Welcome, everyone. Thank you for joining us for today’s Board of Governors’ meeting and welcome to those who are watching via Livestream.
I would like to acknowledge that UBC’s Vancouver campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people, and that UBC Okanagan is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation. I would also like to acknowledge that any Board members and UBC community members may be joining us remotely today from many places near and far, and acknowledge the traditional owners and caretakers of those lands.
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome returning students – I hope that the second term of your Winter Session is off to a strong start.
A reminder that there is a full cycle of Committee and Board meetings in March, June, and September, and then again in November and December. Today’s is a shorter meeting, and is intended for the Board to be able transact any pressing business that arises between December and March.
One of those pressing matters is to mark our appreciation for Governors Mark Mac Lean and Kavie Toor. This will be their last Board meeting as they reach the end of their terms at the end of February.
Governor Mac Lean was elected from among the Vancouver campus faculty and began his term in March 2020. He has been invaluable to the Board in Chairing the Learning and Research Committee throughout his term, and sharing with us his deep expertise, experience and insights about the University and in support of UBC’s academic mission. Mark, thank you so much – personally I have appreciated your wise counsel and collegiality.
Governor Toor has been with us as the elected staff member from the Vancouver campus since September 2019. He has also brought years of institutional experience to the Board and as Chair of the People, Community & International Committee over the past year, as well as serving on numerous committees, working groups and foundation boards during his term. Kavie, it has been a pleasure to work with you. Thank you for your service.
I also wanted to recognize that, as we will have our newly appointed Vice-President of Finance and Operations joining us before the March 2023 Board meeting, this will be the last meeting where Yale Loh will be joining us as Interim Vice-President Finance and John Metras as Interim Vice-President Operations. Thank you both for so aptly stepping into these interim roles and leading these portfolios during this transition.
The primary discussion item on our agenda today will be an update from our Interim President Deborah Buszard, highlighting the current state and institutional priorities of UBC, her observations to date, and her reflections on the future. Her update will support some discussion among the Board and Administration on the opportunities for the institution as we think about the hiring of the next President and the upcoming budget cycle.
