June 2022
Welcome Welcome to the June 2022 issue of Letter to the Board, a regular communication to members of the UBC community. Highlights Peter A. Allard, QC, 1946 – 2022 Welcome Arig al Shaibah Thanks to our Donors and Alumni New UBC Vancouver student residences opens with gifted names from Musqueam Province invests $50m in […]
Let’s Talk About Mental Health
Mental illness affects every one of us, either directly or through those we love. And it affects people of all ages and walks of life, including members of the UBC community. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in Canada for those between the ages of 15 and 24, and the second leading cause […]
Holiday Reflections: Honouring our commitments
The holiday season is a good time to reflect back on the year that has gone and to look forward to the year ahead. Looking back, the past year has seen a number of significant accomplishments, most notably the endorsement of the new UBC strategic plan, Shaping UBC’s Next Century. Other milestones included the opening […]
Welcome to UBC!
Welcome to UBC! You’re joining a special community – a community of 65,000 students – students like you, who come from more than 150 countries to study at one of the top universities in the world. You’re starting on an exciting period in your lives. You will meet new friends, discover new interests. Maybe, […]
Well-being: Giving the next generation the support they need to thrive
Council of Ministers of Education, Convention Centre, Vancouver BC Thank you, Minister Mark. I would like to acknowledge some of the other post-secondary education leaders from across B.C. in the room today, including Kathy Kinloch from BCIT and Ken Tourand from the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. I would also like to acknowledge Karen Ranalleta, […]
Government Investment in Research and Innovation – will it pay off?
MP Breakfast Connections, Enigma Urban Eatery, Vancouver BC Thank you, Joyce, and good morning everybody! I am so happy to be here. Joyce, UBC values your support as our local MP. We also value the support we receive from your government for our research and teaching activities. As one of Canada’s leading research universities – […]
UBC: Proud to be a Pacific Rim university
Earlier this week, I took part in the annual presidents’ meeting of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). The 50 member institutions are located in Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, the United States and 10 other countries, and include some of the world’s most prestigious and influential universities. UBC is the only Canadian […]
Graduation: Sharing the Pride and Joy
This week marks the start of one of my favourite times of year at UBC: Graduation. It’s a special time on campus, as we honour the significant accomplishment students have achieved in their lives and the important contribution they have made to the university. I personally feel privileged to be a part of UBC Graduation […]
Introducing Innovation UBC
Innovation is a key theme woven throughout UBC’s new strategic plan. Along with collaboration and inclusion, it’s one of three cross-cutting priorities that will enhance our institutional impact in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Truth is, innovation isn’t a new concept at UBC; we’ve been innovating for more than a century. One key form […]
Life is a marathon, not a sprint
Sending all students and faculty love during exams. A post shared by Santa J. Ono (@ubcprez) on Apr 10, 2018 at 9:28pm PDT The other morning while walking by the UBC Life building, I noticed a young woman sitting at a table, her books and laptop spread in front of her, fast asleep with her […]
Building a more inclusive campus community
Tomorrow is shaped by what we hear today. I love the sound of my cello. I can lose myself for hours, practicing just one small refrain. But playing alone – the sound of just one cello – doesn’t compare to the experience of playing in a trio or quartet. If we continue adding more players […]
Budget 2018: A clear recognition of the value of Canada’s science and research community
Earlier this week, the Government of Canada tabled a historic budget for research, responding to the views expressed by researchers across Canada and the recommendations made in the Fundamental Science Review. Budget 2018 highlights several key themes that align very well with UBC’s priorities – increasing opportunities for women in the economy, investing in the […]
Freedom of Expression Matters: Join the Conversation
As follow-up to my September 5th letter to the UBC community, I received a draft statement on freedom of expression from an internal working group convened by Professor Neil Guppy, Senior Advisor to the Provosts on Academic Freedom. The working group, comprising ten faculty and staff members, worked through several iterations of a statement. Input […]
Building a better Canada
As Canada’s 150th anniversary year draws to a close, this is a good time to reflect on this country, its history and its future. Canada has much to be proud of – our contributions to both global peacekeeping and defence against tyranny, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, our welcoming of Syrian refugees, our scientific […]
Overcoming the stigma of mental illness
Recently I spoke at a TEDx event about the need to support young people struggling with mental health issues. To mark World Mental Health Day, I have decided to adapt my talk into a blog post. Please also see the joint Globe and Mail op-ed piece that University of Toronto Chancellor Michael Wilson and I wrote about […]
Supporting the dreamers
Dear friends: As we get caught up in the day to day activities of a busy September, it’s hard to believe that it was just two weeks ago that we welcomed thousands of new students to our campuses at UBC Create and UBC Imagine. They were joyous occasions. But there were some sobering moments, too. […]
Summer at UBC
I love summer at UBC. The sunshine, the luxuriant foliage, the mountains and the ocean, the historic buildings – it all reminds me how lucky I am to work at this amazing institution. Another thing I like about walking or cycling through the campus on my way to work at this time of year is […]
President’s Message to the UBC Community on Respectful Debate
As President, I have an unwavering commitment to the free, respectful expression of ideas and I trust that all members of our community, share this commitment. The University of British Columbia has a long legacy of commitment to respectful debate. UBC’s position on the free and lawful expression of ideas was powerfully articulated in President […]
We cannot change the past, but we can honestly recognize it
This past weekend, I was honoured and humbled to participate in the raising of Reconciliation Pole at UBC’s Vancouver campus. It was gratifying to see so many people turn out for this important occasion and to hear from residential school survivors such as Elder Barney Williams and Pauline Jones (below left), who spoke with courage and candour of the […]
UBC welcomes government initiatives re technology education capacity and Robson Square district
The University of British Columbia welcomes two important initiatives announced today by the provincial government. The government announced today a 250-graduate increase to UBC’s technology education capacity and a planned public consultation process to chart a course for a more vibrant, innovative and connected Robson Square district. Today’s announcement means UBC will be able to graduate […]