Meet Sara Minchenko

Role: Administrative Assistant

Sara Minchenko has been a member of UBC Okanagan’s campus community for a number of years. Prior to joining the Office of the Provost in 2023 as Administrative Assistant, Sara earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2012 as well as previously held roles with Campus Housing. She also brings a wide range of experience across human resources and business administration, providing support and management of operational and adminstrative functions within the office.

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO IN THE OFFICE OF THE PROVOST.

I am the Administrative Assistant, supporting the Associate Provosts by scheduling and coordinating meetings, managing activities, and handling administrative tasks. I also assist various portfolios in the Provost Office by organizing events, booking meeting spaces, arranging catering and providing logistical support.

WHAT UPCOMING PROJECTS OR CURRENT INITIATIVES ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT?

I support the Open Educational Resources (OER) Awards adjudication process, and it has really got me excited about the innovative and inspiring projects that people are working on to make UBC more accessible and equitable for students. These types of projects show me the importance of growing alongside today’s cultural and economic environment to make learning accessible to everyone. They showcase both the progress made so far and the opportunities for further growth in the university’s educational mission.

WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO WORK AT UBC OKANAGAN?

I previously worked in the UBC Okanagan Housing office for 3 years, before leaving and working elsewhere and have now come back. I like the UBC Okanagan environment and the community of people that work here. I also graduated from UBC Okanagan, and so the campus is a familiar place.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE OKANAGAN ACTIVITY OR SPOT AND WHY?

I grew up in Vernon, so I would say my favorite Okanagan spots would have to be Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park, and Juniper Bay. I grew up going for hikes, boating and swimming in Kal lake. In more recent years I have loved walking the rail trail portion by Kal lake. One other place I have to highlight though is Sugar Lake. Our family has camped there almost every summer since I was a small child, and it’s still one of my favourite places to camp.

Dear colleagues,

Since its inception in 2016, the Aspire-2040 Learning Transformations (ALT-2040) Fund has awarded nearly two million dollars in funding to support curricular innovation and learning transformation at UBC’s Okanagan campus. Over 180 faculty have contributed to more than 50 innovative projects that have been critical in driving significant and meaningful student learning transformations across our campus.

Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to suspend this year’s ALT-2040 call for proposals. We understand this may disappoint many in our community and want to emphasize that this decision was made after careful consideration as we navigate our current fiscal environment.

Please be assured that all current ALT-2040 Fund projects will continue to receive funding per their award terms.

While we are pausing funding for new projects through the ALT-2040 Fund at this time, transformative learning remains an important priority for our campus, a core area of our strategic plan and an integral part of our long-term vision for the university.

We are proud of what has been accomplished through the ALT-2040 Fund and appreciate the contributions of students, faculty and staff who have advanced transformative teaching and learning on our campus.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to learning innovation, and we hope to bring more positive news for funding opportunities in the future.

Sincerely,

Rehan Sadiq,
Provost and Vice-President, Academic, UBC Okanagan

As many of you know, the Government of Canada has announced some changes for international undergraduate and graduate students wanting to study in Canada, including a cap on the number of students and changes to the visa process. These recent changes do not apply to those who already hold study permits, nor will they affect study permit renewals. Moreover, at UBC, we are confident that the new cap gives us enough room to welcome all qualified students who wish to join our great institution.

Additionally, some changes regarding the Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) program were announced. Fortunately, university-level programs, including Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD degrees, continue to remain eligible for the PGWP. While these changes won’t necessarily have a significant impact on those of you pursuing degree programs at UBC (Bachelors, Masters, or PhDs), we realize that any change in federal regulations might prompt questions and concerns for students.

UBC values international students and the important contributions they make to UBC’s academic and research mission. They bring unique and diverse perspectives to the learning environment and our campus communities. Across all fields, international students are contributing to UBC’s excellence in countless ways.

Our priority is to support the academic success of UBC’s current international student community while also ensuring that Canada and UBC continue to welcome new international students from around the world who want to contribute to our vibrant academic community. We recognize that many international students may have additional questions as these processes continue to evolve and that they may require additional support. The university will continue to update relevant pages and resources to keep students informed as we receive official confirmation and additional details. Please visit the following sites for updates:

• UBC Okanagan – Global Engagement Office (International Student Advising)
• UBC Vancouver – International Student Development (ISD)

Interested in applying to UBC:

• UBC undergraduate programs
• UBC Okanagan graduate programs
• UBC Vancouver graduate programs

Rehan Sadiq
Provost & Vice-President, Academic, UBC Okanagan

Gage Averill 
Provost & Vice-President Academic, UBC Vancouver

Academic Integrity Week is October 15 to 18!

