UBC’s response to sentencing of alumna Loujain Al-Hathloul
The University of British Columbia is profoundly disappointed by today’s news that Loujain Al-Hathloul has been sentenced to five years and eight months in prison, with two years and 10 months suspended. Ms. Al-Hathloul, who graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Arts in 2014, was among several women’s rights activists who were arrested and […]
Episode 13: Order in the Court
https://soundcloud.com/ubc_blue_and_goldcast/episode-13-order-in-the-court UBC President Santa Ono talks to Professor Camden Hutchison from the Peter A. Allard School of Law about the differences and similarities between the Supreme Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of the USA. Download the transcript here.
Securing a “sustainable tomorrow”: How Servant Leadership strengthens UBC
Chief Human Resources Officer Executive Summit Vancouver I am delighted to be able to join you today from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam First Nation, here in Vancouver, BC. It’s an honor to be included in your important conversations around best practices in human resources—especially in the area of organizational leadership. […]
Update on UBC’s Evolving Relationship with the RCMP
Earlier this year, the university made a number of commitments to address issues of systemic racism and ensure we are fostering an inclusive and equitable community for our students, faculty and staff. We’ve made significant progress – much of which is detailed in this recent post announcing the appointment of our new co-executive leads for […]
Weekly Update, December 11, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. This will be my final update for the year 2020. And what a year it has been! It’s traditional at this time of year for many […]
Update: Extending the SkyTrain to UBC
As 2020 comes to a close, I’m pleased to be turning my attention to a fresh new year and what it will bring for the university and our community. While we continue to tackle the immediate challenges presented by COVID-19, I am eagerly looking ahead to the day when we can safely welcome everyone back […]
Weekly Update, December 4, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. I’d like to share the news that for most programs the winter break has been extended until January 11. Students should keep an eye out for […]
Weekly Update, November 26, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. In a few short weeks, exams will begin for UBC students. Exam time is always stressful of course, but this year, you may find it more […]
November-December 2020
Welcome Welcome to the November/December 2020 issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication to the UBC community. Highlights UBC Research and COVID Fall Graduation Installation of Chancellor Point Handel Kashope Wright Appointed as Senior Advisor on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence UBC in Top 30 in the World for Graduate Employability University Presidents Meet to […]
November-December 2020
Welcome Welcome to the November/December 2020 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. UBC Research and COVID UBC has a connection to the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine that was recently announced as showing a high rate of effectiveness. The vaccine relies on innovations developed by Acuitas Therapeutics, […]
Weekly Update, November 20, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Lately we’ve heard hopeful news about COVID-19 vaccines, with two of the groups working on a vaccine announcing promising results. However, it will be months before […]
Weekly Update, November 13, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Chers membres de la communauté de l’UBC. J’aimerais commencer par vous dire que je m’adresse à vous depuis le territoire traditionnel et non cédé du peuple Musqueam. […]
Episode 12: UBC as a Climate Leader
https://soundcloud.com/ubc_blue_and_goldcast/episode-12-ubc-as-a-climate-leader This week on the Blue & Goldcast, Santa talks to Dr. Walter Mérida, the president’s senior advisor on climate, as well as the director of the Clean Energy Research Centre. Dr. Mérida and Santa sit down to discuss how UBC can continue its role as a climate leader in Canada and beyond. You can […]
Weekly Update, November 6, 2020
Dear members of the UBC Community: I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Je voudrais commencer par reconnaître que je vous parle depuis les territoires traditionnels et non cédés des peuples Musqueam. As you know, this week we switched […]
Weekly Update: October 30, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. Earlier this week, I provided an update on steps we are taking to address issues of equity, diversity and inclusion and to identify and address gaps in supporting racialized students, faculty and staff. Those steps include creating a new position, Senior Advisor to the President on Race and Inclusive […]
