Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 75.01
Liaison Jen Crothers
Submission Date Aug. 4, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of British Columbia
PA-3: Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Victoria Smith
Director, Communications and Community Engagement
UBC Sustainability Initiative
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Do all enrolled students, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
Yes

A brief description of the mechanisms through which students have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:

UBC BOARD of GOVERNORS and UBC’s VANCOUVER SENATE
http://www.ams.ubc.ca/studentsociety/representation/ubc-van-bog-senate/
Three student representatives are elected to the UBC Board of Governors and 18 students are elected to UBC’s Vancouver Senate.

ALMA MATER SOCIETY (AMS)
http://www.ams.ubc.ca/leadership/
The Alma Mater Society’s mission is to improve the quality of the educational, social, and personal lives of the students of UBC. All students are able to vote in AMS elections and take advantage of everything the AMS has to offer.

UBC GRADUATE STUDENT SOCIETY (GSS)
http://gss.ubc.ca/
All students registered in the Faculty of Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies are members of the GSS. The Society advocates for, promotes, and protects the academic, social, intellectual, cultural, and recreational interests of its members. The GSS is a registered Society under the Society Act of British Columbia, and is administratively divided into four departments: Administration, Academic & External Issues, Events & Services, and Finance.

STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL
http://sustain.ubc.ca/our-commitment/ubc-sustainability-initiative/sustainability-committees
The Student Sustainability Council provides feedback to the UBC Sustainability Initiative (USI) Steering Committee on sustainability-related issues and concerns pertaining to UBC students. The Council is a conduit for communicating student-originated sustainability priorities in teaching and learning programs, research and partnerships opportunities, and campus operations.


Is there at least one student representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative student body or organization?:
Yes

A brief description of student representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

UBC BOARD of GOVERNORS
http://bog.ubc.ca/?page_id=3003
Election of student representatives to the UBC Board of Governors is overseen by the UBC Vancouver Alma Mater Society and the UBC Students’ Union Okanagan. Students are elected to the Board of Governors for terms of one year and may be elected to a second one-year term, for a maximum of two consecutive years.

UBC SENATE
http://senate.ubc.ca/vancouver
18 student members are elected for one year terms to the UBC Vancouver Senate.

ALMA MATER SOCIETY COUNCIL
http://www.ams.ubc.ca/studentsociety/
AMS Council is made up of elected representatives from each faculty (e.g., Arts, Science, Commerce, etc.). They meet twice a month and govern the inner workings of the society.

GRADUATE STUDENT SOCIETY
http://gss.ubc.ca/main/about-us/
An Executive Committee, elected annually by graduate students, and the Council are responsible for the administration of the GSS. The Council is comprised of executive members and graduate students elected from each graduate department of the University.

STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL
http://sustain.ubc.ca/get-involved/students/student-sustainability-council
The Student Sustainability Council (SSC) reports directly to the Associate Provost, Sustainability. The SSC members meet once a month and bi-monthly with the Associate Provost, Sustainability. The SSC is composed of nine student representatives from the umbrella student organizations: Alma Mater Society (AMS), Graduate Student Society (GSS), student resident sustainability coordinators, and sustainability-related student group leaders. Each year the UBC Sustainability Initiative renews the SSC membership with two representatives each from the AMS, GSS, Student Residence, and three representatives from the Sustainability-Related Student Groups across campus.

A member of the SSC is also appointed to the UBC Sustainability Initiative's Steering Committee which provides strategic guidance and oversight to the UBC's campus-wide sustainability initiatives including academic, research, operational, and policy decisions.


Do students have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following?:
Yes or No
Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals Yes
Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives Yes
Strategic and long-term planning Yes
Existing or prospective physical resources Yes
Budgeting, staffing and financial planning Yes
Communications processes and transparency practices Yes
Prioritization of programs and projects Yes

A brief description of the formal student role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:

By way of elected membership to UBC’s Board of Governors as well as UBC’s Vancouver campus Senate, students are involved in the highest levels of decision-making.

Additionally, students are represented by the Alma Mater Society and Graduate Student Society, and specifically with regards to sustainability, the Student Sustainability Council that has representation on the UBC Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee.


Do all staff, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
Yes

A brief description of the mechanisms through which all staff have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:

UBC BOARD of GOVERNORS
http://bog.ubc.ca/?page_id=3003
Two staff representatives are elected to the UBC Board of Governors.

EMPLOYEE GROUPS
http://www.hr.ubc.ca/faculty-staff-resources/employee-groups/
UBC staff members can also participate in UBC-related unions and employee associations, listed on the Human Resources website.

UBC SUSTAINABILITY STEERING COMMITTEE
http://sustain.ubc.ca/our-commitment/ubc-sustainability-initiative
Staff are represented through appointed members of the UBC Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee.


