UBC seeks to empower more Black Canadians to attend university with new program
As part of UBC’s anti-racism goals, the program offers Black Canadians an opportunity to attend university, as well as to build a community both on and off campus.
Equity and Accessibility
Federal budget promises over $900 million for Indigenous students
“Seeing an increase in the budget means nothing but good."
Senate releases proposed changes to academic concession policy for feedback
Amidst the long-overdue review of academic accommodations for students with disabilities, the Senate has released proposed changes to the policy on academic concessions — which deal with “conflicting responsibilities and unforeseen events” — for feedback.
For students with mobility issues, a snowy campus is more than an annoyance
Students with mobility impairments are unhappy with UBC’s measures to facilitate accessibility during snowfall.
UBC cancels 'accent reduction' workshop for international students
UBC cancelled an “accent reduction workshop” for international co-op students following backlash.
Philosophy department to tackle its gender imbalance, following external review
Of the six students enrolled in UBC’s Masters of Philosophy program, only one is female.
Faculty call for review of student teacher evaluations, say they’re often sexist or incomplete
One study had students evaluate online courses with randomized male or female names. Almost invariably, students rated the male names higher than the female names, regardless of the actual gender of the professor.
‘Trans bodies are safe here’: Students drown out small anti-transgender demonstration
Today, students drowned out a small anti-transgender demonstration that took place mere steps from UBC’s Pride installation outside the Nest.
UBC’s academic accommodations policy receiving first review in 19 years
“Ultimately, the entire policy has resulted in a student disability policy that is modernized and more transparent for students and faculty.”
AMS calls on UBC to match $1.25 million in Indigenous scholarships
Since kicking off last year, the Blue and Gold campaign has raised over $50 million for student scholarships. The AMS is arguing that more of that money should be put towards need-based scholarships for Indigenous …
Women, minorities poorly represented on list of best-paid UBC employees
“The university has very much embraced the idea of diversity and the idea of equity, but actually turning that into an empirical reality is hard, [and] it requires hard work,” said Hirsh.
Sessional lecturers pen letters to Ono to raise awareness of workplace precarity
UBCFA Contract Faculty Committee Chair Sarika Bose said sessional faculty are treated as a “second tier of professors,” whose precarious employment status and low wages impacts every area of their lives.
Study finds women, minorities face more tenuous contract employment at Canadian universities
“There is no opportunity for career advancement for someone like myself with the contract structure I have,” said Dr. Jennifer Gagnon, a sessional instructor in the faculty of political sciences at UBC.
Province mandates UBC develop action plan in response to Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Spurred on by the province, UBC is working on a comprehensive action plan to advance its commitments to support Indigenous communities.
At UBC event, former PM Paul Martin says it’s time to take expanding Indigenous education seriously
Former Prime Minister Paul Martin was joined by UBC’s former Associate Dean of Indigenous Education Dr. Jo-ann Archibald and University of Winnipeg’s Associate VP Indigenous Affairs Kevin Lamoureux.
SASC offers new workshops to more campus groups, following surge in volunteers
The AMS’s Sexual Assault Support Centre is expanding its offering of workshops to campus groups, following a recent surge in volunteers. According to the Centre’s update at the September 26 AMS Council meeting, SASC has …
UBC to review its sexual misconduct policy starting September 2019
An AMS submission to a recent Board of Governors committee meeting lobbied the university to start reviewing its sexual misconduct policy (Policy 131) in fall 2019.
AMS apologizes to Indigenous peoples for not making ‘serious efforts to advance reconciliation’
Following an Indigenous student discussion circle on October 2, the AMS has apologized for its sluggish efforts to engage Indigenous campus communities and “advance reconciliation.”
‘The red zone’: Why early education on sexual assault is critical for universities
At the most critical time of the year, post-secondary institutions across Canada are ramping up their efforts to raise awareness of and prevent sexual assault on campuses.
‘Not a trophy for UBC’: Five months after opening, Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre is short-staffed, undersupported and effectively empty
The April opening of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre (IRSHDC) was presented as an act of reconciliation on a scale that UBC had never previously achieved. But over five months later, the …
