Decolonizing mental health services on campus
Recently, UBC announced a number of Indigenous-focused projects that were collectively granted $4 million in funding through the Indigenous Strategic Initiatives Fund (ISI Fund). Please join us in thanking Freeman Woolnough—our Associate Director, Residence Life, Counsellors in Residence program—for his leadership in securing a $68,602 grant for UBC’s Counselling and Health Equity, Promotion and Education teams to perform critical work in “creating systemic change for Indigenous students through increasing awareness and knowledge of how colonization impacts campus counselling systems.”
Indigenous Book Market at the AMS Nest
From October 12 to 14, UBC Bookstore and the AMS hosted a three-day Indigenous Book Market at the Nest, as part of the Indigenous Culture Month (ICM)—a period of reflection, reconciliation and healing. The market aimed to help the UBC community find new books and stories by Indigenous authors. Many students, faculty and staff stopped by to chat and pick up their new reads. Learn more about ICM through posts on the AMS Instagram and explore featured books in this video.
Nechako tops Thompson Okanagan Commercial Building Awards
Nechako Housing Commons at UBC Okanagan, which opened in 2021, was named the Judges Choice Best Overall Winner at this year’s Thompson Okanagan Commercial Building Awards. Nechako also won the Award of Excellence in the Community Institutional and Renovation categories and three other awards. Learn more.
UBC Parking Donates over $3600 to UBC United Way campaign
This year, UBC Parking received $1845 in fine payments between September 24 and 28, which allowed the department to donate $3690 to the UBC United Way campaign. This donation was part of its annual fundraising program, which offers those with outstanding parking fines a 50% reduction. UBC Parking tops up the remainder for any fine payments received and, in turn, donates that amount to the United Way campaign, which supports vulnerable children and seniors in our community.
Not Myself Today program returns to SHCS
Not Myself Today (NMT), an evidence-informed mental health initiative, starts up at UBC and in SHCS this month. Watch for great resources, tips and easy-to-use guides from your department’s NMT ambassador over the coming months. Learn more about NMT in SHCS.
EV fast charging stations now operational
To provide an update on the UBC Renewable Energy Hub project on Thunderbird Boulevard, in which Parking has significant involvement, the EV fast charging stations located in the Thunderbird Parkade are now fully operational. Usage data is being monitored and analyzed by MéridaLabs, the UBC Engineering project leads. This winter, we also expect the hydrogen fuel station to be completed and operational and the solar panel canopy to be installed on the top level of the Thunderbird Parkade.
SHCS staff recognition wall now installed
In late-October, we installed our new staff recognition wall at the SHCS Main Office. This new wall installation celebrates our SHCS Outstanding Contribution Award and Hero Award recipients in a permanent way, and it helps us further the recognition commitments we made in the SHCS People Plan. We will be unveiling the wall for past recipients at a reception on November 30.
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New Food Services Okanagan recognition program
Food Services Okanagan recently launched a new employee recognition program, the Employee Acknowledgment Award. Employees are nominated/selected based on their aptitude for learning, demonstration of leadership, and support for the team environment. Congratulations to the first two recipients: Deb Guigue from Rocket and Cole Henry from Pritchard Dining Hall.
Staffing changes within VP Students finance team
After 16 years of dedicated service to UBC, supporting UBC Bookstore and Campus Mail as Senior Finance Manager, Jenny Fuentes has announced her retirement. Margaret Tough—Director of Finance for Student Engagement and Student Health and Wellbeing—has agreed to enter into a trial to expand her areas of responsibility to include the Bookstore and Campus Mail. Margaret will work with Jenny starting in November 2022 to ensure there is a smooth transition.
Congratulations to Lisa Kanavaros, C&A
Join us in congratulating Lisa Kanavaros, Sales Manager with Conferences and Accommodation. Lisa was recently awarded the Members Choice Award by the Canadian University and College Conference Organizers Association (CUCCOA). She was selected by her CCUOA peers for her exemplary record of consistently booking conference business and for her dedicated work with CUCCOA. Learn more and meet our previous UBC award recipients from Vancouver and Okanagan.
Welcome to Erica Toth, RLM at UBCO
Please join us in welcoming Erica Toth to the UBC Okanagan Residence Life team. Erica is our newest Residence Life Manager. Starting on October 24, she will support the student experience in Monashee Place and the Cascades—upper year and suite-style student communities. Erica, who was previously a Residence Life student staff member, returns to the team after teaching English in Bangkok, Thailand.
Diwali at UBC Okanagan
In addition to the many UBC community Diwali events over the weekend of October 23 and 24, Residence Life and Food Services Okanagan hosted a number of events to celebrate this annual “festival of lights”. Events included everything from Bollywood trivia to henna art. Learn more about Diwali.
Bookstore support for catch-up graduation ceremonies
It’s fall graduation time, and this year includes an extra week for UBC graduates who missed out on live ceremonies over the past two years. The Bookstore team will be busy ensuring all things go smoothly—from gown rentals to grad gifts. While the logistics involved in the additional ceremonies will add new challenges, our capable team is ready to ensure the best graduation experience possible, especially for those students who are returning to UBC for that live graduation experience they previously missed.
C&A and President Ono hosts UBC Ambassadors luncheon
On September 13, 2022, Conferences and Accommodation (C&A) and President Santa Ono hosted a luncheon for our UBC Ambassadors, the first event for this distinguished group of UBC faculty since 2018. This annual luncheon is one of several ways that the university—through the UBC Ambassadors program, developed by C&A—recognizes faculty who bring major academic conferences to UBC. Learn more about the UBC Ambassadors program.