With new opportunities and issues arising in academic integrity, join us for an exciting discussion series during Academic Integrity Week exploring the intersection of academic integrity and artificial intelligence (AI) and assessment.

In these two sessions, experts from the University of Calgary will explore developments in the field of AI and how they impact academic integrity at higher education institutions (HEIs), focusing on two important emerging areas: the need for quality assurance frameworks to improve student learning and the recognition of voice and privilege in academic discourse. The guest speakers will reflect on these areas and the role generative AI can play to inform and engage HEIs.

Learn more about the sessions below and attend one or both virtual events during Academic Integrity Week. 

Session 1: Adapting Quality Assurance Processes to Address Academic Integrity

Date: October 16, 2024

Time: 10:30 — 11:30 am

Format: Virtual

Register now

About the session

In this session, Drs. Patti Dyjur and Kimberly A. Grant will present a quality assurance (QA) framework for examining a program to ensure its quality and improve it in terms of student learning opportunities, with a focus on academic integrity. They will illustrate the QA framework through a focus on academic integrity, including discussion questions for groups to consider emerging artificial intelligence tools and their impact on program quality. The session will conclude with a question and answer period.

Opening remarks

Dr. Anita Chaudhuri
Associate Professor of Teaching, English and Cultural Studies and Faculty Advisor on Academic Integrity, UBC Okanagan

Dr. Barbara Komlos
Educational Consultant, Curriculum and Faculty Development, Centre for Teaching and Learning, UBC Okanagan

speakers

Dr. Patti Dyjur, University of Calgary

Patti Dyjur, PhD, is an Educational Development Consultant with the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, University of Calgary. She works on curriculum review and development, as well as collaborating with others to design courses and programs that incorporate intentional, meaningful student learning experiences. Her research interests include curriculum development and review in higher education, micro-credentialing, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in higher education.  

Dr. Kimberly A. Grant, University of Calgary

Kimberley A. Grant, PhD, is an Educational Development Consultant at the University of Calgary’s Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. In this role, Kim supports the development and implementation of institutional teaching and learning strategies, including program-level curriculum review and development. In addition, she is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Werklund School of Education, where she teaches in the undergraduate teacher education program. Kim has collaborated with colleagues across Canada to create resources to support curriculum development, and she has shared her expertise with higher education colleagues around the world through conferences and invited presentations.

closing remarks

Heather Berringer
Associate Provost, Academic Operations and Services, UBC Okanagan

Session 2: Voice, Privilege, and Integrity: Navigating Generative AI and Linguistic Imperialism in Academic Assessment

Date: October 18, 2024

Time: 12 — 1 pm

Format: Virtual

Register now

About the session

Increasing academic integrity concerns around written assignments are increasingly discussed as unauthorized collaboration with Generative AI. These concerns are often associated with comments such as it doesn’t sound like the student or it is the student’s voice. This presentation highlights how some voices are privileged in academic discourse and that Generative AI can be a tool for others to access that privilege. Using the framework of linguistic imperialism, this presentation reflects on how assessment alignment and critical reflection can increase assessment integrity and promote ethical generative AI use.

Opening remarks

Dr. Rehan Sadiq
Provost and Vice-President, Academic, UBC Okanagan

Speaker

Dr. Brenda McDermott, University of Calgary

Dr. McDermott is the Senior Manager of Student Accessibility Services at the University of Calgary. She holds a Master of Education and a PhD in Communications Studies, and she is currently working on research that examines how artificial intelligence tools can support equity in post-secondary classrooms.

Closing remarks

Dr. Anita Chaudhuri
Associate Professor of Teaching, English and Cultural Studies and Faculty Advisor on Academic Integrity, UBC Okanagan

UBC students have integri-tea! Learn more about the Academic Integrity Week student event by visiting the UBC Okanagan events website >

UBC Okanagan’s annual teaching awards provide an important opportunity to recognize faculty who continually demonstrate a strong commitment to creating positive learning environments for students and contributing to a supportive teaching and learning community.

We are currently inviting nominations for the following awards:

• Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation: This award recognizes up to two awards for faculty members with continuing appointments and one award for instructors holding a full or part time limited-term appointment. Nominations for this award are accepted from students, faculty, deans, unit heads, staff and alumni.
• Killam Teaching Prize: UBC Okanagan awards up to one Killam Teaching Prize each year to faculty member with a continuing appointment who has distinguished themselves as an exemplary teacher with a demonstrated commitment to teaching excellence and innovation throughout their career. Department heads or equivalent are invited to submit nominations for this award.

For more details about the awards, including eligibility and criteria, visit: provost.ok.ubc.ca/teaching-awards.

