Looking Back on 2019
As the year draws to a close, it’s appropriate to reflect on the accomplishments and challenges of the past 12 months. I enjoyed chatting with UBC student senator Julia Chai about the highlights of the year for UBC. I hope the year 2019 was a good one for all of you. Best wishes for 2020! […]
Happy Holidays from Santa
I would like to wish everybody a wonderful holiday season and all the best for 2020! Santa J. Ono President and Vice-Chancellor
Students as Partners: Leveraging Human Capital to Advance Digital Innovation
6th Annual Conference on Educational Innovation (CIIE 2019) Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico Thank you. Coming all the way from the west coast of Canada where things are considerably colder and darker at the moment, it’s a treat for me to be able to join you here in Mexico, especially at Tecnologico de Monterrey. UBC […]
30 Years Later: Remembering Them
Vancouver Beam of Light Ceremony, Chan Centre for the Performing Arts Good morning. Thirty years ago today, 14 young women were killed at École Polytechnique de Montréal because they were women. At the time of the attack, I had recently moved from Montreal to Harvard, after completing my studies at McGill University. I was also […]
Honour the École Polytechnique Women by Learning About Them
Today, on the 30th anniversary of the attack at École Polytechnique de Montréal, it is my honour to turn this blog over to UBC student Emily Fuchs. Emily is a 5th year media studies and computer science student. She’s passionate about how technology impacts the ways in which we learn and communicate with one another. […]
Declaration on the Climate Emergency
This morning, the UBC Board of Governors endorsed the following UBC Declaration on the Climate Emergency. I would like to thank all those who have engaged with us on this issue, especially UBC’s students, faculty and staff members. Their activism and passion were essential in getting the university to act on the climate crisis. I […]
December 2019
Welcome Welcome to the December 2019 issue of issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication from myself to members of the UBC community. Highlights Senior Academic Advisors Shaping UBC’s Next Century Call for proposals: Advancing Education Renewal Strategic Cooperation with Osaka University U7 Executive Committee Election Congratulations to Candis Callison and Connie Eaves […]
November/December 2019
Welcome Welcome to the November/December 2019 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. Highlights Senior Academic Advisors Shaping UBC’s Next Century Call for proposals: Advancing Education Renewal Strategic Cooperation with Osaka University U7 Executive Committee Election Congratulations to Candis Callison and Connie Eaves 5G Comes […]
UBC funding to foster collaborations in research excellence
I’m pleased to announce the renewal and expansion of our Collaborative Research Mobility Awards (CRMA) program, a program which helps our research community establish new, or expand on existing, collaborations. The CRMA program facilitates collaboration on timely research opportunities between researchers in Vancouver and the Okanagan, helping them share knowledge, interests and access to equipment. […]
Humanizing Leadership and Harmonizing Learning
BC School Superintendents Association, Vancouver Thank you, Sue-Ellen. It is truly an honour to join you here today. It is always a privilege to be able to join fellow educators for robust conversation around matters of teaching, learning and leadership. It’s good to be able to step out of that fast-moving river of responsibility now […]
Remembrance Day Reflections: We Owe Our Veterans So Much
One hundred and one years ago today, the guns fell silent in Europe, marking the end of what many hoped would be the war to end all wars. Although UBC was only a few years old, many of its students, faculty and staff heeded the call to serve their country in that conflict. In the […]
Announcing Senior Faculty Advisors to the President
I am pleased to announce that Senior Instructor Kathryn Gretsinger, Professor Walter Mérida, Associate Professor Karen Ragoonaden, and Professor John Klironomos have been appointed as Senior Faculty Advisors to the President. Kathryn Gretsinger and Walter Mérida are based at UBC Vancouver, with Karen Ragoonaden and John Klironomos based at UBC Okanagan. Each faculty advisor will […]
Thriving at UBC
At UBC, we know that increased wellbeing leads to deeper learning, higher productivity, and a stronger sense of connection — all of which help create happier, healthier communities. Supporting the wellbeing of our community members is very important to me personally. Exactly three years ago, I was proud to take part as UBC became one […]
Election 2019: Why your voice matters
With the 2019 federal election happening on October 21, we want to take this opportunity to speak to you about why this is such a significant event, and why your voice matters. UBC embraces its responsibility to nurture civic engagement across our community and to strive to make a better world from the local to […]
