac­ and Heather on land provided by Van­ the-art satellite teleconferencing center to $3.75-million pledge from die UBC Alma complishments was shown. couver General Hospital. link hospitals and doctors in remote Some of the major donations announced Mater Society; and a major new expan­ "The centre will provide a key com­ locations with the centre for distance at the gala were: $3.75-million from the sion of the library.