KEY NOMINATION DATES

• September 16: Nominations open for the 2024/25 UBC Okanagan Teaching Awards.
• November 8: Intent to Nominate forms are submitted to the nominees’ Dean’s office.
• November 22: The Dean’s office informs nominees of their nomination.
• January 10: Nominee submits nomination package to their Dean’s office.
• January 17: Deans’ offices submit full nomination packages to the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic.

We encourage our campus community to participate in this important process to recognize and celebrate the outstanding educators whose invaluable contributions to teaching and learning are advancing education at UBC Okanagan and beyond.

Sincerely,

Rehan Sadiq
Provost and Vice-President, Academic

Brad Wuetherick
Associate Provost, Academic Programs, Teaching and Learning

We are pleased to announce a call for nominations for the Open Education Resources (OER) Excellence and Impact Awards. These awards are open to faculty members at both campuses.

The OER Excellence and Impact Awards recognize outstanding work done by faculty who materially advance the use and impact of open educational resources in credit courses at UBC.

Nominees are assessed based on their overall excellence in creating, revising, or using OER in teaching and learning; the impact of their OER work for students, including addressing the affordability of educational materials; and contribution to the greater open education community at UBC.

Four awards are available: one individual and one group award at both UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver.

Nominations are due by October 17, 2024, with full application packages due January 8, 2025. More details can be found at open.ubc.ca/oer-award.

Meet Kristen Brooke

Role: Communications Coordinator

Kristen Brooke joined UBC in November 2020, bringing experience from the local government and non-profit sectors to the world of academia as Communications Coordinator for the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic. In this role, she leads communications projects and lends expertise and support to a variety of initiatives within the Provost portfolio. Kristen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communications from Royal Roads University.

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO IN THE OFFICE OF THE PROVOST.

My role in the Office of the Provost involves supporting and enhancing our communication efforts to showcase the diverse projects and initiatives advancing our university’s academic mission and priorities. I help craft and execute communication strategies and content that inform, support, and celebrate our vibrant campus community. The variety of projects I get to work on keeps the work dynamic and fulfilling, and it’s deeply gratifying to see how our efforts contribute to the university’s overall success.

WHAT UPCOMING PROJECTS OR CURRENT INITIATIVES ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT?

One of the projects I look forward to each year is the UBC Okanagan Teaching Awards, which celebrates the outstanding and innovative faculty members who have demonstrated incredible commitment to teaching excellence and supporting UBC students. While the instructors each bring unique perspectives and strengths to their role, they share a common passion for teaching excellence, and seeing the impact of their work and being part of the process that celebrates their achievements is one of the highlights of my year.

How we celebrate one another says a lot about who we are as a community, and I’m grateful for the collaboration with portfolios across the campus community to help highlight the stories and achievements of outstanding educators in our community.

WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO WORK AT UBC OKANAGAN?

It’s important to me to work at a place where I truly feel my work is contributing to the good of the community and planet. I remember visiting UBC Okanagan before moving to Kelowna and thinking how wonderful it would be to work here. I’m so grateful that my initial impression has proven to be spot-on!

What I find most rewarding is the opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with students, faculty, and staff, which are at the heart of our work. Seeing the vibrancy of campus as it comes alive at the start of term when students return each year is an important reminder of the incredible impacts of our work.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE OKANAGAN ACTIVITY OR SPOT AND WHY?

There is so much to love about the Okanagan! I spend a lot of time at Big White year-round—biking in the summer and snowboarding in the winter. Nothing beats the fresh air and incredible views from the top of the mountain.

This update is being shared on behalf of UBC Integrated Renewal Program – Student

Latest Update

In mid-August 2024, Instructors and Teaching Assistants will gain access to the Student Communications Tool and the Final Grade Submission Tool. Both are intended for use for the 2024W session and onwards. Until then, the ‘Email Students’ quick link will be unavailable and has been removed to prevent any confusion.

Changes have also been made to Workday Student’s Course Section Roster to include and make visible Student IDs alongside student names.

Who is Impacted?

Instructors and Teaching Assistants.

How are Instructors and Teaching Assistants impacted?

Instructors and Teaching Assistants will no longer see the ‘Email Students’ link on the Teaching App dashboard in Workday.

The ‘Email Students’ quick link will be reinstated in mid-August, as will the Final Grade Submission Tool intended for 2024W final grade submission period.

Additional Details

Instructors and Teaching Assistants should continue to use the FSC for communicating with students that are registered in their summer courses.

Upcoming Virtual Demo & Q+A Sessions on Grades

We are excited to inform you that IRP Student will be offering virtual Demo & Q+A sessions on Grades on the following dates and times:

UBC Okanagan

• Wednesday, July 24: 1 pm – 2 pm
• Thursday, August 1: 10 am – 11 am

UBC Vancouver

• Thursday, July 25: 10 am – 11 am
• Tuesday, July 30: 1 pm – 2 pm

Session Details

These 1-hour sessions will kick off with a short demo, followed by an opportunity to ask questions. Participants will have access to the training environment for Grades in late August, and additional drop-in sessions will be scheduled. More details on these sessions to follow.

