UWA may lose key benefactor
One of the University of WA's biggest private benefactors is threatening to withhold donations because of his "heartbreak" at the axing of a world-renowned water research organisation.
Harold Clough, who along with his father John founded Perth-based engineering giant Clough, has written to UWA chancellor Michael Chaney criticising the decision to close the Centre for Water Research.
The centre, established by top water expert Jorg Imberger in 1982, was scrapped last month after a review by UWA found it was millions of dollars in the red, lacked academic rigour and was not collaborative.
Professor Imberger has also been stood down amid a separate investigation into his conduct, which he is fighting through the Federal Court.
A patron of the centre, Dr Clough criticised the review's findings as he argued the CWR and Professor Imberger were internationally acclaimed as "world leaders" in their field.
And after donating "several million dollars" to UWA in the past, Dr Clough indicated he and his wife would think twice about doing so again until the decision to scrap the centre was overturned.
"It appears from recent events that the university administration is determined to destroy the centre and its work, and in the process is doing irreparable damage to the University of Western Australia," Dr Clough, a UWA graduate, wrote.
"The centre is the world leader in the field of environmental fluid dynamics, a discipline which was basically invented by Professor Imberger.
"The review report demonstrates a failure to understand the nature of research the centre undertakes.
"It is heartbreaking to see my university, my alma mater, destroyed."
A UWA spokeswoman said Dr Clough had been a "remarkable supporter" and had "invested his time, passion, energy and resources into the university, particularly our faculty of engineering". "For that we are, and will always be, immensely grateful," she said.
She said Professor Imberger was demoted only after a "thoroughly and properly conducted" investigation upheld claims that he had "bullied, threatened and intimidated students".
