As many of you know, Janice Robinson, our Director of Residence Life and Administration, has decided that 2022 is her year to transition from work life to retirement. After an impressive, influential, award-winning and incredibly well-regarded career, Janice’s last day at UBC will be August 25, 2022.

Janice has committed 34 years to student housing and residence life at UBC, giving wholly to our student residents and to mentoring and supporting the many Residence Life staff who have benefited significantly from her leadership. She is recognized internationally as a leader in her field and is deeply respected by colleagues across Canada and around the world.

“I’ve been honoured to know and work with Janice since she started at UBC (technically, I started two months after her!) – working at arm’s length for the first 21 years, but very closely for the past 13.” – Andrew Parr

More about Janice

Growing up on a farm, Janice dreamed of a career that would take her beyond the rural Ontario community where she was raised. Her 40-year career in student housing has done just that. Getting her start in this field while a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin Platteville, she later worked at the University of Nebraska and Trinity Western University before joining UBC in 1988.

During her time at UBC she has served as a Residence Life Manager, Associate Director, and now Director of Residence Life and Administration.

“Looking back on my career, what I am most proud of is the many talented student affairs professionals – now elsewhere at UBC and at other institutions across Canada – who began or spent their early careers in Student Housing at UBC.” – Janice Robinson

Her many contributions to the field were recognized in 2004 with a Carmen L. Vance Herstory Award and again in 2015 with a Parthenon Award, the most prestigious award offered by the Association of College and University Housing Officers – International (ACUHO-I) Foundation.

Her childhood wanderlust never went away, and Janice has enjoyed going on many cruises over the years, the Caribbean being her most-visited location. Her dream trip is to the Mediterranean – which she will hopefully have the chance to embark on very soon. She is also an avid reader of mysteries and thrillers, loves jazz, Broadway musicals, and wine.

Janice earned a BA in Social Work at John Wesley College and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Wisconsin Platteville.

Additional highlights and fun facts from Janice’s career

  • About 220,000 students have lived in residence over her 34 years at UBC
  • The student housing inventory has increased from about 4,650 beds to over 13,300 beds
  • She has mentored over 50 professional staff in residence life and thousands of student staff
  • Many of her former staff continue to stay in touch with Janice and call her a friend many years after they’ve moved on to other positions and professions. In fact, her office door is covered in the photos of children of current and past staff.
  • Janice has for many years been actively involved in the Association of College and University Housing Officers – International (ACUHO-I) as a delegate, volunteer, committee chair and presenter.

Please join us in celebrating Janice and thanking her for 34 years of incredibly-dedicated service to UBC.