About 700 people packed the main floor of the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts for UBC's second campus annual general meeting Oct. 19 to hear UBC's administration report on its activities for the past year.
"We know that UBC will be defined in the next century, not only by our vision, but also by our actions," UBC President Martha Piper said. Many of the initial targets have been met which were set out in last year's launch of Trek 2000, the vision for the university in the coming century.
Some of UBC's significant accomplishments during the past year were highlighted. These include:
Development of an academic plan to guide future faculty and staff recruitment and retention efforts.
Offering early admission to more first-year students than ever before in the university's history.
Expansion of co-op programs on campus. More than 2,000 students are currently gaining work experience through programs in five faculties, including the newly established program in the Faculty of Arts.
Renovation of approximately 15 per cent of classrooms and development of 2,500 new information technology connections.
In the area of research, attracting $23 million of federal Canada Foundation for Innovation funding. When coupled with funding from the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund, this will result in approximately $60 million of new research infrastructure being built on campus.
Meeting university targets for the recruitment of international students.
"We will continue to rely on community support in the pursuit of adequate funding of education and research in British Columbia," Piper said, emphasizing the importance of advocacy for higher education.
Dominating the meeting's question and answer session were comments and questions from members of UBC's CUPE locals who addressed their concerns regarding current labour negotiations and working conditions to senior administrators.
UBC held its community annual general meeting downtown Oct. 14 with about 200 in attendance.
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