Response to UBCC350 Climate Strike Open Letter
UBCC350 c/o ubcc350@gmail.com Thank you for your letter of October 4th, 2019. I appreciate the energy and dedication you have put into this cause. It is inspiring to see so many students and other members of the UBC community use the power of the collective voice to raise awareness of climate change and the need […]
A Commitment to Move Forward: Apology Plaque Presentation
Musqueam Cultural Centre Good evening. I am honoured to be here and to present this plaque which commemorates the Statement of Apology that I made on behalf of the university on April 9, 2018. In the Statement, I apologized on behalf of UBC to survivors of the residential schools, to their families and communities, and […]
Presidential Priorities for 2019-20
As the first month of the 2019-20 academic year comes to a close, I’d like to discuss my strategic priorities for the year. These priorities include research excellence & innovation, sustainability, leveraging our physical presence, the Indigenous Strategic Plan, and the Integrated Renewal Program. My first priority is driving research excellence and innovation. UBC is […]
Open Letter to federal party leaders
Dear Party Leaders: With the federal election campaign now officially underway, our country’s future prosperity is top of mind for me as it is for millions of Canadians. In a rapidly changing world and in the face of global and national crises, Canadians look to you for the leadership and policies that help deliver a […]
September 2019
Welcome Welcome to the September 2019 issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication from myself to members of the UBC community. Highlights Imagine/Create Homecoming/Sports Hall of Fame Integrated Renewal Program Update Fulbright Board UBC: The Next Century APRU Senior International Leaders Meeting Times Higher Education Rankings Opening of Exchange Residence Truth and Reconciliation UBC Connects […]
September 2019
Welcome Welcome to the September 2019 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. (You can also view this newsletter at https://president.ubc.ca/board-letter/2019/09/20/september-2019/) Imagine/Create I was thrilled to participate in the Imagine and Create orientation events at UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses on September 3. Seeing and talking to the thousands of […]
Building New Bridges
Vancouver/UBC Opera Summit, Old Auditorium, UBC Thank you, Nancy. What a privilege to welcome you all to our beautiful UBC campus… we are deeply honored to have you here and trust you have enjoyed your first day of this national summit. It’s an important conversation you’re having here, on topics that resonate deeply in our […]
UBC and the global climate strike
Some UBC students have informed us they will join global climate strike activities on Sept. 27. We expect some members of the UBC community will choose to participate in the climate strike to draw attention to the climate crisis. This strike is a student-led initiative and we acknowledge that many of our students and community […]
UBC: The Next Century – the book!
“Inspiring people, ideas and actions for a better world.” That’s the Vision that inspires the University of British Columbia. It’s entwined with the University’s Purpose: “Pursuing excellence in research, learning and engagement to foster global citizenship and advance a sustainable and just society across British Columbia, Canada and the world.” (You can read more about […]
Imagine Day 2019
UBC Vancouver Thank you very much. Thank you. It is really wonderful to see all of you here in this beautiful arena. We’ve been waiting for you to join us for several months. And we know that you represent the best and brightest of your generation. We know from looking at your applications and studying […]
Putting Students First with the Blue & Gold Campaign
I am always delighted to spend time with our students in Vancouver and the Okanagan and today I got to do both as I welcomed thousands of new students to our campuses in two boisterous rallies! In addition to welcoming the students, I also had the great pleasure of announcing that not only had the Blue […]
Faith in the Academy
Ismaili Centre, Toronto Good evening and thank you everyone! It’s an honour and a privilege to be here. It was my absolute pleasure to have our generous hosts take me on a tour of the Ismaili Centre, the Aga Khan Museum, and the Aga Khan Park. The architecture of the Ismaili Centre must be a […]
Summer 2019
Welcome Welcome to the summer 2019 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. (You can also view this newsletter at https://president.ubc.ca/homepage-feature/2019/07/30/summer-2019/) Welcoming new students September is rapidly approaching, and with it, the arrival of thousands of new students to our Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. We’ll be welcoming […]
Summer 2019
