WATERLOO — A former University of Waterloo vice-president has been charged with fraud.

Kenneth McGillivray, 63, is accused of taking a number of personal trips under false pretences while serving as the university's vice-president, advancement.

McGillivray was arrested by Waterloo Region Police in Kitchener on Monday when the Greater Toronto Area resident turned himself in at Central Division.

The alleged frauds took place over a two-year period and involved the submission of expense claims to the university for reimbursements worth moret $12,000.

McGillivray, a former vice-provost for global initiatives at the University of Southern California, joined UW in 2012.

In 2014, McGillivray earned $309,999 at UW, the school's second-highest salary, according to the "sunshine list" of public-sector employees paid more than $100,000.

He resigned in 2015, the police report says. The school says McGillivray's employment at the university ended on May 11, 2015.

"The university made the authorities aware of this situation immediately upon learning of this alleged fraudulent activity and has continued to collaborate with local authorities," UW associate vice-president, communications Carleen Carroll said in an email statement.

"The university has reviewed its internal procedures to ensure appropriate controls are in place. We are not in a position to provide further comment given the ongoing investigation and recent arrest."

Regional police say university officials approached them about further investigating the matter in May or June of 2015.

"We did our investigation," fraud branch Staff Sgt. Rob Cowan said Wednesday. "We formulated the grounds that we laid the offences that we posted today."

When McGillivray was hired by UW, he was described as a respected university administrator and fundraising strategist with an exemplary reputation for fundraising and alumni development.

McGillivray has also served as secretary general for the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. He holds an English degree from Carleton University, completed graduate research at Queen's University and earned his PhD in English literature from the University of London in England.

McGillivray is charged with fraud over $5,000, forgery, uttering forged documents and criminal breach of trust. He is to appear in court on Dec. 22.

Last month, the former general manager of UW's School of Architecture in Cambridge was found guilty of fraud and theft.

Jeffrey Lederer, who arranged for his mother-in-law to be paid $139,000 by the university for what amounted to seven hours of work, also used a university credit card to rack up personal purchases of $37,000. He'll be sentenced in January.

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