Addressing Issues of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: An Update
UBC remains deeply committed to tackling issues of equity, diversity and inclusion in our core academic mission and to identifying and addressing gaps in supporting racialized students, faculty and staff to succeed. An inclusive university is one which actively confronts and overcomes systemic barriers faced by different groups and enables everyone to realize their full […]
Weekly Update: October 23, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community: On November 2, the way we work together will change, with the launch of Workday for Finance and Human Resources. The road towards implementation of Workday has been a long one, with reviews of the university’s systems starting over a decade ago. When the Integrated Renewal Program kicked off […]
TESS Online 2020: Flexibility, feedback and forgiveness: Lessons in humanity from UBC’s digital learning frontlines
eCampus Ontario Thank you for that kind welcome, Daniel. I am truly honored to be able to join you today from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam First Nation, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean here in Vancouver, BC. It is always a privilege to be included in important conversations about […]
Weekly Update: October 16, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you had a chance to relax with your loved ones, whether in person or virtually. I’d like to thank you again for observing UBC’s COVID-19 protocols. Thanks to you, we are keeping healthy and safe and bending the curve. […]
Update on Systemic Bias and Anti-Racism in Higher Education Sessions
Last week, our senior leadership team attended a series of learning and dialogue activities on Systemic Bias and Anti-Racism in Higher Education. I invited Professor Malinda Smith, recently appointed the Vice Provost, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at the University of Calgary, and my EDI team (Dr. Sara-Jane Finlay, Dr. Minelle Mahtani, and Dr. Sheryl Lightfoot), […]
Weekly Update: October 2, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community: As we begin the second month of the fall semester, I’m grateful to see that UBC students, faculty and staff are all doing their part to ensure that our university remains COVID free. To my knowledge, most students, faculty and staff have been wearing masks on campus, and people […]
Voting in the 2020 BC Provincial Election
British Columbians will elect a new provincial government on Saturday, October 24, 2020. While this is the official Election Day, there are options to vote by mail or during advance voting days. Every eligible member of the UBC community is encouraged to take part in the provincial election. For the 2020 BC Provincial Election, the […]
Episode 11: Land & Food Systems Roundtable
Blue and Goldcast · Episode 11: Land & Food Systems Roundtable This week on the Blue and Goldcast, join Santa and guests for a roundtable discussion about how the Faculty of Land and Food Systems is integrating anti-racist and social equity frameworks into the natural sciences, while partnering with communities along the way. Dr. […]
Weekly Update: September 25, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. Just over half a year ago, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic and B.C.’s provincial health officer declared a public health emergency. In the past six months, COVID-19 has had a profound impact on all of us, on individuals, on cities, provinces and nations, […]
September 2020
Welcome Welcome to the September 2020 issue of of Letter from Santa, a regular communication to the UBC community. In this newsletter I will give a brief summary of the most significant COVID-19 developments, as well as other news from UBC. Highlights COVID-19 and UBC Fall Graduation Indigenous Strategic Plan Anti-Racism Web Page New […]
Weekly Update: September 21, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community: As you know, since September 16, masks have been required on UBC campuses. I’ve been impressed by how quickly the university community – students, faculty, staff and visitors – have adapted to the new requirements. Thank you everyone for doing your part to stop the spread of COVID-19. But […]
September 2020
Welcome Welcome to the September 2020 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. In this newsletter I will give a brief summary of the most significant COVID-19 developments, as well as other news from UBC. COVID-19 and UBC For Winter Session, Term 2, programming will […]
Welcome Back to the Blue & Goldcast!