Welcome Welcome to the summer 2019 issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication from myself to members of the UBC community. Highlights Welcoming new students University Climate Change Coalition Summit Federal support for UBC sustainability initiatives U7 Alliance President’s Medals of Excellence Joint projects with Amazon and Microsoft UBC Annual Report Shaping UBC’s Next […]
UBC calls for a TMT moratorium
UBC is deeply committed to engagement and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and supports the standards of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. To advance our commitment, UBC strives to ensure that research projects involving or affecting Indigenous peoples are built on mutually beneficial, reciprocal and accountable relationships. UBC is also immensely […]
U7 Alliance will Address the World’s Most Pressing Challenges
Earlier this month, I had the honour of participating in the inaugural meeting of the U7 Alliance – which consists of universities from around the world coming together to addressing the most pressing global challenges (such as sustainability, clean water, gender equality and chronic diseases) in a multilateral context. The U7 Alliance includes universities from […]
Building an inclusive campus: A cross-border perspective
Society for College and University Planning, Seattle Washington (Professor Ono presented the first annual President’s Session during the yearly meeting of the Society for College and University Planning, which was held in Seattle, Washington, July 2019. This is a transcript from his session. He was introduced by Michael D. Moss, President, Society for College and […]
UBC’s Next Century: An update on the strategic plan
177 projects identified 21,347 students enrolled in enhanced courses $84 million raised for student awards and support for enhanced educational experiences This is just some of what we’ve achieved in the past year towards implementing our strategic plan: Shaping UBC’s Next Century. These achievements – and others – can be viewed (and downloaded as a […]
Statement regarding UBC’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
Over the past few weeks, university community members have expressed views on freedom of expression and academic freedom on campus, and UBC’s commitment to supporting equity and inclusion. On June 23, a controversial event booked by an organization external to UBC took place on the Vancouver campus, which was critical of Sexual Orientation and Gender […]
The President’s Medal of Excellence: 2019 Recipients
This week I had the honour of presenting the University of British Columbia President’s Medal of Excellence to four of the University’s strongest supporters. The President’s Medal is awarded to a person who has made a significant contribution to the purposes and ideals of the university. In particular: For members of the academic community, either […]
Episode 9: Congressional Hearings
The Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences was hosted at UBC from June 1st to the 7th, 2019. It’s the largest academic conference in Canada. As delegates shared big ideas, Santa and Margot discuss the future of higher education with Jessica Riddell of Bishop’s University. Blue and Goldcast · Blue And Goldcast Episode 9: […]
Changing My Mind: Margaret Trudeau on Mental Health
Earlier this month I had the privilege of introducing Margaret Trudeau at a talk she gave in downtown Vancouver on mental health. Trudeau – the former wife of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and the mother of the current prime minister, Justin Trudeau – had the audience spellbound as she frankly and courageously described her […]
“Never lose that sense of adventure, that sense of wonder”
As president of the University of British Columbia, it is my privilege to preside over graduation ceremonies at both the UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan campuses. Seeing the joy on the faces of the new graduates and the pride on the faces of their family members is an unforgettable experience. I also have the privilege […]
June 2019
Welcome Welcome to the first issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication to members of the UBC community. Highlights Graduation 2019 June 7 marked the completion of the Spring 2019 graduation ceremonies. Thousands of students received diplomas in the 28 ceremonies held at UBC Vancouver and 6 ceremonies at UBC Okanagan. In addition, we […]
June 2019
Welcome Welcome to the June 2019 Letter to the Board, a regular communication from the President to members of the UBC Board of Governors, issued in advance of regular meetings of the Board.You can view this email online at https://president.ubc.ca/communications/letter-to-the-board/, where you can also access previous issues. Highlights Graduation 2019 Last week marked the completion of […]
Welcoming Margaret Trudeau, author of Changing My Mind
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Good evening. When Margaret Trudeau wrote her courageous memoir, Changing My Mind, in 2010, she noted that three million Canadians suffered from serious depression and that only cardiac disease does more damage and draws more dollars from the health care budget than mental illness. Almost a decade later, not much has […]
