I would like to acknowledge that UBC’s Okanagan campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, and that UBC’s Vancouver campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Musqueam. Board members and others are joining us remotely from many places near and far, and I’d like to acknowledge the traditional owners and caretakers of those lands as well.
We are very grateful to be joining you today from UBC’s beautiful Okanagan Campus in Kelowna, where we meet in June of each year. Thank you, Lesley Cormack, Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, for hosting us here, and thank you to all who helped with the logistics and preparation for our activities in Kelowna.
The Board had a campus tour and community reception yesterday, which highlighted the impressive growth and development of the Okanagan campus, as well as future opportunities.
On behalf of the Board, we offer our heartfelt congratulations to all those who graduated from UBC this spring. Achieving this milestone is something to be celebrated! We wish you all the best in carrying forward what you have learned here at UBC, and know that you will continue to inspire people, ideas and actions for a better world. In particular, I would like to note that here in the Okanagan, the first graduates of the Bachelor of Nsyilxcn (In-silk-sen) Language Fluency, Canada’s first bachelor’s degree of Indigenous language fluency, crossed the stage earlier this month.
The Board is very proud of the achievements of the UBC Okanagan campus in providing excellent education and delivering ground-breaking and impactful research while deepening our relationships with the community. Thank you to all those who are contributing to this thriving campus.
I’d like to update the UBC community on the Board’s annual retreat held last month. The retreat focused on continuing to enhance the Board’s governance practices and value add, with key themes including effective onboarding of new governors, the Board’s oversight of UBC’s strategy and strategic initiatives, Board diversity and succession planning, and collegial governance. This was a very productive session and builds upon previous Board retreats, and I would like to thank governors and executive members for their robust participation and engagement.
I’d like to acknowledge that it’s Pride Month, an opportunity to celebrate with and honour those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirited and to continue advocating for inclusivity, dismantling prejudice, and creating a world where everyone can live authentically and without fear of discrimination. It has been over 50 years since the first Gay Pride March took place in 1970 in NYC. Today more than ever, the world needs to celebrate diversity, and Pride Month gives us the perfect opportunity to stand together and foster a society that embraces and respects the LGBTQ2+ community while embracing one of UBC’s core objectives of building an inclusive culture.
June is also Indigenous History month, a time to commemorate the rich histories and diverse cultures of Indigenous peoples. This month provides us an opportunity to reflect upon the profound wisdom, deep connection to the land, strengths, contributions, and resilience that Indigenous peoples possess. It is a reminder to acknowledge historical injustices, while recognizing and amplifying indigenous voices, stories, and accomplishments. UBC is grateful for our partnerships with Indigenous communities on whose traditional lands UBC exists, and beyond. As we work in pursuit of reconciliation, let us foster understanding and respect, as we stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples, championing their rights and preserving their cultural legacies.
As we always do, I would like to acknowledge three faculty members of notable distinction, all of whom are from the Okanagan campus:
- In the research category we have Dr. Eric Li, Associate Professor from the Faculty of Management who received the prestigious honour of being named a Member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists from the Royal Society of Canada. This award recognizes intellectual leadership with a high level of achievement in early stages of a scholar’s career. With an interest in social enterprise, social innovation, health promotion and marketing, Dr. Li is a leading scholar in the field of socio-economic change. Dr. Li previously received the UBCO Researcher of the Year award in 2021 and was named the Principal’s research Chair in Social Innovation for Health Equity and Food Security.
- In the service category we recognize Dr. Mohamed Shehata, Associate Professor in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science.Dr. Shehata is the lead on labs in Computer Science for emerging research in Aerial Visual Extended Surveillance. This research focuses on detecting, classifying and tracking objects or people in images and video. He is the Editor in Chief for the IEEE Canadian Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering. For his extraordinary volunteer work, Dr. Shehata was awarded the IEEE Presidents’ Make a Difference Award for advancing the science and engineering profession.
- In the teaching category we have Dr. Claire Yan, Associate Professor of Teaching in the School of Engineering. Dr. Yan is an active researcher and educator in engineering fields of thermofluids and energy and is a leader in developing innovative outreach and bridge programs and creating open education resources. Dr. Yan was awarded the UBC Okanagan Provost Teaching Excellence and Innovation Award. She is valued for her strong impact on the student experience and helps to make engineering accessible for current and future engineering students.
To these distinguished faculty members, and the others whose research, scholarship, teaching and other academic contributions have recently been recognized, we offer our recognition and appreciation.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Governors Marianne Legault and Nicole Udzenija for their service on the Board. Marianne has served as the elected Faculty member from the Okanagan campus since July of 2022. Nicole has served as the elected staff member from the Okanagan campus since September of 2018, and notably as vice chair of the finance committee. Both their terms will end August 31st, so this will be their last regular Board meeting. To each of you, I would like to thank you for your outstanding service to the Board and the care and diligence with which you fulfilled your duties as governors.
I would also like to welcome UBC’s new Comptroller, Helen Yung to her first Board meeting. Helen joined the Finance team earlier this month. Welcome Helen, we look forward to working with you. Also, the Board extends its thanks to Matt Boydston for his service as Acting Comptroller.