I’m delighted to let you know that the Blue and Goldcast, my regular podcast series where I sit down with students, faculty and staff to discuss a wide range of topics, has resumed after taking a short break. We’ve recorded several new episodes, which will be released over the next few months (we’ll be recording […]
Episode 10: The Indigenous Strategic Plan
Blue and Goldcast · Episode 10: The Indigenous Strategic Plan On September 14th, UBC launched its 2021 Indigenous Strategic Plan. On this episode of Blue & Goldcast, Santa Ono sits down with Dr. Sheryl Lightfoot. She was one of the driving forces behind the strategic plan, and is Santa’s senior advisor on Indigenous Affairs. […]
Celebrating the Indigenous Strategic Plan
UBC Vancouver Unceded Territories of the Musqueam People Thank you, Coastal Wolf Pack, Elder Grant, Drs. Lightfoot and Moss for your warm welcomes. I would like to thank the UBC community for providing their input and sharing their opinions. Thank you in particular to the ISP planning team, especially Drs. Lightfoot and Moss for the […]
Weekly Update: September 14, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community: Recently, the number of COVID-19 cases in British Columbia has been increasing dramatically. This past Friday alone, there were 132 new cases. Hospitalization from COVID-19 are at their highest in four months. We all must do what we can to fight COVID19. Therefore, UBC is implementing a new measure […]
Welcome Back, UBC
Dear members of the UBC community. Welcome to the new academic year. I hope you’ve had a good summer. Whether you’re a new or returning student, a faculty member or a staff member, this year will be like none we’ve ever experienced before. But even though this year will be different, we have been working […]
Back to School 2020
Welcome Welcome to the Back to School issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication to the UBC community. In this newsletter I will discussing our plans for welcoming students, faculty and staff back to school this Fall. Highlights Welcome Back Celebrate the new school year at UBC! Federal Funding Annoucements Re-Appointment as President […]
Weekly Update, August 28: Welcome New Students
Dear members of the UBC community. It’s hard to believe that it’s almost September. In just a few days we’ll be starting the Fall term. I look forward to this time of year. One of the reasons I like September is because I have the privilege of welcoming new first year and transfer students to […]
Weekly Update: August 21, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I hope your summer is going well. It’s hard to believe, but the summer is almost over, and soon the Fall term will start. Of course, it will be a very different back to school than we’re used to. I’ll be providing more information on that in the next […]
Looking Forward to the Next Five Years
Dear members of the UBC community. Earlier this month the university’s board of governors ratified my reappointment as president and vice-chancellor of UBC for a second five-year term. I would like to thank the Board for their confidence in me, and I look forward to working with them, along with all of you, to help […]
Statement on Tragic Events in Beirut
On behalf of the UBC community, I wish to express my condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the tragic events that took place in Beirut, and I wish a speedy and complete recovery to all those who were injured. My thoughts are also with the members of UBC’s Lebanese community. Please […]
Summer 2020 Newsletter
Welcome Welcome to the Summer 2020 issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication to the UBC community. In this newsletter I will give a brief summary of the most significant COVID-19 developments, as well as other news from UBC. Highlights COVID-19 and UBC New Board Chair Systemic Racism Audain Chair in Historical Indigenous […]
Weekly Update: July 24, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community: I hope you’re all having a good summer. It’s hard to believe, but September is only six weeks away, so today I’d like to update you on our plans for the fall. As I mentioned before, this fall, UBC will primarily offer larger classes online with selected smaller […]
July 2020
Welcome Welcome to the July 2020 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. In this newsletter I will give a brief summary of the most significant COVID-19 developments, as well as other news from UBC. COVID-19 and UBC Preparations are underway for the Fall term, […]
Statement on Incident Involving UBC Okanagan Student
I was distressed and shocked by the video footage of the RCMP wellness check on Mona Wang. In my earlier statements, I reaffirmed UBC’s commitment to equity and inclusion and my firm belief that diversity is our strength. Every member of our community has a role to play in opposing hatred, oppression, violence and injustice, […]
Weekly Update: July 10, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. In recent years, certain individuals have either been invited to speak or have requested to speak on campus. This has resulted in a robust conversation on controversial speakers whose views are deeply offensive and hurtful to members of our community. Such views, when expressed on campus, also threaten to […]
Update on UBC’s Approach to Controversial Speaker Bookings
Dear members of the UBC community: In recent years, certain individuals have either been invited to speak or have requested to speak on campus. This has resulted in a robust conversation on controversial speakers whose views are deeply offensive and hurtful to members of our community. Such views, when expressed on campus, also threaten to […]
