Community Update, June 27, 2022: End of Mask Mandate
Dear members of the UBC community. I hope that your summer is off to a great start. As you know, in April, we announced that masks had to be worn in indoor UBC public spaces until June 30. Since then, public health data has indicated that BC has passed the 6th wave of the pandemic. […]
Community Update: Mask Requirement Extended
Dear members of the UBC community, I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. As we near the end of the academic year, I would like to thank everyone for doing their part in keeping our campuses safe and […]
Community Update, April 1, 2022: Reducing Exam Stress
Dear members of the UBC community, I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Final exams will begin in a few weeks, and I realize that many of you will be anxious about how well you do. But […]
Community Update, March 11, 2022: Masks Still Required on UBC Campuses
Dear members of the UBC community, I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Yesterday, the BC Provincial Health Officer announced that the Public Health Order requiring masks to be worn in public indoor spaces is lifted as of […]
Statement on Russia and Ukraine
On behalf of the University of British Columbia, I am deeply concerned about Russia’s attacks on Ukraine and its impact on many of our university community members. These attacks are unwarranted, unprovoked, and unacceptable. We join Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan in deploring this illegal and unjust war, and echo the international community’s […]
Community Update, February 11, 2022: Thank You for a Safe Return to Campus
Dear members of the UBC community: I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. On Monday of this week, courses at UBC returned to the format in which they were originally scheduled. I want to thank everyone who has […]
Community Update, December 10, 2021: New paths toward meaningful reconciliation
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Earlier this week, I had the honour of signing, on UBC’s behalf, a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tŝilhqot’in National Government. The signing demonstrates our […]
Community Update, December 2, 2021: Envisioning Equality
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Last week we celebrated our first in-person graduation ceremonies since the fall of 2019. It was such a joy to greet the graduating students as […]
Community Update, November 18, 2021: Emergency Funding Available for Those Affected by Flooding
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. My thoughts are with everyone affected by this week’s devastating storms, flooding and mudslides. It’s at times like this that we see the best in […]
Community Update, November 12, 2021: Thanks to you, UBC is COVID safe
Dear members of the UBC community: I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. I am pleased to report that as of this week, 93.86 percent of UBC students, faculty and staff have declared their vaccination status and 96.39% […]
Community Update, November 4, 2021: Creating the most sustainable campuses in the world
Dear members of the UBC community: I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. COP26, the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, is now underway in Glasgow. I am proud to say that a delegation of eight […]
Community Update, October 20, 2021: Vaccination Declaration Non-Compliance
Dear members of the UBC community. I’m pleased to announce that eight weeks into the Fall term, we are continuing to do very well with regard to COVID-19. As of October 19, 95% of students, faculty and staff have declared their vaccination status. Of those who have declared, 96% have declared they are fully vaccinated […]
Community Update, October 15, 2021: Vaccination Clinics at UBC
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Last week, I thanked everyone for doing their part in keeping UBC COVID-safe. I’d like to repeat my thanks, as more and more members of […]
Community Update, October 8, 2021: Looking Forward to Celebrating Graduation In Person
Dear members of the UBC community. This coming weekend, Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday that marks the changing of the seasons, and a time to gather with family and friends and reflect on everything that we’re thankful for. This Thanksgiving, I’d like to thank you, the members of the UBC community, for coming together so […]
Community Update, September 24, 2021: Ending Sexual Violence
Dear members of the UBC community. The first month of the Fall term is almost over, and I am pleased to say that the return to campus has gone very smoothly. It’s great to see our campuses bustling with activity again. Earlier this week, UBC’s Board of Governors met to consider the University’s policies regarding […]
Community Update, September 16, 2021: Homecoming
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to acknowledge that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. I hope everyone is having a great September so far. I’ve really enjoyed seeing our campuses come to life as new students arrive for the first time, […]
Community Update, September 1, 2021: Vaccination is the key to a successful return to campus
Dear members of the UBC community. As the fall term begins, students, staff and faculty are preparing hard for the start of term, and we greatly appreciate all of your efforts. I would like to assure all students and their families that robust safety measures are in place to ensure a smooth and safe move […]
Community Update, August 27, 2021: Mandated Masks and Vaccinations
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to acknowledge that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Yesterday, I sent out a UBC Broadcast relating to vaccinations, masks and COVID-19 testing. I encourage you to read the message in full as it contains important […]
Community Update, August 20, 2021: Preparing our campuses for Fall 2021
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to acknowledge that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. It’s just a few weeks away from the start of the Fall term. If you’re coming to UBC for the first time, welcome! This is a significant […]
Update, August 13, 2021: Supporting Mandatory Indoor Masking and Vaccination
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to acknowledge that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. I have heard from many members of the UBC community asking for the university to introduce mandatory non-medical masks and vaccines for those returning to campus in […]
Community Update, July 16, 2021: Black Opportunity Fund
Dear members of the UBC community. I hope your summer is going well. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. As I mentioned in my last update in June, we are planning a phased approach to the return […]
Weekly Update: June 25, 2021: Return to Campus will be a transition, not an event
