February 2020

February 6, 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

In December 2019, UBC declared a Climate Emergency. At the time of the Declaration I announced that I would establish a climate emergency community engagement process to provide the UBC community with opportunities to come together to consider the full scope of our impact and align UBC’s emissions reductions plans with 1.5oC; to embrace the need for a managed decline of fossil fuel use and a rapid and just transition to a sustainable economy that also aligns with UNDRIP; to infuse climate justice throughout our activities, priorities, and decision-making frameworks; and to support community coping and adaptation in the face of climate crisis

Details on the community engagement process will be announced soon but the three pillars of the process will include:

  1. Establishing a Climate Emergency Community Engagement Taskforce, which will oversee the community consultation process.
  2. Various opportunities for the UBC community to provide input and initiate action through conversations across campus, a resource website and a larger campus-wide town hall.
  3. A public report that defines the pillars of climate emergency and outlines recommended actions which emerged from the engagement process.

Since early January, a core working group has been assembled to oversee the execution of these pillars. The working group includes representation from the Climate Hub, Campus and Community Planning, UBC Communications, VP Students, VP Research and Innovation, VP Academic and the President’s Office.  Actions in progress include: recruitment of new Climate Hub staff to help lead the process; establishment of the Climate Emergency Community Engagement Taskforce; assembly of critical communications and engagement support across campus; and content creation for toolkits to support conversations within and across academic departments, campus communities, and staff units.

I will provide a full update at the February 14 board meeting.

UBC Most International University in North America

UBC is the 18th most international university in the world and the most international university in North America according to Times Higher Education.  https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/most-international-universities-world. I’m proud of UBC’s global initiatives, support for international students and outward-looking faculty, students and staff.

Beaty Biodiversity Museum and Musqueam First Nation Honoured

Congratulations to the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and the Musqueam First Nation on being awarded 2019 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! for their exhibition Perspectives on Biodiversity: Sturgeon Harpoon Knowledge Map, curated by Yukiko Stranger-Galey and Jason Woolman.

The innovative exhibit explores the complex and sophisticated web of knowledge and relationships that surround any one species or belonging, presenting and preserving a significant part of British Columbia’s history and cultural heritage. You can find out more at  gg.ca/en/media/news/2020/governor-generals-history-awards-be-presented-rideau-hall and canadashistory.ca/awards/governor-general-s-history-awards/award-recipients/2019/perspectives-on-biodiversity-sturgeon-harpoon-knowledge-web.

UBC Press tops Hill Times’ list of 100 best non-fiction books

Almost a quarter – 23 – of the 100 books on the Hill Times’ list of the best non-fiction books of 2019 were published by UBC Press, far outpacing University of Toronto Press (eight books) and McGill-Queens (seven). I’m proud of UBC Press and its accomplishments. UBC Press, which celebrates 40 years of publishing in 2021, remains the scholarly publisher of choice. See https://www.hilltimes.com/2019/12/16/the-hill-times-100-best-non-fiction-canadian-books-2019/228174 (paywall).

Nadine Caron named founding First Nations Health Authority Chair in Cancer and Wellness

Dr. Nadine Caron — Canada’s first female First Nations general surgeon — has been appointed to a newly created UBC position dedicated to improving cancer outcomes and wellness among Indigenous peoples. As the founding First Nations Health Authority Chair (FNHA) in Cancer and Wellness at UBC, Caron will examine the journeys and unique needs of Indigenous cancer patients, survivors and their families.

UBC Okanagan gets new daycare spaces

Thanks in part to support from the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, the University Children’s Learning Centre at UBC Okanagan will soon add space for 20 more children. Currently the facility has space for 37 children. It’s the first major expansion of the daycare since it opened 27 years ago. You can read more about the daycare expansion at https://news.ok.ubc.ca/2019/12/06/province-and-ubc-fund-major-daycare-expansion/

Biological Sciences Building Opened

Last month, we celebrated the official opening of the Biological Sciences Building North and East Wings (Undergraduate Life Sciences Teaching Laboratories). The facility provides a consolidated home for the undergraduate students and teaching faculty in UBC’s life sciences teaching programs. More than 2,000 undergraduate students are enrolled in life sciences programs at UBC.

