UBC Okanagan
Encyclopedia
The University of British Columbia Okanagan is a campus of the University of British Columbia
, located in Kelowna
, British Columbia
, Canada
. The official name for the campus is simply UBC's Okanagan Campus, although it is frequently called 'UBCO.'
Prior to 2005, the campus itself belonged to the former Okanagan University College
. Smaller than the older campus in Vancouver
, Okanagan campus presently has approximately 8,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled.
In December 2002 the British Columbia Progress Board submitted a report to the provincial government, recognising the need to expand postsecondary opportunities in Okanagan. The progress board, chaired by then University of British Columbia president Martha Piper
, recommended that the province extend “the mandate of an existing provincial University to Kelowna. . .”.
In March 2004, BC Premier Gordon Campbell and the University of British Columbia
President Martha Piper
held an invitation only press conference at the Grand Hotel in downtown Kelowna, announcing that OUC would be dissolved. Okanagan University College’s university operations would be consolidated at its North Kelowna Campus and would come under the control of the University of British Columbia
. The other programs and campuses of Okanagan University College would form a new community college, which would later take on the name Okanagan College
. The OUC
Board was not invited to the press conference and had not been told in advance of the imminent demise of OUC
and removal of the termination of the majority of the OUC board members.
According the Ministry backgrounder released at the same time as the announcement was made, the affiliation between UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan would be “based on the highly successful University of California
model” and that “UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver will each have an independent senate to set academic priorities for their respective institutions, based regional needs and priorities. At the same time, they will share a common board of governors, with strong representation from each region.”
UBC's Okanagan campus is undergoing a rapid million expansion. A new science building (The Charles E. Fipke Centre for Innovative Research), University Centre and Arts and Sciences buildings were completed. Engineering and management building and medical school buildings are planned to be completed by end of the year 2011. The second Arts and Science building will include a new live animal testing facility. In addition, there are various student residences in various stages of construction. All construction was originally set to be complete by September 2010, later projected to be completed about a year and a half past that date.
An additional site for the UBC Medical School is projected to be complete in June 2011, for the opening of the Southern Medical Program in the Okanagan.
Along with the physical expansion of the campus, UBC's Okanagan campus has also seen many improvements from the former OUC days. The campus' Collegia program has gained national attention as a home-away-from-home for its large commuter population.
which serves the UBC Okanagan population is The Phoenix (website), a biweekly student newspaper that was established in 1989 at Okanagan University College.
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, located in Kelowna
Kelowna
Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The official name for the campus is simply UBC's Okanagan Campus, although it is frequently called 'UBCO.'
Prior to 2005, the campus itself belonged to the former Okanagan University College
Okanagan University College
Okanagan University College was a public, post-secondary educational institution based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It evolved from Okanagan College , and the college's predecessor, the B.C. Vocational School 1963-1965...
. Smaller than the older campus in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Okanagan campus presently has approximately 8,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled.
Faculties and Schools
- The Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
- Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Applied Science
- Faculty of Health and Social Development
- School of Health and Exercise Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program
- The Faculty of Management (affiliated with the Sauder School of BusinessSauder School of BusinessThe Sauder School of Business is a business school at the University of British Columbia located in the University Endowment Lands, just west of the city limits of Vancouver, Canada...
) - College of Graduate Studies
Okanagan University College
The current campus for UBC Okanagan was originally used by Okanagan University College. That college was founded in 1989 as a part of a plan by the government to improve access to post-secondary education in Canada. Originally degrees were awarded in partnership with other universities, but by 1995, the university began granting degrees in its own name. Starting in the late 1990s, Okanagan University began lobbying efforts to gain full university status.University of British Columbia Okanagan
Martha Piper
Martha C. Piper, OC, OBC was the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia. She held the position from 1997 until 2006, and was the 11th person and the first woman to do so...
, recommended that the province extend “the mandate of an existing provincial University to Kelowna. . .”.
In March 2004, BC Premier Gordon Campbell and the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
President Martha Piper
Martha Piper
Martha C. Piper, OC, OBC was the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia. She held the position from 1997 until 2006, and was the 11th person and the first woman to do so...
held an invitation only press conference at the Grand Hotel in downtown Kelowna, announcing that OUC would be dissolved. Okanagan University College’s university operations would be consolidated at its North Kelowna Campus and would come under the control of the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
. The other programs and campuses of Okanagan University College would form a new community college, which would later take on the name Okanagan College
Okanagan College
Okanagan College is a public, post-secondary institution with over 120 certificates, diplomas, degrees and programs including Apprenticeship & Pre-apprenticeship Trades programs. It is located in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada...
. The OUC
Okanagan University College
Okanagan University College was a public, post-secondary educational institution based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It evolved from Okanagan College , and the college's predecessor, the B.C. Vocational School 1963-1965...
Board was not invited to the press conference and had not been told in advance of the imminent demise of OUC
Okanagan University College
Okanagan University College was a public, post-secondary educational institution based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It evolved from Okanagan College , and the college's predecessor, the B.C. Vocational School 1963-1965...
and removal of the termination of the majority of the OUC board members.
According the Ministry backgrounder released at the same time as the announcement was made, the affiliation between UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan would be “based on the highly successful University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
model” and that “UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver will each have an independent senate to set academic priorities for their respective institutions, based regional needs and priorities. At the same time, they will share a common board of governors, with strong representation from each region.”
Campus expansion
An additional site for the UBC Medical School is projected to be complete in June 2011, for the opening of the Southern Medical Program in the Okanagan.
Student Life
Students of UBC Okanagan are represented by the University of British Columbia Students' Union - Okanagan (website). The student newspaperStudent newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
which serves the UBC Okanagan population is The Phoenix (website), a biweekly student newspaper that was established in 1989 at Okanagan University College.
Greek Life
The Okanagan campus currently has two sororities and one fraternity. The sororities are Theta Phi and Alpha Omega Epsilon. The Fraternity is Sigma Phi Delta. Alpha Omega Epsilon and Sigma Phi Delta are both International Organizations and have membership restrictions based upon faculty (Engineering students for Sigma Phi Delta , Engineering and Technical Science students for Alpha Omega Epsilon). Theta Phi is a local sorority open to all faculties . The Okanagan campus does not allow Greek housing, so none of these organisations have an official house or room on campus.The Phoenix
The Phoenix (website), is the bi-monthly student newspaper at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus. It was established in 1989 at former Okanagan College.UBCO.TV
The UBCO.TV creates videos about teaching, research, current events and campus life at the Okanagan campus. Videos are available on the UBCO.TV website.Full Time Faculty
| Faculty | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Science | 3 | 10 | 17 | 26 |
| Barber School of Arts & Sciences | 108 | 113 | 124 | 129 |
| Creative & Critical Studies | 47 | 48 | 50 | 53 |
| Education | 15 | 15 | 14 | 18 |
| Health & Social Development | 40 | 35 | 39 | 38 |
| Management | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 |
| TOTAL | 214 | 222 | 249 | 275 |
Full-Time Equivalent Students
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 2,811 | 3,278 | 4,073 | 5,325 | 6,015 | 7,075 | 7,901 |
| Graduate | 19 | 77 | 155 | 220 | 337 | 531 | 710 |
| Medical Students | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| Totals | 2,829 | 3,451 | 4,228 | 5,545 | 6,352 | 7,606 | 8,643 |