Episode 8: Mental Health
Emily Jenkins still remembers the basketball coach that changed her life. Now, she’s an assistant professor at UBC’s School of Nursing, and works in youth mental health. Emily joins Santa and Margot to discuss how she wound up in this career, her collaborative work with young people, and how universities can help students and faculty […]
Episode 7: Squeezed
Why are younger Canadians feeling more squeezed than ever before? In this episode, UBC Associate Professor and founder of Generation Squeeze, Paul Kershaw, discusses the barriers between advocacy and academia. And we meet the new co-host of the Blue & Goldcast, Allard School of Law professor Margot Young. Blue and Goldcast · Blue And Goldcast […]
Blue and Goldcast: Talking about GenSqueeze
I’m delighted to announce that I have a new co-host for the Blue and Goldcast podcast. As you may know, my previous co-host, Jennifer Gardy, has left UBC to take on a new role as Deputy Director, Surveillance, Data, & Epidemiology at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I’d like to thank Jennifer for being […]
Science and Faith: Servant Leadership and the Secular University
Refreshing Streams: Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada Pacific Gateway Airport Hotel, Vancouver Good evening, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour and a privilege to be with you today. I’d like to start by acknowledging the staff, board, and leaders of CMDS Canada, and the local CMDS members who volunteered as members of organizing […]
Three Takeways from the Roundtable on Non-Market Housing Innovation
Last month, experts and leaders from various non-profit organizations and local governments from the non-market housing sector, and UBC leadership gathered at UBC to discuss one of the Lower Mainland’s most pressing challenges — housing affordability. I had the privilege of co-hosting the roundtable on housing, along with Dr. Penny Gurstein, the founding director of […]
The Liberal Arts in the 21st Century: More Important Than Ever
Carr Lecture St. Mark’s College, Vancouver Thank you, Dr. Meehan. It’s an honour to be here. I’m proud that UBC and St. Mark’s have been associated for over 60 years, while we’ve partnered with Corpus Christi almost 25 years. We not only share scholarship and resources, students and faculty, we share a common commitment to […]
15th Annual UBC Okanagan Learning Conference Keynote Closing Remarks
UBC Okanagan Thank you, Ananya, for your kind introduction. Good afternoon, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour and a privilege to be with you today. It’s definitely an exciting time to be part of UBC, especially UBC Okanagan. I’m sure you’re aware of the excitement about the UBC Okanagan 2040 plan, and I hope […]
Shaping UBC Okanagan’s Future
Whenever I’m at the UBC Okanagan campus, I can feel the excitement and the energy. It’s definitely an exciting time to be part of UBC, especially UBC Okanagan. A few weeks ago, the university’s Board of Governors enthusiastically endorsed a fascinating report from leadership at UBC Okanagan outlining the next 20 years of transformation for […]
Congress 2019: Canada’s biggest academic conference is coming to UBC
In just two short months an anticipated 10,000 attendees will arrive at our beautiful Vancouver campus for Congress 2019. Congress takes place June 1 to 7, and I can’t tell you how excited I am for this event – not only because it will be my first Congress experience – but also because it’s more […]
April 2019
Welcome Welcome to the April 2019 Letter to the Board, a regular communication from myself to members of the UBC Board of Governors, issued in advance of regular meetings of the Board.You can view this email online at https://president.ubc.ca/communications/letter-to-the-board/, where you can also access previous issues. Highlights UBC tops global university impact rankings I am proud […]
UBC gets global recognition for sustainability impact
I’m proud to announce that UBC has been ranked first in the world in university climate action and first in Canada (third in the world) for sustainable cities and communities in the first ever THE University Impact Rankings. UBC was singled out for its “research on climate change, use of energy and preparations for dealing […]
Episode 6: Living Lab
Can parking garages help us tackle climate change? On this episode, we look at how UBC has turned itself into a Living Lab. UBC Mechanical Engineering Professor Walter Merida explains to Santa Ono how UBC experiments with itself — with its buildings, its operations, and its surroundings — to develop innovative green technologies. Blue and Goldcast […]
Emeritus College Award Reception
I was honoured to be asked to attend the annual general meeting of the UBC Emeritus College on March 13, and to present the Award of Distinguished Service to Dr. Marguerite Chiarenza. (All photos by Martin Dee.)