Statement on International Pride Month
Dear members of the UBC community: As we reflect on international Pride Month and anticipate Vancouver’s upcoming Pride celebrations, we recognize it as a time to celebrate and honour 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer (or Questioning), Intersex, Asexual) lives. It’s also a time to reflect on and affirm our commitments to make UBC […]
Weekly Update: June 26, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I hope you’re all doing well. Like many of you, I was disturbed by the violence depicted in a video of a police wellness check in January involving a student in the community. I condemn the behaviour shown in the video and the use of excessive force in any […]
Moving Forward
Dear members of the UBC community: This past weekend, Michael Korenberg, the Chair of the Board of Governors, informed the Board and the University that he was stepping down after social media interactions that, in his own words, “thoughtlessly supported regressive voices which are attempting to discredit broad-based, legal and necessary protest.” We acknowledge both […]
Statement on National Indigenous Peoples Day
On National Indigenous Peoples Day, I would like to celebrate the diverse and unique cultures and contributions of Indigenous people in Canada, British Columbia and at UBC. I want to take this moment to honour and celebrate, in particular, the Musqueam and Syilx peoples on whose traditional and unceded territories the main UBC campuses have […]
Weekly Update: June 19, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. Earlier this week, we held our first ever Virtual Graduation Ceremony. I was proud to participate in the event and to celebrate, along with their families and friends, the accomplishments of the members of the class of 2020. I hope you had the chance to watch one or both […]
June 2020 Newsletter
Welcome Welcome to the June 2020 issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication to members of the UBC community. Over the past few weeks, our attention has been focused on anti-racism and the COVID-19 pandemic. In this newsletter I will address both of these as well as other news from UBC. Highlights COVID-19 and UBC […]
Welcome to Steven Lewis Point; Farewell to Lindsay Gordon
I’m delighted to welcome the Honourable Steven Lewis Point as UBC’s 19th Chancellor. I’d also like to say farewell and thank you to Lindsay Gordon, who has served as Chancellor with great distinction for the past six years. Dr. Point, who assumes his role on July 1, is not only a UBC graduate and honourary […]
UBC Committee on Systemic Racism
UBC and systemic racism Recent events, including the incident involving a UBC graduate student, have brought to light the pervasiveness of systemic racism, and in particular anti-Black racism. When any population on campus does not feel included, respected, and engaged, it impacts their experience and their capacity to change the world. Since my statement on […]
Weekly Update: June 12, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. It’s just twelve short weeks before the beginning of the Fall term, and UBC faculty and staff are busy preparing to welcome back thousands of new and returning students. This year UBC will be welcoming students from across Canada and from over one hundred and fifty countries around the […]
June 2020
Welcome Welcome to the June 2020 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. Naturally, most of our attention – along with the rest of the world – has been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. In this newsletter I will give a brief summary of the […]
Touring Brent Sparrow’s ʔəlqsən art installation
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of meeting with Brent Sparrow Jr. to view his newest public art installation on the UBC Vancouver campus. Brent is a member of the Musqueam community and ʔəlqsən (Point Grey) is his first public art installation cast in bronze. The installation is comprised of 10 cast bronze panels […]
Weekly Update: June 5, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community, I hope things continue to go well for you. As you know, the recent anti-black and anti-Asian violence in communities across North America has focused our attention on deeply rooted racism in Canada and globally. UBC itself is not immune to racism and injustice. Earlier this week, I […]
Together against Racism and Injustice
Dear UBC community: Recent anti-Black and anti-Asian violence in communities across North America has focused our attention on the deeply rooted racism in Canada and globally. UBC itself is not immune to racism and injustice. As a university, we need to make it crystal clear that racism and bias have no place in our community […]
Weekly Update: May 29, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I hope that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. What a difference a year makes. This time last year, the Vancouver campus was alive with the excitement of graduation – as thousands of graduates and their families came to UBC to celebrate. And students, faculty […]
Weekly Update: May 22, 2020
Dear members of the UBC community. I hope that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. We’ve seen in the news lately that we’re definitely flattening the curve here in BC – thanks to all of us doing our part – and the province is gradually beginning to re-open. Not only that, […]
Weekly Update: May 15, 2020
Dear Members of the UBC Community: I hope you and your loved ones are well. This week the university made three important announcements as it and the province start phased returns. First, we told you about the status of the fall term. As you know, COVID-19 required the university to shift to online instruction in […]
