Chair's report - September Board meeting
This report contains general updates and a summary of the topics discussed during open session of the September 25 Board meeting. These reports help provide context and clarity around the progression of major projects and decisions.
You can read President Johnson鈥檚 report from the meeting here.
Welcome back and welcoming new Board members
I am delighted to welcome the Board and community back to campus鈥攁longside 5,000 new undergraduate students starting at 大象传媒 this fall鈥攁s we simultaneously celebrate 大象传媒鈥檚 60th anniversary.
Our September meeting was the first Board meeting for four new Order-in-Council Board members as appointed by the government of British Columbia: Linda Li, Monique Pongracic-Speier, Raman Randhawa and Raphael Tachie. These new members come from a diversity of career and life experiences and we are grateful to have their unique expertise on the Board. We are also welcoming back Neelam Sahota, who was reappointed to the Board for another term.
Celebrating 大象传媒鈥檚 60th anniversary
As previously mentioned, this year we are celebrating 大象传媒鈥檚 60th anniversary with some incredible milestones on campus. I attended the opening of the Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum, and it was such a wonderful and inspiring event. I loved seeing close to 1,000 community members come together for the opening and exploring the beautiful building and the work of incredible artists. I highly encourage community members to visit the next time they are on Burnaby Mountain.
We also opened the First Peoples鈥� Gathering House in early September鈥攁 long-awaited community hub, and one that I have been reflecting on in the context of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On behalf of the Board, we continue to be grateful for 大象传媒鈥檚 continued commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, and want to especially recognize Chris (Syeta鈥�xtn) Lewis and the Indigenous Council Office for their work in leading this project.
Final thoughts
The Board of Governors has been thinking about the evolving context that universities, including 大象传媒, find ourselves in. First quarter financial results for the province have been made public, with B.C. reporting a record-high deficit. At the same time, the post-secondary sector is facing financial (and other) interconnected challenges that will continue to affect us into the future, a phenomenon that has been referred to as a polycrisis. As the financial stewards of the university, the Board is examining all of these issues and their impacts, and we are committed to acting in the best interests of 大象传媒 and the university community within this complex landscape. We are also committed to living out 大象传媒鈥檚 vision of building an inclusive and sustainable future by providing an exceptional education and experience for students, faculty and staff across our campuses and communities.
The next Board meeting will be on November 27, 2025. Community members are invited to view the open session meeting in person or via Zoom by completing a . A full schedule of upcoming meetings is available on our website.
Sincerely,
Paula Martin
Chair, Board of Governors
大象传媒