A key benefit of the new building is the ability to make new and unexpected connections across the life sciences disciplines, with the goal of enhancing and expanding teaching expertise and knowledge. Together in one space, faculty members are empowered to share approaches and ideas about pedagogical innovations, and develop new teaching innovations such as expanding and developing student research opportunities in enriched educational experiences. The newly renovated and expanded facility includes classrooms, teaching laboratories, lab support areas, plant and specimen collection areas, offices, and a 240-seat lecture theatre.

The project was made possible by joint federal-provincial funding through the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund.

 

Cloud Innovation Centre

Last month also saw the opening of the UBC Community Health and Wellbeing Cloud Innovation Centre. The CIC is the first of its kind in Canada, and provides UBC students, staff, and faculty access to cloud technology to advance projects, along with employing Amazon’s innovation processes. The UBC Community Health and Wellbeing CIC gives student teams, supported by staff and faculty, the opportunity to use leading cloud technology from AWS to unlock results for challenge projects faster and generate new insights for our community.

Allison MacFarlane new director of School of Public Policy and Global Affairs

Congratulations to Dr. Allison MacFarlance, the new director of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. She begins her five-year term on July 1 and comes to UBC from the George Washington University, where she is currently Professor of Science Policy and International Affairs, Director of the Institute for International Science and Technology Policy, and Director of the International Science and Technology Policy Master’s program at the university’s Elliott School of International Affairs. See https://sppga.ubc.ca/news/meet-dr-allison-m-macfarlane-the-new-director-of-the-ubc-school-of-public-policy-and-global-affairs/

 UBC Connects enters third season

The UBC Connects lecture series begins its third season on March 2 with “The Middle Eastern Monologues” – a talk by Bassem Youssef. Formerly a heart surgeon, he shot to fame in 2011 as the “Jon Stewart of the Arab World.” In this talk at the Vancouver Playhouse, Youssef shares his experience as a doctor-turned-satirist during the most uncertain time in the Middle East. He’ll be followed by American political philosopher Michael Sandel on April 6. Go to https://events.ubc.ca/ubc-connects/ for more information.

UBC Okanagan appointments

Congratulations to Ian Cull on his appointment as the first senior advisor to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal on Indigenous Affairs. In his new role, Ian will play a pivotal role in building consistent, open channels of communication with faculty, staff and students, Indigenous communities, senior leadership, and those involved in Indigenous programming and initiatives.

Ian is stepping down from his role as Associate Vice-President Students to take up the new position. Michelle Lowton, the director of student development, will serve as interim AVP Students while the search for a new Associate Vice-President is underway.

 

Congratulations Order of Canada recipients

I would like to congratulate all the UBC-associated appointees to the Order of Canada, including emeriti professors Donald Mavinic and James Zidek, former track and field coach Diane Clement, former faculty member Eddy Carmack, and alumni John Clague, Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, Nadir Mohamed, Michael Potter and Harry Swain. UBC is proud of you!

 

Thunderbirds Basketball Coaches Make History

Congratulations to Deb Huband and Kevin Hanson, respectively the coaches of the UBC Thunderbirds women’s and men’s basketball teams. In just a few days last month they each acheived the most wins in Canada West History.

Hanson now has 314 regular season win (and counting!), while Huband has 338 victories. I’m proud of both of them, and of their players.

Pharmacy Practice Skills Centre Opened

The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences recently celebrated the grand opening of the In-Patient Pharmacy Practice Skills Centre. The new centre will prepare Pharmaceutical Sciences students for institutional practice as it simulates a true hospital ward. PPSC-Inpatient will greatly assist in the teaching of physical assessment for students and pharmacists seeking advanced clinical skills training. I congratulate Dean Michael Coughtrie and his team on this impressive new facility.

As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments. I look forward to seeing you at the full meeting of the Board on February 14.

Santa J. Ono
President and Vice-Chancellor