Weekly Update: May 8, 2020
> Dear Members of the UBC Community: I hope you and your loved ones are well. The university made the very difficult decision in March to cancel in-person graduation ceremonies in order to follow provincial health guidelines. We promised then we would work on a virtual ceremony so we can honour our graduating students for […]
Guest Post: Working in the President’s Office
Today, I’m handing over my blog to Emily Fuchs, who started as a work-learn student in our office last September and who will be graduating in June. It’s been a joy working with Emily, and I wish her all the best. – Santa J. Ono You’ll find the Office of the President on the seventh floor […]
Weekly Update: May 1, 2020
Dear Members of the UBC Community: I hope you and your loved ones are well. The health and wellbeing of our university community remains UBC’s top priority and we continue to follow the expert guidance of our Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, as we work together to limit the spread of COVID-19. With physical […]
Weekly Update: April 24, 2020
Dear Members of the UBC Community: I hope that you and your loved ones are well. I want to begin with excellent news for our UBC students, indeed for students across Canada. On Wednesday the federal government announced a nine billion dollar student aid package in recognition of the economic impact of COVID-19. The proposed […]
COVID-19: UBC and the Community
Over this past month, our everyday lives have changed in ways we never could have imagined. Here at UBC, faculty, staff and students have worked together on the enormous task of moving many of the University’s core functions online. With great sacrifice and understanding, you have paused research, classroom teaching, and other important work that, […]
Weekly Update: April 17, 2020
Dear Members of the UBC Community: I hope that you and your loved ones are well. Six long weeks ago we issued a bulletin to our campuses telling you all to go to ubc.ca for travel and health information related to COVID-19. Looking back, it’s incredible to see how much has changed for the university […]
April 2020
Welcome Welcome to the April 2020 issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication to members of the UBC community. Naturally, most of our attention – along with the rest of the world – has been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. In this newsletter I will give a brief summary of the most significant COVID-19 […]
COVID-19 Remarks to the April 16 2020 Board of Governors Meeting
Good morning everyone. Thank you for joining us for this meeting via zoom video conference. I will give high-level remarks this morning regarding COVID-19 and the extraordinary impact it has had on our university, our province, our nation and the world. I trust you have received my regular communications via broadcast email, our newsletter UBC […]
April 2020
Welcome Welcome to the April 2020 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. Naturally, most of our attention – along with the rest of the world – has been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. In this newsletter I will give a brief summary of the […]
COVID-19: A Message to International Students
Dear international students, I want to take this opportunity to speak to you directly in what I know are very challenging times for you, as they are for all of us at UBC. International students in Vancouver and the Okanagan are facing unique struggles right now. I know some of you are also experiencing financial […]
Weekly Update: April 9, 2020
Dear Members of the UBC Community: I hope that you and your loved ones are well and that you are safe and physically distancing. Before I begin, I’d like to wish all of our students, both at UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver, all the best for their final exams. I have a few items to […]
Weekly Update: April 3, 2020
Dear Members of the UBC Community: I hope that you and your loved ones are well and that you are staying safe. First, I’d like to share some good news. A few UBC faculty members, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students were caught in a travel ban in Peru. At least one faculty member and one […]
Weekly Update: March 27, 2020
Dear Members of the UBC Community: First of all, I want you to know that I’ve been thinking about you over this past week. I know that UBC, like the whole world, has been under tremendous stress during these challenging times. I hope that you and your loved ones are well and that you […]
Spring Graduation: An Update
Many people, including students, faculty and staff, have been asking about the university’s plans for one of the highlights of the year, spring graduation. Today, I’d like to update you on our plans for this special event. I love graduation. Seeing our graduating students celebrating with their loved ones, always fills me with pride. This […]
A Message to Students: The importance of physical distancing
Dear students, As you know, the university, the region and the country are working as hard as possible to flatten the curve of COVID-19’s spread in the population. Everyone has a role to play – including you. Our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and our Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, have been very clear – […]
COVID-19 Update: Working Together We Will Meet The Challenges We Face
Dear Members of the UBC Community: The COVID-19 crisis has created a challenge that none of us could imagine even several weeks ago. There are many issues that we are all currently dealing with as a university, as a region, as a nation and globally. I wanted to reach out at this time to connect […]
