Community Connection
UBC Okanagan is a close-knit campus community and a supportive space where students and faculty are empowered to thrive. Learn more about how we are building community connection at UBC Okanagan.
Virtual Town Halls
In 2020, UBC Okanagan transitioned to a primarily online learning environment due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Maintaining strong connections in our campus community became an increasingly important initiative as students, faculty and staff experienced the university from different places and at different times. Through ongoing Virtual Town Halls, we continue to share updates on initiatives underway to support our campus community.
Faculty & Staff Town Halls
This webinar shared survey data regarding student preferences and concerns about the return to in-person learning. In addition, preliminary information about returning to campus and in-person teaching and learning in Fall 2021 was discussed. This webinar will help identify faculty needs and concerns in order to develop appropriate supports, workshops and resources in preparation for Fall 2021.
WATCH THE RECORDING
Prof. Ananya Mukherjee Reed, Provost and Vice-President Academic, Okanagan, and Prof. Phil Barker, Vice-Principal and Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation, co-hosted a town hall to update faculty and staff on UBC Okanagan’s downtown Kelowna expansion.
This Town Hall was co-hosted by the Centre for Teaching and Learning and explored how our students are experiencing the online environment. The feedback aims to help faculty and staff tailor their approach to provide the best possible learning experience. Teaching resources and the recording are both available for reference.u
This Town Hall was co-hosted by Prof. Ananya Mukherjee Reed, Provost and Vice-President Academic, Okanagan and Rob Einarson, Associate Vice-President, Finance and Operations, and explored
- Integrated Renewal Program – What Faculty Need to Know Before Go-live
- 2020-2021 Budget Overview and Update.
In the Provost’s first virtual Town Hall called following the COVID-19 outbreak, the Provost covered a variety of topics, including enrolment, service delivery and preparing UBC Okanagan for Winter Term programs.
Student Town Halls
This webinar shared survey data regarding student preferences and concerns about the return to in-person learning and discussed how it will be used to help inform and improve teaching and learning initiatives. It also provided new and returning students an opportunity to learn what classes/return to campus may be like in Fall 2021 at UBC Okanagan, recognizing that we are still in the planning stages with guidance from the Provincial Health Officer and Interior Health.
WATCH THE RECORDING
The second Student Town Hall had the same goal as the first – to demystify the online learning experience. It gave students the opportunity to hear from university leadership, faculty and staff about what exams, class participation, labs and student support would look like in the online environment.
The first Student Town Hall showcased a range of student and faculty members speaking about the fall online learning experience at UBC Okanagan.
Additional Town Halls
This open house provided more information about UBC’s plans for academic programs and research activities in UBC’s new downtown building.
The open house webinar was followed by a 45-minute discussion forum hosted by Prof. Burgess with breakout sessions for more fulsome conversations with members of the community.
Meet Our New Faculty
A warm welcome to the many new faculty joining our campus! Learn more about our newest faculty members, including what they teach and why they are excited to join UBC Okanagan.