What Music Means to Me
I was speaking to some students the other day and one of them asked “What does music mean to you? Is it just entertainment?” I was nonplussed for a moment. It was quite the question, and I wasn’t really sure how to answer. After a moment’s thought, I replied that music meant everything to me. […]
Thriving Communities: UBC’s Strategic Plan and You
Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver Thank you, Robert, for your kind introduction. Good afternoon, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour to be with you today. I’d like to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam, the Squamish and the Tsleil […]
TEDxUBC 2019: #NominateHer
Good morning! A few days ago, a very kind person indicated that he’d like to nominate me for a major prize. He said he felt I deserved it and that it would bring credit and a spotlight on UBC if I were selected as the laureate. I told him I was very flattered but would […]
Annual Giving – Faculty & Staff Appeal
Dear members of the UBC community, In 2017, UBC launched the Blue & Gold Campaign for Students, with the goal of raising $100 million in student support over three years. Since then, thousands of alumni, donors, faculty and staff have come together to support UBC students—making a difference in their lives by helping them to […]
Remarks at the Musqueam Flag Raising Ceremony
Good morning everyone and thank you for coming out today. As you may know, until now, UBC has marked National Indigenous Peoples Day by temporarily raising the flag of its host First Nation in place of the university’s flag. Last Fall, we raised the flag of the Okanagan Nation Alliance permanently at the UBC Okanagan […]
Musqueam Flag Raising Ceremony – February 25, 2019
February 25, 2019. All photos by Paul Joseph, UBC
Raising the Musqueam Flag: Acknowledging the past, recognizing our future responsibilities
Students, faculty, staff and visitors at UBC’s Vancouver campus may have noticed, and wondered, about the three flag poles standing bare at the foot of Student Union Boulevard. Wonder no more. On Monday, February 25, three flags will be raised at the site – the UBC flag, the provincial flag and the flag of […]
UBC Medicine: Looking to the Next 70 Years
Alan Bernstein Distinguished Lecture, Vancouver, BC (PDF: 2019 02 08 Alan Bernstein Distinguished Lecture) Good morning and thank you. It is an honour to be invited to give the Alan Bernstein Distinguished Lecture. Bernstein was the founding president of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and Executive Director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise. In […]
School Community Mental Health Conference 2019 Remarks
Vancouver, BC Thank you, Minister. Happy to be here and to discuss this important topic; one that is important to our country, to UBC, and to me personally. Mental health is a significant issue: one in five Canadians will have a mental health problem or illness this year. It’s a world-wide problem too, with growing […]
UBC Connects: Connecting UBC to the community
What do a bestselling novelist, a world-renowned physicist, a futurist and an Indigenous activist-athlete have in common? They are all “provocateurs” who are shaping the way people think about a broad range of issues. And they all participated in the first season of the UBC Connects speaker series last year. The talks by novelist Isabel […]
January 2019
Welcome Welcome to the first issue for 2019 of Letter to the Board, a regular communication from myself to members of the UBC Board of Governors, issued in advance of regular meetings of the Board. Highlights Alumni and Donor Engagement In December, I travelled to Asia to engage with donors and alumni in Hong Kong, […]
Episode 5: No More Silos
On the fifth episode of The Blue and Goldcast, Santa and Jen meet two professors who are charting a new path for higher education in Canada. Dave Ng, a biologist and associate director of the Michael Smith Laboratories and Allen Sens, a Professor of Teaching in UBC’s political science department teach ASIC 200, a class […]
2019 Lunar New Year Dinner Remarks
Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, Vancouver Thank you everyone, and thank you especially to Susan and Ken Chow. (To the Chows:) We are delighted to have you lead us through the program this evening. But UBC is also honoured and deeply grateful for your dedication and generosity all the other days of the year. I […]
Take the Cool Campus Challenge
UBC is participating in the BC Cool Campus Challenge, a fun and friendly initiative between BC universities and colleges to save energy this winter season. Across the province, post-secondary institutions are challenging each other to see who can gather the most pledges from students, staff, and faculty to help reduce our natural gas use and […]
Strategic Plan funding focuses on Indigenous, cross-campus initiatives
I am pleased to announce that 20 new pilot projects and change initiatives will be funded as part of the university’s commitment to implementing the strategic plan, UBC’s Next Century. Each proposal was reviewed by the responsible vice-president and associated advisory councils from each core area of the strategic plan (People and Places, Research Excellence, […]
UBC’s Emeritus College is the first of its kind in Canada
Welcome to 2019. I trust you have all had a good holiday break. I know I always feel energized and hopeful at the start of the New Year. January can indeed be invigorating. The days are getting perceptibly longer. Students, faculty and staff are back on campus, with renewed energy and enthusiasm, prepared once more […]