Is there at least one non-supervisory staff representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative staff body or organization?:
Yes

A brief description of non-supervisory staff representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

UBC BOARD of GOVERNORS
http://bog.ubc.ca/?page_id=3003
Election of faculty members and full-time, non-academic staff to the UBC Board of Governors is overseen by UBC Student Services. Elected faculty members and other employees are elected to serve a three-year term. Faculty members and other employees may be elected to a second three-year term, for a maximum of six consecutive years, although a term may be extended until a successor is found if necessary.

EMPLOYEE GROUPS
http://www.hr.ubc.ca/faculty-staff-resources/employee-groups/
UBC staff members can participate in their relevant UBC-related unions and employee associations, such as BCGEU, CUPE, IUOE, and Management & Professional (AAPS), listed on the Human Resources website.

UBC SUSTAINABILITY STEERING COMMITTEE
http://sustain.ubc.ca/our-commitment/ubc-sustainability-initiative
Staff are represented through appointed members of the UBC Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee.


Do non-supervisory staff have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following? :
Yes or No
Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals Yes
Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives Yes
Strategic and long-term planning Yes
Existing or prospective physical resources Yes
Budgeting, staffing and financial planning Yes
Communications processes and transparency practices Yes
Prioritization of programs and projects Yes

A brief description of the formal staff role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:

By way of elected membership to UBC’s Board of Governors, staff are involved in the highest levels of decision-making.

Additionally, staff are represented in respective employee groups and the UBC Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee.


Do all faculty, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
Yes

A brief description of the mechanisms through which all faculty (including adjunct faculty) have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:

UBC BOARD of GOVERNORS and UBC SENATE
http://bog.ubc.ca/?page_id=3003
http://senate.ubc.ca/vancouver
Three faculty representatives are elected to the UBC Board of Governors. Faculty members are also elected to the UBC Senate.

UBC FACULTY ASSOCIATION
http://www.facultyassociation.ubc.ca/
The UBC Faculty Association is committed to promoting the interests of UBC Faculty and UBC, addressing all levels of government on university affairs and upholding principles of academic freedom and freedom from discrimination and harassment.

UBC SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE STEERING COMMITTEE
http://sustain.ubc.ca/our-commitment/ubc-sustainability-initiative
Faculty are represented through appointed members of the UBC Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee.


Is there at least one teaching or research faculty representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative faculty body or organization?:
Yes

A brief description of faculty representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

UBC BOARD of GOVERNORS
http://bog.ubc.ca/?page_id=3003
Election of faculty members and full-time, non-academic staff to the UBC Board of Governors is overseen by UBC Student Services. Elected faculty members and other employees are elected to serve a three-year term. Faculty members and other employees may be elected to a second three-year term, for a maximum of six consecutive years, although a term may be extended until a successor is found if necessary.

UBC SENATE
http://senate.ubc.ca/vancouver
Faculty members are elected to the UBC Senate.

UBC SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE STEERING COMMITTEE
http://sustain.ubc.ca/our-commitment/ubc-sustainability-initiative
Faculty are represented through appointed members of the UBC Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee.


Do faculty have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following?:
Yes or No
Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals Yes
Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives Yes
Strategic and long-term planning Yes
Existing or prospective physical resources Yes
Budgeting, staffing and financial planning Yes
Communications processes and transparency practices Yes
Prioritization of programs and projects Yes

A brief description of the formal faculty role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:

By way of elected membership to UBC’s Board of Governors as well as UBC’s Vancouver campus Senate, faculty are involved in the highest levels of decision-making.

Additionally, faculty are represented on the UBC Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee.


The website URL where information about the institution’s governance structure is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The UBC Board of Governors (http://bog.ubc.ca/) and UBC’s Vancouver Senate (http://senate.ubc.ca/) together govern all aspects of academics, finances, and planning for The University of British Columbia’s Vancouver campus and include representation from students, staff, and faculty.

Other opportunities for students, staff, and faculty involvement on governance include:
Alma Mater Student Society: http://www.ams.ubc.ca/leadership/
UBC Graduate Student Society: http://gss.ubc.ca/
Staff and Faculty Employee Groups: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/faculty-staff-resources/employee-groups/


The UBC Board of Governors (http://bog.ubc.ca/) and UBC’s Vancouver Senate (http://senate.ubc.ca/) together govern all aspects of academics, finances, and planning for The University of British Columbia’s Vancouver campus and include representation from students, staff, and faculty.

Other opportunities for students, staff, and faculty involvement on governance include:
Alma Mater Student Society: http://www.ams.ubc.ca/leadership/
UBC Graduate Student Society: http://gss.ubc.ca/
Staff and Faculty Employee Groups: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/faculty-staff-resources/employee-groups/

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.