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 […]