Indigenous History Month: həm̓ləsəm̓ and q̓ələχən houses
June is Indigenous History Month. həm̓ləsəm̓ and q̓ələχən houses at Totem Park student residence were the first of our residence buildings to receive hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-language names, generously gifted by the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nation. To learn more about these names and their significance to xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, watch these informative videos about the naming of həm̓ləsəm̓ and q̓ələχən houses.
New staff resource! Key dates poster
As part of last year’s SHCS employee survey, staff expressed a desire to have more accessible information about what’s happening across our campuses throughout the year. To help support that request, we’ve created a key dates poster for staff—one version for each campus—which will be sent out to staff areas three times per year. Plus, it’s available for download anytime. Learn more.
You’re invited: Second annual UBC Child Care Salon
On Wednesday, June 26, 5 pm–7pm, UBC Child Care is hosting its second annual Salon at the UBC Child Care Administration Hub (2881 Acadia Road), and SHCS staff are invited to attend. View displays and speak with our Senior Educators to learn more about the past year’s pedagogical work at each of our 30 child care settings, with this year’s focus on our commitment to inclusion. Registration is not required; just come on by!
Food Services chefs volunteer with Growing Chefs program
This spring, chefs David Speight, Darren Clay, Johnny Bridge and Amanda Rehel volunteered with Growing Chefs, a local non-profit organization. Over four weeks, they visited a grade one class at Bayview Community Elementary School in Kitsilano and led activities, such as planting a windowsill garden, tasting new vegetables, making a salad and stir fry, and teaching about everything from knife skills to where food comes from. This year was the fourth that our chefs have volunteered since 2018, visiting a different school each year. View a photo.
Changes in Access Services
The Access Services team has been developing a plan with Campus Security to streamline roles and responsibilities between their two units. Coming out of those discussions, Access Services within SHCS will continue to run the access desk and issue all student and employee IDs. The Access Services Support team will integrate into Campus Security, who will now oversee all aspects of key issuance and building access. This change means that Beth Krisciunas, Parking and Access Systems Manager, Rachel Toop, Parking Access Coordinator, and Drew Jackson, Access Desk Attendant, will be joining Campus Security over the course of this summer. We thank them for their service in SHCS and look forward to continuing to work closely with them as they move to their new team.
You’re invited! Story Time for Kids at UBC Bookstore
Come on out to Story Time for Kids—a free family event at the UBC Bookstore (Vancouver)—on Saturday, June 22 from 1 pm to 2 pm in the kids book area. A perfect event for students, staff or faculty with young children, Bookstore staff will read from a unique selection of beautiful picture books. Free coffee and hot chocolate will be available for kids and their families, and there will be an activity table available during break time. All books featured during the event are perfect for readers under 10. No registration required.
Congratulations to Pauline Wong
Please join us in congratulating Pauline Wong, Food and Nutrition Coordinator, and her partner Sam on the birth of their daughter Zyla. Zyla was born on March 23, 2024, weighing in at 7 pounds, 10 ounces.
Occupancy permit approved for Brock Commons South
We are excited to report that on June 11, we received our occupancy permit for Brock Commons South, the third and final building in our Brock Commons residence area (Brock Commons North, South and Tallwood House). A multi-purpose building, Student Residence welcomes just over 280 student residents to Brock Commons South in mid-June, Food Services opens Hero Coffee and Harvest Market Brock Commons in July, and Child Care welcomes families to its newest setting, Heron’s Landing, in August. With administrative office space also in the building, colleagues from the Vice-President, Students portfolio will start moving in during the summer as well.
UBC Farm Long Table Dinner returns!
The ever-popular UBC Farm Long Table Dinner, in collaboration with Food Services, returns on July 18. Enjoy a warm summer evening under twinkling lights at long tables set between rows of trees in the poplar grove, while enjoying a full-service menu celebrating the seasonal bounty of UBC Farm and local food producers. Learn more.
Heron’s Landing: New Child Care setting to open in Brock Commons South
With this summer’s opening of Brock Commons South, the UBC Child Care team looks forward to opening and welcoming families to Heron’s Landing, our newest child care setting, starting in August. Child Care will enrol children in several waves between August and October, ultimately providing care for 37 UBC families. “The space is beautiful, especially with its floor to ceiling windows and expansive view,” says Karen Vaughan, Director, UBC Child Care, “and we are confident it will live up to its name, which was chosen by our educators.” View a photo.
Food Services Vancouver: summer 2024 launches
This summer, Food Services Vancouver is working toward several exciting launches. In Brock Commons South, which opens this summer, we’ll be opening Hero Coffee and Harvest Market Brock Commons—a brand-new, 100% self-checkout food market and cafe. Sage Catering is expanding to add a delivery catering business and better serve medium-sized community events on campus, with the former Point restaurant location being used as the production kitchen. Plus, Ike’s Café is getting an overhaul, with a new Asian comfort food concept (and possibly even a new name!). Watch @ubcfoodie for more!
Watch Unsung Heroes, a student documentary celebrating SHCS staff
This past year, a group of students led by Andrew Joji—a current resident, Vice-President, Administration and Finance for the Residence Hall Association, and a recent co-op student with SHCS IT—in collaboration with indieVision, a student filmmaking collective, produced Unsung Heroes, a documentary featuring SHCS Vancouver staff.
In early-April, the students involved held an in-person screening of the finished documentary for UBC student residents and friends, along with the staff featured in the documentary and their colleagues, at the Ponderosa Commons ballroom.
