The race heard around the world last night culminated in the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States, with a seat count at the time of publishing of 279 compared to Hillary Clinton’s 228. Last night’s shocking turnaround manifested in a worldwide upset, the repercussions of which are being felt in the UBC community.
About 2.26 per cent of UBC students have American citizenship, a number that includes both domestic and international students. That equates to 1,191 students — 1,191 students that were directly affected by the election last night, but the greater university community is also reeling.
UBC has been especially engaged in this election, with events taking place at the Pit Pub on the Vancouver campus and at the Well Pub on the Okanagan campus.
The student voice has been one of discontent. The Ubyssey put out a public call on Twitter @UbysseyNews, asking the UBC community what they thought and felt, both throughout the election and after the result became clear. The responses were varied — an amalgamation of black humour, anger and stress — but were also overwhelmingly similar: that of distress and disappointment with the result.
We have compiled a small portion of the community’s response from the mentions that we received on Twitter. This is not an exhaustive summary of the tweets that we received, nor is it a representation of all UBC students’ views.
@Ubyssey @UbysseyNews I don't think anyone will be smiling on campus today...I'm quite afraid to even arrive to campus
— Silvia (@silviayloqueve) November 9, 2016
@UbysseyNews Sad. Upset. Disappointed. Yet more motivated than ever to be compassionate and empathetic, becuz the world's going to need it
— Emma (@emmajanelodge) November 9, 2016
@UbysseyNews As a UBC student overseas in NZ -- I've realized how this affects the far reaches of the world, not just those in NorthAmerica
— Kristen Merke (@KristenMerke) November 9, 2016
@Ubyssey @UbysseyNews As a @UBCEduc alumni, I struggle with how I will explain these results to children who I teach NOT to bully.
— Jennifer West (@Westjet007) November 9, 2016
@UbysseyNews Devastated to see fellow (disenfranchised) citizens elect an unabashedly racist, sexist, ableist, capitalist, violent person.
— Lisa Ruth Brunner (@jazzglow) November 9, 2016
“Trump’s outrageous statements over the course of the campaign led many political pundits to underestimate his chances of success,” said Dr. Delroy L. Paulhus, a personality psychology researcher and professor at UBC, in a statement with UBC Public Affairs. “Contrary to what might be expected, grandiosity, simplistic language and rampant Twitter activity were statistical predictors of success in the Republican primaries. Although Trump’s bombastic communication style was shocking — even detestable to many viewers — our research suggests that this style helped him win the Republican nomination.”
In case students need, UBC has a variety of diversity and equity resources on campus, including some for race and ethnicity, women, sexual orientation and gender identity, discrimination and harassment, and for international students more broadly.
And finally, President Santa Ono reached out on Twitter to let his former University of Cincinnati students know that they are all welcome at UBC.
Bearcats are always welcome in our home https://t.co/1jgabkQvpL
— Santa J. Ono (@ubcprez) November 9, 2016