Strategic Space Committee
The UBC Okanagan Strategic Space Committee (SSC) advises and makes decisions for space-related issues and allocations for all campus sites and locations, including internal and outdoor spaces. Through the authority delegated by policy UP13, the SSC is responsible for developing a long-term and strategic approach to campus space needs.
Co-chaired by the Provost and Vice-President, Academic (co-Chair) and Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation (co-Chair), the committee:
- Develops guiding principles for allocating space within academic and administrative units.
- Evaluates and makes decisions on allocation of existing or new campus space to accommodate academic and administrative initiatives for students, faculty and staff.
- Evaluates off-campus leasing requests and opportunities and makes recommendation to UBCO leadership for final approval.
- Evaluates, makes decisions and documents any change of use for space within academic or administrative envelopes.
- Establishes subcommittees and working groups as required to advise on specific space issues.
- Evaluates recommendations/analysis from subcommittees and, when appropriate, recommend initiatives for budget approval.
The SSC may consult the Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor on significant decisions as necessary.
The UBCO Strategic Space Committee is composed of:
- Rehan Sadiq, Provost and Vice-President, Academic (Co-Chair)
- Suzie Currie, Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation (Co-Chair)
- Rob Einarson, Associate Vice-President, Finance and Operations
- Dale Mullings, Associate Vice-President, Students
- Will Hughes, Director, School of Engineering*
- Marie Tarrant, Dean, Faculty of Health and Social Development*
- Silvia Tomášková, Dean, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences*
* Appointed on a rotating 3-year term
- Aaron Mogerman, Director, Infrastructure Development
- Erika Lachance, Administrative Support Specialist, Infrastructure Development
- Michael Persinger, Associate Director, Facilities Planning
- Katelyn Singler, Finance Manager, Finance Operations
Strategic Space Committee process
Any UBC Okanagan campus unit proposing material changes to space usage or allocation must submit a Space Request form, signed by the managing Dean or AVP, to the Strategic Space Committee Working Group (SSCWG). The SSCWG will review the request and collaborate with the requester to make any necessary revisions before forwarding it to the Strategic Space Committee (SSC). The SSC will then either approve, reject, or return the request to the SSCWG for further revision.
The SSC may form subcommittees and working groups as needed to address specific space-related issues. These subcommittees and working groups will provide recommendations to the SSCWG, which will review them and submit them to the SSC. The SSC will either endorse or return the recommendations to the SSCWG for revision.
View the Strategic Space Committee process flowchart below for a visual representation of these steps.
Subcommittees
The SSC’s subcommittees provide advice and recommendations to the Okanagan Strategic Space Committee to enable UBC to deliver on its promise of strengthening shared infrastructure and resources to support research excellence and creating welcoming physical and virtual spaces to advance collaboration, innovation and community development.
The subcommittee’s mandate is to advise the UBCO Strategic Space Committee on matters related to the utilization and enhancement of UBCO land that is within the agricultural land reserve and/or is used for plant- or agricultural-based research, including the area designated the West Campus Lands. Together, these lands are referred to as the UBCO Agricultural and Botanical Lands.
View the Agricultural and Botanical Land Subcommittee’s Terms and References
Reporting to the UBC Okanagan Strategic Space Committee, the Informal Learning Spaces Subcommittee’s mandate is to provide advice and direction on the maintenance and development of informal teaching and learning spaces at the university.
The subcommittee provides advice and recommendations to the Okanagan Strategic Space Committee to enable UBC to deliver on its promise of providing an exceptional learning environment to its community of learners and instructors.
This subcommittee’s work is conducted in parallel to that of the proposed Classroom Planning Subcommittee which is addressing the needs of formal teaching and learning spaces.
View the Informal Learning Spaces Subcommittee Terms and References
The subcommittee provides advice and recommendations to the UBC Okanagan Strategic Space Committee to enable UBC to deliver on its promise of providing an “exceptional learning environment” to its community of learners and instructors.
The subcommittee’s mandate is to advise to the Okanagan Strategic Space Committee on matters related to the utilization and enhancement of learning spaces, budget allocations, and scheduling, and is intended to take a campus-wide perspective in the management, maintenance and use of learning spaces.
Guiding principles of strategic space allocation
The UBCO Strategic Space Committee is guided by shared principles with the aim of aligning with and reinforcing UBC strategic priorities that enable space allocation decisions within Faculties and campus-wide.
Guidelines developed by the UBCO Strategic Space Committee support the consistent, transparent and equitable allocation and management of academic and administrative office and related workspaces.
Shared space principles
Hybrid work arrangements across campus have resulted in varying on-campus presence. In order to promote an efficient utilization of campus space resources, desk sharing may be implemented in some areas.
Desk sharing is where employees share desks instead of individual desks being assigned to individual people, and these desks can be in private offices or open office spaces. This requires flexibility, understanding, and a handful of etiquette guidelines to work efficiently.
The following are some desk sharing standards and expectations you may want to consider adopting in your work unit: