The largest single private donation ever made to name a Canadian
business school has created the Sauder School of Business
at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. William L. Sauder, a B.C. forest industry leader and
former UBC Board Chair and Chancellor, today endowed UBC’s
Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration with a gift
of $20 million.
In response, the provincial government announced it will
phase in the ongoing commitment of $1 million per year in
increased funding to support the creation of 125 new student
spaces in the Sauder School of Business.
"I am very proud to be able to give something significant
back to UBC – the institution that provided me with the knowledge
to help me establish my business career – and to British Columbia,
which I have called home all my life," said Sauder, a
1948 BCom graduate of UBC who is Chair of International Forest
Products Ltd. and Sauder Industries Ltd. "I believe that
it is extremely important for us to create opportunities for
young people and to provide them with the tools they need
to shape their futures in this great province – especially
if we are going to create the wealth necessary to look after
the ongoing needs of healthcare and education."
"Bill Sauder has been a leader in creating new educational
opportunities for British Columbians," said Premier Gordon
Campbell. "This is an exceptional contribution that will
increase the quality of skilled graduates, and I want to thank
Bill and the University of B.C. for the opportunity for the
Province to be a partner in this expansion."
"Bill Sauder has contributed so much to the economy
of British Columbia and the leadership of this university,"
said UBC President Martha Piper. "The special honour
he bestows with his name is an incredible expression of confidence
in the future of business education at UBC."
"These investments are strong statements of support
for this business school’s innovative approach to management
education and research," said Daniel Muzyka, Dean of
the newly named Sauder School of Business at the University
of British Columbia. "The resources provided today will
enhance our capacity to provide an education that inspires
future business leaders to think entrepreneurially, generate
new management knowledge through research, and contribute
to the growth of the economies of British Columbia, Canada
and the world."
Muzyka said revenue from the Sauder gift, an endowment that
yields ongoing income, combined with the Provincial funding
increase, will create additional student spaces and increase
the capacity to add more courses and create new management
education programs for Canadian and international students.
The gift will also expand research capabilities by allowing
the school to recruit additional faculty, further enhancing
its contribution to new management practices and ideas.
A complete
media package, including a biography of William L. Sauder
and key facts on the Sauder School of Business, is also available
in Adobe PDF format.
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