Please note that these training sessions will take place online via Zoom and will be recorded.

Who is this Training For?

• Instructors and Teaching Assistants
• Faculty administrators (including G+PS and CoGS) responsible for entering grades
• Department staff who support instructors
• Academic Advisors
• LT Hub and Centre for Teaching and Learning staff

Register here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9perZHG5VyfRycK

There is no deadline to sign up to receive the Zoom links for these sessions. After completing the registration form, you will receive an email with the Zoom links for all sessions so that you can decide which session to attend based on your schedule and availability.

Additional Training Resources:

We are also happy to announce that a number of user guides aimed at faculty and instructors have been uploaded to the Training Hub for Instructors here: https://confluence.it.ubc.ca/display/IRPTCM/Training+Hub+for+Instructors

Current list of guides include:

• How to access the Teaching App
• How to View a Teaching Schedule
• How to Access a Class Roster
• How to find the Course Schedule
• How to Delegate Grade Change Approvals

This hub will get populated with more user guides as they become available, so be sure to bookmark it.

Stay tuned as we bring you more information to help better prepare you for the 2024 Winter Session.

Thank you,

UBC Integrated Renewal Program – Student

Dear colleagues,

In this transformative era of education, UBC Okanagan faculty and staff are leading the way, supported by the Aspire-2040 Learning Transformations (ALT-2040) Fund. For almost a decade, the ALT-2040 Fund has catalyzed innovative ideas and projects that have transformed the student experience on our campus and accelerated the academic vision of Shaping UBC’s Next Century and Outlook 2040.

This year, we are pleased to announce eight outstanding new projects that will directly impact teaching and learning at UBC Okanagan.

Open Educational Resources (OER) Focus Stream

(Awards up to $10,000)

• Constructing an OER in genetics aligned with principles of equity, diversity and inclusion with supporting student learning resources
  • Lead applicant: Brendan D’Souza, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science

Program and Learning Experience Enhancement Stream

(Awards up to $25,000)

• Teaching in Higher Education Certificate
  • Lead applicant: Peter Arthur, Okanagan School of Education
• Building Innovative and Transformative Learning Environments for Online Scholar Practitioner Communities
  • Lead applicant: Sabre Cherkowski, Okanagan School of Education
• Academic Integrity in the Disciplines
  • Lead applicant: Robert Janke, UBC Okanagan Library
• Preparing students for inclusive, equitable, and anti-oppressive professional practice: Embedding program-level equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization competencies into the BHES curriculum
  • Lead applicant: Meaghan MacNutt, Faculty of Health and Social Development
• Indigenous Studies 102 Course Redesign
  • Lead applicant: Benjamin Ramirez, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Constellation Protostar Fellowship Stream

(Awards up to $10,000)

• Photogrammetry as a tool to build 3D virtual resources
  • Lead applicant: Ken Savage, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
• Experiential learning through Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR): Virtual fieldtrip experiences to complement sustainability and environmental education
  • Lead applicant: Vikas Menghwani, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science

_________________________________________________

See Learning transformation in action

Join us for the first in-person UBC Okanagan ALT-2040 Showcase. This poster session event brings together project teams from throughout the Fund’s history, highlighting the exceptional learning transformation projects making a difference at UBC Okanagan.

Date: Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Time: 2 to 4 pm

Location: EME Richard S. Hallisey Atrium (Lower level)

RSVP NOW

_________________________________________________

I encourage you to visit the ALT-2040 website to learn more about some of the innovative projects and exceptional project teams advancing learning at UBC Okanagan.

Congratulations to the 2024 ALT-2040 Fund recipients and thank you to all project teams, past and present, supporting transformative learning at UBC Okanagan.

Sincerely,

Rehan Sadiq
Provost and Vice-President, Academic
UBC Okanagan

Heather Berringer
Associate Provost, Academic Operations and Services
UBC Okanagan

We are pleased to welcome representatives from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to UBC Okanagan this May as we explore new and continuing opportunities for worldwide collaboration.  

The UBC Okanagan campus community is invited to connect with representatives from German funding agencies at an information session to learn more about the German research environment and funding opportunities to support research activities and collaboration with German partners, including details on grants supporting individual academic mobility and program funding. 

Information Session Details 

A reception event will also take place by invitation for additional opportunities for high-level discussion about partnership opportunities. If you are interested in attending this event please contact raina.reddecliff@ubc.ca.