As we put the 2021 fiscal year behind us, I would like to extend the Board’s continued gratitude to the UBC community for their contributions and sacrifices over the past year. Your efforts ensured that, not only did UBC manage to deliver on its purpose – pursuing excellence in research, learning and engagement to foster global citizenship, and advance a sustainable and just society across British Columbia, Canada and the world – but did so with prudence and care necessary to ensure financial stability for the current fiscal year and beyond.
Today we will deal with a number of substantive issues, not the least of which is the 2021-2022 budget. The budget reflects a continued pandemic situation, with its associated uncertainties, but also ensures continued investments into UBC’s long-term strategic priorities, including anti-racism, diversity and inclusivity, academic renewal, operational excellence and climate action.
We will also receive an update on UBC Okanagan 2040, and hear from outgoing Students’ Union Okanagan of UBC executives. Typically the Board meets on the Okanagan campus once every year, and I am looking forward to those presentations.
I would like to acknowledge three faculty members of notable distinction, all from the Okanagan campus:
In the Research category we have Katrina Plamondon, Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing who was awarded the 2020 Nursing Award of Excellence, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence in nursing practice. Katrina was distinguished for excellence in advancing nursing knowledge and research. She has received three prestigious awards from Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2020) and the Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholar award.
In the Service category we have Kathleen Martin Ginis, Professor in the Faculty of Medicine’s Southern Medical Program and Faculty of Health and Social Development who received the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology (SCAPPS) Brawley & Elliott Award for Excellence in Supervision & Mentorship. She is the founding director of SCI Action Canada, working to advance physical activity participation in people living with spinal cord injury and also the Principal Investigator of the Canadian Disability Participation Project.
In the Teaching category we recognize Isaac Li who is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and recipient of the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar Award. Li was also recognized for the Curricular Innovation Award which supports faculty members developing innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Li studies biophysics at the single-molecule and single-cell levels and is particularly interested in developing tools to understand how cells physically interact with each other and the environment.
To these distinguished faculty members, and to others whose research, scholarship, teaching and other academic contributions have recently been recognized, we offer our recognition and appreciation.
I would like to close today by acknowledging the students who will be completing their degrees and programs this term. You have done so under extraordinary circumstances and should be congratulated for your accomplishments. We look forward to seeing you at upcoming virtual convocation ceremonies to celebrate with you.