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. As you know, the Fall term begins in just a couple of months and like many of you, I’m looking forward to getting back to campus. […]
Weekly Update, June 18, 2021: The Anti-Asian Racism Forum is Over, But Our Work is Just Beginning
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Last week, UBC hosted a National Forum on Anti-Asian Racism. Thousands of people from across Canada and around the world participated in the virtual forum. […]
Weekly Update, May 28, 2021: Spring Graduation
Dear members of the UBC community. Earlier this week, Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry made it clear that BC’s Restart Plan depends on as many people as possible getting vaccinated. Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community from COVID-19 and getting life back to normal. If you haven’t […]
Weekly Update, May 21, 2021: Plans for Fall 2021
Dear members of the UBC community. As I noted in my UBC Broadcast earlier this week, we continue to work closely on our plans for the Fall with public health officials at the provincial and regional levels. You can find more details at broadcastemail.ubc.ca. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is optimistic that we will […]
Weekly Update, May 14, 2021: Join the Vaccine-Nation
Dear members of the UBC community. Today I’d like to talk about COVID-19 vaccinations. More than two million vaccine doses have already been administered in BC, and tens of thousands of people are getting their vaccines every day. Everyone over the age of 18 in British Columbia can now register for a vaccination appointment so, […]
Weekly Update, May 7, 2021: Asian Heritage Month
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. This is Asian Heritage Month; an opportunity for all Canadians to learn more about the many achievements and contributions of Canadians of Asian descent who, […]
Weekly Update, April 30, 2021: Let’s Bring SkyTrain to UBC
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Thanks to an unprecedented global effort, including leading work by UBC researchers to develop vaccines and strategies to combat COVID-19, the end of the pandemic […]
Weekly Update, April 23, 2021: UBC and Global Engagement
Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Earlier this month, UBC launched its new global engagement strategy, called In Service. We are unveiling this new strategy at a time of great change […]
Weekly Update, April 20, 2021: Planning for Fall 2021
Dear members of the UBC community. Last month UBC confirmed that we are planning for a return to on-campus activity for Winter Session, Term 1, with the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, and the public health teams in the health authorities. Dr. Henry has been clear that post-secondary institutions, such as […]
Weekly Update, April 9, 2021: Vaccination Clinic at UBC
Dear members of the UBC community. As you know, the vaccination drive against COVID-19 is well underway here in BC, across Canada and around the world. Both the federal and provincial governments have committed to widespread vaccine availability. BC is now in Phase 3 of the vaccine roll-out plan. Anyone, 18 or over, who wishes […]
Weekly Update, March 12, 2021: Planning for the Fall
Dear members of the UBC community. Earlier this week, Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, provided information for B.C. public post-secondary institutions to guide planning for a return to on-campus activity this fall. Based on current immunization timelines and vaccine approvals, and with strong and effective safety plans in place, I can confirm that UBC […]
Weekly Update, March 5, 2021: International Women’s Day
Dear members of the UBC community. On Monday, we will be celebrating International Women’s Day. (See what’s happening at UBC: https://events.ubc.ca/international-womens-day/) But I believe that every day should be International Women’s Day. Everything we do as a society depends upon the skills, talents and contributions of women around the world. I wouldn’t have achieved anything […]
Weekly Update, February 26, 2021
Dear members of the UBC community. Next week, March 1 to March 5 is SDG Week at UBC. SDG stands for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by world leaders in 2015 at a historic UN summit and came into effect on 1 January 2016. The goals call […]
Weekly Update: February 19, 2021
Dear members of the UBC community. I hope that everyone had a good Family Day break. And, if you are a student, I hope that you had a relaxing Reading Week. Reading Week is not only a chance to recharge your batteries; it’s also a time to start thinking ahead to the end of term […]
Weekly Update, February 12
Dear members of the UBC community. As you know, a little over a year ago, on December 5, 2019, UBC declared a climate emergency. As part of the declaration, I established a Climate Emergency Task Force with a mandate to consolidate input from both in-person and online consultations into a public report. Despite the exceptional […]
Weekly Update, February 5, 2021
Dear members of the UBC community. As you know, a little over a year ago, on December 5, 2019, UBC declared a climate emergency. As part of the declaration, I established a Climate Emergency Task Force with a mandate to consolidate input from both in-person and online consultations into a public report. I am pleased […]
Weekly Update, February 1, 2021: Black History Month
Dear members of the UBC community. I’d like to start off by congratulating Dr. Susan Porter, Dean and Vice-Provost, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, on receiving the Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education from the Council of Graduate Schools, for her passionate advocacy and invaluable contributions to UBC and the international graduate […]
Weekly Update, January 22, 2021
Dear members of the UBC community. We begin the new year with hope, and anticipation of a better year ahead. Already, many vulnerable seniors and frontline workers have been vaccinated in British Columbia, and we can look forward to more widescale vaccination against COVID in the coming months. But just because vaccination has begun, it […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
An innovative start to the Year of the Rooster
Yesterday, I was honoured to be named British Columbia’s first Chief Advisor: Innovation Network, and to be appointed to the Premier’s Technology Council. The announcement was made at DarkVision Technologies in North Vancouver, a terrific example of a BC-born, innovation-driven company. As Chief Advisor, I will work with leaders in industry and post-secondary education and research to transform […]
Statement on Appointment as Chief Advisor for the BC Innovation Network
Thank you, Premier Clark. Good morning everyone. I’m delighted to be here today at DarkVision Technologies, a terrific example of a BC-born, innovation-driven company. The products being developed here may well change the operations of oil and gas companies around the world. I’m also proud to be standing here with Stephen who just happens to […]