Transition to online classes at UBC
As you know, governments and institutions around the world are grappling with the spread and impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. The situation continues to evolve and it has become an unprecedented scenario for the university. Today I am announcing the transition to online classes effective Monday March 16, 2020 for the remainder of the […]
Community update on UBC’s response to COVID-19
I’m writing to update the community on UBC’s response to the quickly evolving situation with COVID-19. UBC is a community and it’s important for our community to know that our number one priority is to ensure our students, faculty and staff are supported and safe, whether in British Columbia or abroad. For updated information on […]
Repatriating Cultural Property: A Priority for UBC
Last week I had the honour to speak at a meeting of the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, held at the First Nations Longhouse and the Museum of Anthropology at UBC Vancouver. The meeting was organized by Dr. Sheryl Lightfoot, Canada Research Chair of Global Indigenous Rights and Politics, and […]
UBC: Among the Best in the World
The prestigious QS World University Subject Rankings have just been released and I’m proud to say that the University of British Columbia has shown a remarkable upward trajectory in the rankings over the past three years. This upward trajectory – which has resulted in UBC placing in the top 25 universities globally in 13 subjects […]
Robert H. Lee, CM, OBC, 1933-2020
It is with deep sadness and a great sense of loss that we learned of the passing of Dr. Robert (Bob) H. Lee, CM, OBC, former Chancellor of UBC and Chairman of UBC Properties Trust on February 19, 2020. I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to Bob’s family on behalf of the entire […]
February 2020
Welcome Welcome to the February 2020 issue of Letter from Santa, a regular communication to members of the UBC community. Highlights Climate Emergency Update UBC Most International University in North America Beaty Biodiversity Museum and Musqueam First Nation Honoured UBC Press tops Hill Times’ list of 100 best non-fiction books Nadine Caron named founding First […]
February 2020
Welcome Welcome to the February 2020 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC Board of Governors. Highlights Climate Emergency Update UBC Most International University in North America Beaty Biodiversity Museum and Musqueam First Nation Honoured UBC Press tops Hill Times’ list of 100 best non-fiction books Nadine Caron […]
This is What Hope Looks Like
Third Space Life Charity Willowstone Academy, Kelowna Thank you everybody for being here this evening in support of an issue that is close to my heart: student mental health and wellbeing. This conversation is timely; as you may know, yesterday was Bell Let’s Talk Day. UBC participates in this program, which raises funds for […]
Choose to Reuse
At this time of year, a hot beverage is one of life’s simple pleasures. That ritual is even more satisfying if it’s done sustainably. I’m proud that the UBC Vancouver community is making a change this month: reducing the use of disposable coffee cups and plastic food ware. We’re encouraging students, faculty and staff to […]
Global University, Global Family
Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, UBC Vancouver campus Thank you, Sheldon for the kind introduction. Sheldon and Emelda, we are delighted that you have joined us all the way from Hong Kong for tonight’s event. Your enduring commitment to UBC is truly appreciated—and speaks to the global reach of our UBC community. Thank you for […]
UBC launches Iranian Student Memorial Award
The University of British Columbia is today launching the Iranian Student Memorial Award, a new endowment to honour the legacy of those who died aboard flight PS752, including four members of our own UBC community. The award, established with the help of the Iranian‐Canadian community, will provide awards annually to students in memory of the […]
National remembrance of those lost in Iran
Universities across Canada will join together in a moment of silence to recognize those lost and affected by the crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752. I ask that students, faculty and staff please pause and remember the victims, and consider the impact the impact on their families, loved ones and communities across the country […]
Update: Next Steps Following Climate Emergency Declaration and Commitment to Divestment
Summary Statement The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time and UBC wants to ensure that our community and the public is informed of the actions that the university is taking as a leader in sustainability and climate action. This update provides the context of President Santa Ono’s Climate Emergency […]
Flags lowered in memory of victims of Flight 752 tragedy
Flags have been lowered on UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses today in memory of those who died in the Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 tragedy in Iran, including four members of our UBC community. It is with great sadness that I can now report the death of alumna Niloofar Razzaghi who graduated with a Bachelor […]
Statement on UIA 752 Tragedy
I am profoundly saddened to confirm that two former UBC students are among those reportedly killed in the Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 tragedy in Iran. Details of this incident are still developing, but the names of Zeynab Asadi Lari and Mohammadhossein Asadi Lari appear on the flight manifest. Zeynab enrolled at UBC in 2016 […]