Who we are

We’ve been around a long time. 104 years, in fact. In that century, The Ubyssey has been an institution that has endured a pandemic, a world war, multiple almost world wars, a financial crisis and most recently, another pandemic.

We’re a student newspaper, and try to live both of those words to the fullest, as best said by our 2020/21 coordinating editor. We strive to report accurately, fairly and quickly, and we take our role as UBC’s watchdog seriously.

We’re the only newspaper in Vancouver who has the resources to pay such close attention to the biggest university in the province. And we’d like to think that we’ve done that well. We reported carefully and effectively on UBC’s flawed sexual violence policy. We broke stories that prompted responses from local, provincial and even international governments. We’ve reported on human rights issues, equity and joy on campus in a way no Vancouver newspaper ever could.

But we’re also students, and we act like students. The Ubyssey is a place to make friends, have fun and of course, learn how to be a journalist. Alongside our multi-hour stints covering AMS Council or UBC’s Board of Governors meetings, we go to Pender Island and drink too much. We write essays in between writing breaking news pieces and go to class, occasionally.

The Ubyssey has produced an impressive bunch of journalists, in Canada and beyond. The big names include Pierre Berton, John Turner and Allan Fotheringham. But locally, we have Ubyssey alum at nearly every Vancouver publication: Douglas Quan at the Vancouver Sun, Justin McElroy at CBC, Moira Wyton at The Tyee and more. All of those incredible journalists got their start here at The Ubyssey.

If you’re interested in journalism, even just a little bit, stop by our office in the Nest at Room 2208. We work and play hard here, and if you step into the office, there’s a chance that you’ll want to come back. And who knows, maybe in a decade, we’ll be writing your name on our list of famous alumni.