V. Eight Years of Projects
The following pages describe the projects established during my eight years in office. The list of projects reflects the four flags hoisted by TAU:
- Research and Teaching. The highest priority in resource mobilization was assigned to academic development. In this context, I would like to emphasize the nanoscience and nanotechnology drive which became a $40 million project, together with a long list of more modest projects across the campus. This list reflects the recognition of the primacy of biomedicine both as a cutting-edge field and as a field in which TAU enjoys a comparative advantage. A balance was sought between the reinforcement of areas of excellence and the need to develop new and innovative areas.
- Promoting advanced studies. Funds for doctoral fellowships (also in the "softer" disciplines) and special chairs for young faculty recruitment were another priority. Large funds were mobilized for the development of new interdisciplinary graduate schools (Environment, Government and Communication), the development of which involved leveraging existing activities, followed by gradual academic and physical development.
- Social involvement and community building and outreach. The major projects in this area were the Price-Brodie Initiative in Jaffa, Sivan Center for Community Initiative, Landa Center for Equal Opportunity through Education, admission from the periphery program supported by the Legacy Foundation and, most recently, the Youth University. These five major programs and a number of smaller projects brought in large funds for opening TAU to Israel's underprivileged sectors. The funds have been leveraged by the enthusiasm and creativity of the teams running these projects.
- Shaping the Israeli public arena and public boards. TAU has built its position and reputation through academic excellence as well as through its research and policy institutes that have enriched the public discourse since 1960 in such areas as national security, Middle Eastern studies, law, economics, business and education. Many of the projects established were designed to preserve and develop the University's position and capacities in these areas.
Regarding the methodology of building a network of friends and supporters for TAU, I would like to underline one innovation: building up International Boards of Trustees for relevant faculties, schools and institutes. With the right leadership in appropriate units, this system brought in considerable additional resources and, more significantly, tied to TAU a large number of new lay leaders and supporters who otherwise may not have joined the traditional friends associations.
Fundraising 1999-2007
The following table presents the sums (in millions of dollars) that were raised annually from the United States and other countries over the past eight years of my term. These are sums that were received in cash, and do not include pledges, income from endowments, or income derived from other sources, such as investments.
| Year | $USM | Total $USM |
| 1999/2000 | 26.5 | 53.4 |
| 2000/2001 | 16.6 | 44.5 |
| 2001/2002 | 21.5 | 49.0 |
| 2002/2003 | 14.2 | 46.0 |
| 2003/2004 | 16.1 | 38.6 |
| 2004/2005 | 18.0 | 38.2 |
| 2005/2006 | 24.5 | 49.8 |
| *2006/2007 | 11.7 | 34.9 |
| Total | 149.2 | 354.4 |
| Yearly average | 19.9 | 47.3 |
* 2006/2007 figures refer to the 6-month period from October 2006 to the end of
March 2007
