Congratulations to the 24 staff recipients of the 2024 President’s Service Awards for Excellence and the President’s Staff Awards. These awards are presented annually by the university to recognize staff members who demonstrate outstanding achievement and excellence within the UBC community.
Read about the staff who are making UBC a great place to teach, learn and work. Congratulations to all!
If you are a UBC employee seeking certification as a professional coach and want to apply your new skills, competencies and knowledge in coaching UBC staff and faculty, then the Coaching Internship Program is for you.
The 2024 program will be opening applications on Monday, October 7 – apply by Monday, December 2.
Learn more about this program at the upcoming virtual information sessions:
Faculty, 
staff and students are invited to apply for a $300 Thrive Grant to help host events during Thrive in November that promote mental health, such as:
On September 30, wear orange to honor residential school Survivors and remember those who didn’t return. Between September 23 and 30, attend a local event, spread awareness, and reflect on how to ‘walk your learning forward’.
Congratulations to the following honourees who are being recognized for their unwavering commitment and dedication across four award categories:
Enhancing the UBC Experience
Christina has grown the @ubcostudents Instagram account from 2,800 to over 10,500 followers, engaging 13,500 accounts monthly and generating nearly 390,200 impressions, fostering community and student engagement on campus.
Jordan’s innovative use of Qualtrics forms and electronic lab manuals has streamlined lab processes, significantly improved student service, and enhanced the efficiency of the Physics program at UBCO.
Leadership
Megan’s leadership in developing and implementing academic, professional, and micro-credential programs and fostering inclusive practices has driven significant advancements and sustainable success at UBCO.
Paige’s leadership has transformed archival practices and built vital community partnerships, notably with the establishment of the new Okanagan Special Collections and Archives space.
Okanagan Campus Spirit
This team has consistently demonstrated dedication and resilience, effectively managing exceptional situations, like the wildfires near our campus last year, while ensuring campus safety and maintaining a positive work environment.
Wellbeing
Melissa’s leadership in wellness initiatives, including the creation of the PICNIC space and dedication to mental health and harm reduction, has greatly enriched UBCO’s community.
Spela’s transformative approach to student support, including compassionate communications and empathetic resources, has significantly enhanced wellbeing in the School of Engineering.
Like last year, the formal awards ceremony will be on October 30th alongside the Length of Service Recognition reception.
For more information visit the Staff Awards of Excellence webpage.
The Length of Service Awards is a long-standing tradition at UBC, celebrating the dedication and commitment of our exceptional staff and faculty. This program acknowledges service milestones of 15+ years in 5-year increments.
We determine the years of service for qualifying staff and faculty based on several factors, including uninterrupted service for more than one year. For the 2024 honorees, the service years begin in 1979 (45 years), 1984 (40 years), 1989 (35 years), 1994 (30 years), 1999 (25 years), 2004 (20 years), and 2009 (15 years). If you have not been contacted by our office this year and believe you qualify based on these dates, please reach out to us at ubco.hr@ubc.ca
Join us for an exciting kick off to the new academic year with the return of the Faculty & Staff Welcome Back BBQ and Info Fair on Thursday, August 29, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. The Info Fair is your chance to showcase the incredible work your department, faculty, or association does for the vibrant UBCO Community!
Why should you participate in the Info Fair?
Things to note this year that are different:
What You Need to Do:
Let’s Make It a Day to Remember!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to ubco.hr@ubc.ca. Thank you for your enthusiasm and support.
Note: information related to the Welcome Back BBQ will be circulated at a later date by Ceremonies and Protocol.
The Government of British Columbia is increasing the provincial minimum wage, effective June 1, 2024. The change is as follows:
| June 1, 2023 | June 1, 2024 | |
| Minimum Wage | $16.75/hour | $17.40/hour |
Starting next week (and targeting June 15 pay), the ISC will be processing increases to hourly rates that are below the new minimum wage to the new rate of $17.40/hour in Workday.
If your faculty or department has salaried students whose appointments are already in the system, please ensure that their salary is at least equivalent to the minimum wage for the number of hours they work.
As well, moving forward, please ensure that all appointments are reflective of the new BC minimum wage.
If any questions, contact Angela McLean.
It’s that time of the year again – the Staff Awards of Excellence are back, shining a spotlight on the incredible contributions made by our staff members. These awards recognize outstanding achievements in various areas crucial to our campus community.
With seven categories, there’s plenty of opportunities to honor exceptional individuals and teams:
We want to hear from you!
All UBC faculty, staff, and students are invited to nominate their colleagues for the 2024 Staff Awards of Excellence. The deadline for nominations is June 14 at 4pm. Don’t miss your chance to recognize the incredible work happening within our community!
For information on how to submit a nomination package, visit here. Let’s come together to celebrate the dedication, innovation, and passion of our staff members.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Human Resources at ubco.hr@ubc.ca.
Alex Bayne
Managing Director, Human Resources, Okanagan Campus
We are excited to announce a new learning series pilot which spans the academic year’ 23/24, developed intentionally to support your professional development goals. These series are being offered as a way to provide on campus opportunities for faculty and staff to utilize their professional development funds for campus-based programming. The fall series will be focused on resilience and respect, aligned with Thrive. The winter series will be focused on performance and growth.
For detailed information, please visit UBCO HR Events Calendar.
