Students will play a major role in the day’s events as Martha Piper is installed
as UBC’s 11th president on Thursday, Sept. 25.
On that day students will meet Piper for breakfast, take part in a forum on
undergraduate education, be recognized as entrance scholarship winners and even
give an opera performance.
Piper’s day begins with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast at which she will informally
meet 25 students who were invited to attend on a first-come, first-served basis.
Later that morning, the new president will take part in a forum titled Thinking
the Future of Learning, an exploration of the possibilities for undergraduate
education at UBC.
At the forum, Piper will challenge the university community to come up with
innovative methods of learning that take full advantage of UBC’s strengths in
faculty, student, staff and research programs.
Each of the university’s 12 deans and a student representing each faculty
will respond to the challenge — some in person, others in a pre-taped video.
The forum will then be opened up for discussion involving audience members.
Every faculty and department was invited to nominate a class to attend the forum.
More than 1,000 students are expected to attend.
The forum will be held in the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts from 10:10
to 11:30 a.m.
The installation ceremony runs from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Also held in the Chan
Centre, the event is open to all wishing to attend.
Piper will deliver a keynote address and introduce UBC’s 77 new entrance scholarship
winners. Students from the opera program in the School of Music will also give
a performance.
Chancellor William Sauder will swear in Piper, who repeats the oath of office
and exchanges her academic robes from McGill University, where she earned her
doctorate, for the regalia of UBC’s president.
After the official ceremony, all members of the university community are invited
to meet the new president at an outdoor reception from 3 to 4 p.m. The reception
will take place at the Flagpole Plaza, located at the north end of Main Mall
adjacent to the Chan Centre.
