This message was sent to faculty, staff and students in Vancouver and the Okanagan.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the academic year. Whether you’re a new or returning student, a faculty or staff member, I hope the coming year is a successful one.
UBC is such a special place to learn, teach and work, and I feel privileged to have had the chance to lead as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor over the last several months.
I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to welcome our thousands of students, from across British Columbia, Canada and the world. Thank you also to our community of faculty and staff who play such a key role in providing a vibrant student experience. To those at UBC Okanagan who were impacted by the wildfires, we are grateful for your resilience.
As we approach fall, it is important to protect yourself and those around you to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. You can find useful resources at:
- UBC Vancouver: https://srs.ubc.ca/communicable-disease
- UBC Okanagan: https://hse.ok.ubc.ca/health/communicable-disease-control/
Looking ahead, this coming year will be yet another important one for UBC, as we welcome Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon as the 17th President and Vice-Chancellor, starting November 1. Students, faculty and staff will be invited to welcome events for Dr. Bacon on both the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses in the fall, with more details to come.
I hope you all get the chance to embrace this special time of year – whether it’s through attending the Create student orientation event at UBC Okanagan, Imagine UBC day at UBC Vancouver or UBC Homecoming.
Wishing you every success for the year ahead.
Deborah Buszard
Interim President and Vice-Chancellor