The University of British Columbia held its first-ever annual general
meeting in downtown Vancouver today to update the community on its
goals for the future, key accomplishments of the past year and its
financial position.
Members of the public as well as representatives from business,
labor, education, community and cultural groups joined UBC President
Martha Piper at the meeting which was held in the Robson Square
Conference Centre.
“UBC belongs to the people of British Columbia,” said Piper. “This
meeting is an important opportunity to demonstrate the ways the
university is helping to meet the economic, social and cultural
needs of the province.”
For the first time in almost a decade, UBC has been engaged in
developing a vision for the future following extensive consultation
with members of the university community and the public.
Input has also been received from a 33-member Community Advisory
Council comprising representatives from government, business, labor,
and cultural groups.
As well, Piper has traveled throughout the province seeking input
from representatives of the provincial and municipal governments,
the presidents of post-secondary institutions, business leaders,
high school students and UBC alumni.
“We must plan for a new UBC to respond to the changes occurring
around us in society,” said Piper. “UBC is well placed to take a
leading role in this process of growth and change. It is poised
to become the best university in Canada.”
UBC Chancellor William Sauder, Harold Kalke, chair of UBC’s Board
of Governors, UBC’s five vice-presidents and Arts student Vivian
Hoffman, president of the Alma Mater Society, were among the speakers.
Their presentations focused on the vision document’s five key goals:
people, learning, research, community and internationalization.
Video vignettes of faculty, students, staff and alumni reflected
the university’s positive impact, both at home and abroad. They
included: Law graduate Chief Steven Point, who helped develop a
constitution that now forms the basis of the Sto:lo Nation’s self-governance;
Engineering student Kevin Maloney, who has received valuable work
experience in Chile through the Engineering Co-operative Program;
and English Prof. Jerry Wasserman, whose students find his enthusiasm
for learning infectious.
UBC has experienced an eventful year, from the appointment of Piper,
to becoming Canadian university football champions, to the opening
of the Sing Tao School of Journalism, the first graduate program
in journalism in Western Canada.
The year also saw the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Leader’s Meeting held at UBC’s Museum of Anthropology. There was
significant anti-APEC demonstration at the meeting and security
measures used by the RCMP are now the subject of an RCMP Public
Complaints Commission enquiry.
UBC’s revenues for the 1997/98 fiscal year were $794 million, with
the provincial operating grant accounting for 34 per cent or $272
million of the total — a decline of $1.3 million from the previous
year.
Domestic student tuition fees were frozen at the same levels as
1996/97. More than 33,000 students studied at UBC in 1997/98.
The university’s endowment has grown significantly over the past
10 years to a market value of $579.9 million held for the benefit
of UBC at March 31, 1998. The investment income generated from endowments
can be spent only in accordance with various purposes established
by the donors or UBC’s Board of Governors. The principal is required
to be maintained in perpetuity.
A new sewerage charge, levied by the Greater Vancouver Regional
District accounted for the university’s operating deficit of $2.7
million. The deficit will be eliminated over the 1999/2000 and 2000/2001
fiscal years.
A campus annual general meeting will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3
from noon – 1 p.m. in the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. Parking
is available in the Rose Garden Parkade off Northwest Marine Drive.
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