Unsung Heroes is now available to watch online, so please take some time to check it out. Please also join us in congratulating Andrew and team on the successful completion of this documentary, and many thanks to all the SHCS staff who participated. Watch Unsung Heroes.
Brock Commons North residence front desk now open
On Wednesday, June 12, Student Housing in Vancouver opened a new front desk at Brock Commons North, which will now serve residents of Brock Commons North, Brock Commons South, Tallwood House and Iona House. Stop by anytime to check out the new space!
New! SHCS staff discount at UBC Bookstore
The UBC Bookstore is pleased to offer a new discount for SHCS staff at both the Vancouver and Okanagan stores. The discount: SHCS staff receive an additional 15% in-store discount off red-ticketed items, which can include everything from books and stationery to giftware and apparel. To find the location of red-ticketed items, simply ask a staff member. To receive the additional 15% discount, at the time of purchase let the sales attendant know that you’re an SHCS staff member.
Front Desk team: professional development + recent promotions
The residence front desk team in Vancouver is busy with professional development this spring and summer, including a workshop on customer service, case study exploration and a Global Café, plus a session with the Counsellors in Residence to learn more about critical thinking in stressful situations. They’re also launching a book club, with Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead as their inaugural title. Additionally, the front desk management team would like to congratulate Adam Skiland, Bjorn Yearwood and Yvonne Martinez, who are each moving into the role of Residence Front Desk Coordinator.
Gage Suites receives Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice award
Congratulations to our Conferences and Accommodation Vancouver team on receiving a 2024 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice award for the Gage Suites, which is receiving this award for the second consecutive time. This award recognizes Gage Suites for being among the top 10% of Tripadvisor listings globally. Learn more.
Child Care educators take part in Big Day in xʷməθkʷəy̓əm
On Saturday, May 4, roughly 80 educators from UBC Child Care attended the Big Day in xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), organized by Ena Point, Indigenous Relations and Engagement Pedagogist. During the six-hour workshop, educators participated in knowledge sharing, good food and walks on the land with xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Knowledge Keepers Morgan Guerin, Alec Guerin, and Crystal Stogan and Māori Knowledge Keeper Shaloh Mitchell. Many thanks to all those who attended and to the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm community members who hosted our educators. Learn more about Indigeneity and professional development at UBC Child Care.
Bookstore support at UBC graduation
During UBC graduation ceremonies, the UBC Bookstore manages regalia rentals for roughly 10,000 graduating students. The Bookstore management team would like to express a big thank you to everyone at the regalia tent, faculty and ceremonies space, the trailer and at the Bookstore who supported this monumental task. “The efficiency, patience and attention to detail of our staff and volunteers,” notes Shane Gopaulsingh, Bookstore Manager, “were instrumental, and ensured that the process was handled with grace and professionalism.”
UBC Child Care: Zen Den now open
The team at UBC Child Care is pleased to announce that the Zen Den, funded through the UBC Wellbeing Strategic Initiative Fund, is now open. At this new space in the Child Care Administration Hub, Early Childhood Educators can decompress and re-energize away from their child care settings. Thank you to many people across SHCS who supported and contributed to the creation of this space, including Sahil Nandal and Matthew Lim (Residence Life); Jen Dowdeswell and Emily Liew (VPS and SHCS HR); Ricky Biring and David Kiloh (Facilities and Building Services); Karen Vaughan, Melanie Walters and Diana Sanchez Toscano (Child Care); and all the educators at Child Care who contributed their time and ideas. View a photo.
Not Myself Today wraps up for 2023/24
This year, Not Myself Today (NMT) took place between November 2023 and May 2024, wrapping up with two in-person workshops, the first on preventing burnout (April 10) and the second on self and community care (May 30), delivered by Erica Altomare, Workplace Wellbeing Learning Specialist, UBC Human Resources. Then, on June 5, this year’s ambassadors gathered for the Ambassador Appreciation Social to share their experiences and celebrate this year’s journey. Thanks to each of our ambassadors and to everyone in SHCS who read the emails, accessed resources and attended an in-person workshop. Watch for the return of Not Myself Today in the fall!
Mindful Move Out update 2024
During the month of April, we run Mindful Move Out campaigns on both campuses to help make the move out process smooth for students and staff, but also sustainable! Throughout the month, residents are asked to sort any belongings they’re not taking with them into donation bins to reduce how much ends up in the landfill. We’re happy to report that this year, in Vancouver, 42 truckloads of items were diverted from the landfill—with some of those items available for resale at our Mindful Market after move in. Learn more: Vancouver | Okanagan.
Spring professional development sessions
This spring, SHCS HR was pleased to present three engaging and informative professional development opportunities for select leaders across SHCS. In early-April, 17 staff attended Exceptional Customer Service Training with Kwela Leadership and Talent Management; in mid-April, 26 staff attended Conflict Resolution: Navigating Challenging Conversations with the Justice Institute of BC; in early-June, 38 staff attended De-escalating Hostility with the Justice Institute of BC. Thanks to the staff who attended and participated in these valuable sessions!
Emergency Preparedness Week 2024
Take part in Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week), May 5–11, to increase the UBC community’s resilience by learning about emergency preparedness. You can get prepared for an emergency by learning about the risks in your community, making a plan and building a kit. Plus, on Wednesday, May 8, the national emergency alert system will be tested, with the alert broadcast on radio, TV and compatible cell phones. Learn more.