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.
I am very honoured to be chairing my first Board of Governors meeting today, as it gives me the opportunity to welcome all the new students who are beginning their journey at UBC this September. And to returning students, and faculty and staff on both campuses and beyond, welcome back! I hope that everyone enjoyed the summer months and found time for rest, relaxation and fun with friends and family. On behalf of the Board, I hope the first term of the Winter Session is off to a great start for everyone.
There are so many wonderful opportunities to get involved here at UBC, for students, faculty and staff and for the greater community as well. Whether it is through taking part in student government, joining clubs and groups, visiting our museums, or attending a Thunderbirds game, I encourage all to take part in the rich experiences that UBC has to offer.
Speaking of student government, today we will hear from the leadership of UBC’s student unions: the Students’ Union Okanagan from the Okanagan Campus, and the Graduate Student Society and Alma Mater Society from the Vancouver Campus. These leaders represent our student body, and the Board greatly values these annual presentations, which help us better understand students’ key priorities.
Speaking of remarkable students, we will also be receiving a presentation about athletics and hearing from some of our student athletes. We look forward to these presentations this morning.
Many of us are wearing orange today in recognition of the upcoming National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – also referred to as Orange Shirt Day – on Monday, September 30. This day marks a commitment to acknowledging historic injustices to Indigenous peoples, and to support healing and foster understanding. UBC’s Residential School History and Dialogue Centre here on the Vancouver campus offers guided and self-guided tours for those who would like to learn more about the ongoing impacts of the Residential School system and other colonial policies.
Now, I would like to acknowledge three faculty members of notable distinction:
- In the research category we recognize Yusuf Altintas, Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science, who was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in June of 2024. Dr. Altintas is a world leader in the fields of manufacturing automation, metal cutting dynamics and the computer control of machine tools. His research spans topics such as understanding the dynamic of high-speed milling for the aerospace and automotive industry, virtual blade machining processes, and control systems for machine tools.
- In the service category we congratulate Professor Melissa Lem for having been honoured with a YWCA Women of Distinction Award, in the Environment and Sustainability category. This award recognizes women who promote and create the practices that contribute to a sustainable community. Professor Lem is a Vancouver family physician and an internationally recognized leader in the field of nature and health. She is the Founding Director of PaRx, Canada’s first national, evidence-based nature prescription program to improve mental health.
- In the teaching category we recognize Professor Maureen Kendrick of the Faculty of Education for being honoured with the 2024 Mentorship Award from the Canadian Committee for Graduate Students in Education. This award recognizes Prof. Kendrick’s exceptional mentorship at the graduate level and her unwavering support and encouragement to her students. Her research examines literacy and multimodality as integrated communicative practices, and addresses a range of social and cultural issues.
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.
Today, we welcome four new Governors to their first Board meeting. Amee Chande and Irene Lanzinger were appointed to the Board by the Province in August. Dallas Leung was also appointed by the Province back in the spring but is attending his first Board meeting today. Thank you for joining the Board, Amee, Dallas and Irene – we are looking forward to working with you!
This is also the first Board meeting for our new Chancellor, Judy Rogers, whose term began on September 1. Chancellor Rogers is a UBC alumna whose extensive career is marked by significant leadership roles. Most recently, she served as Chair of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Board of Directors. Chancellor Rogers also held the role of city manager of the City of Vancouver from 1999 to 2008, and served on the board for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Chancellor Rogers’ contributions have been recognized with numerous awards and honours. She received the Order of Canada in 2017 and has won two United Nations public service awards for her leadership role in the Downtown Eastside Community Development Project.
We look forward to working with Judy here at the Board table.
I am also pleased to welcome UBC’s new Vice-President of External Relations, Melanie Stewart, to her first Board of Governors meeting. Welcome Melanie!
All of us had a wonderful opportunity to get to know one another yesterday at an all-day Board retreat, where we learned more about plans to refresh the University’s Strategic Plan.
Now, on a sadder note, UBC’s 18th Chancellor, Lindsey Gordon, passed away on August 26. Chancellor Gordon served on the Board from 2014 to 2020. In honour of Chancellor Gordon, I will now share a Memorial Tribute that was delivered by the Chair of the Vancouver Senate Tributes Committee, Dr. John Gilbert, at last week’s Senate meeting:
James Lindsay Gordon was born on 26 March 1952 on the Shetland Islands and raised in Devon and Berkshire in southern England. He immigrated to Canada in 1970 to attend UBC, first completing a Bachelor of Arts in 1973, followed by a Master in Business Administration in 1976. After a successful career in banking, he returned to his alma mater to serve as Chancellor from 2014 to 2020.
A passionate advocate for students, Chancellor Gordon played a key role in the “start an evolution” campaign, the most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement campaign in Canadian history. The seven-year campaign was the first in Canada with the aim of raising over a $1.5 billion and doubling alumni engagement. The campaign was a major success; with Chancellor Gordon’s support, the University raised more than $1.6 billion and engaged with more than 130,000 UBC alumni.
In addition to serving on many other committees and organizations working to support UBC students, together with his wife Liz, he provided foundational gifts for the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health and established the Centennial Indigenous Scholars’ Awards at UBC to support students who had experienced barriers to education and access to healthcare.
Chancellor Gordon was a leader in the growth of the UBC Okanagan campus and its development as a national and international research and innovation hub. He was dedicated to improving every student’s experience during their time at UBC and a strong advocate for UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan and its commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Outside of UBC, Chancellor Gordon was a business and community leader, with a distinguished career at Export Development Canada and then HSBC Bank Canada, from where he retired as the longest-serving CEO in the bank’s history. During his tenure at HSBC, the bank became a philanthropic leader via its measures to increase access to education through scholarships and support of environment and community causes.
His contributions to the broader community are countless; he was a dedicated volunteer with the United Way in Toronto and Vancouver, a member of numerous professional and civic boards as well as being a co-founder of CH.I.L.D. (Children with Intestinal and Liver Disorders Foundation), which was created in 1995 for the purpose of raising funds for research to find a cure for pediatric Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and liver disorders.
In addition to the many honours received over his career, Chancellor Gordon was the recipient of the B’nai Brith Award of Merit for Outstanding Canadians, the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and a Doctor of Laws honoris causa from UBC in 2023. Chancellor Gordon was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed skiing, sailing and weekly Sunday night dinners with his family whenever possible.
Lindsay Gordon’s contributions to UBC are too numerous to count and he will be greatly missed. To his wife Liz, his children and grandchildren, friends and extended family, The University of British Columbia offers its condolences and thanks.
Thank you everyone, that concludes my opening remarks.