Henry Anderson

After two days of teleconference committee meetings last week, the UBC Board of Governors met online again today for the full April meeting. UBC’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic was top-of-mind throughout.

With the Nest closed until at least April 14 to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the AMS held its March 25 Council meeting via teleconference.

On March 23, the faculties of science, commerce and arts announced changes to end-of-term grading in emails to students. Under the changes, students will be able to withdraw from their courses with a W standing or change their registration in a course to Credit/D/Fail.

Since cash fares cannot be collected at the rear doors and not all rear doors have Compass Card readers, TransLink has also decided to halt fare collection on buses.

The Education Ministry said the suspension is in line with advice from health officials, and it is also advising private schools to end in-person instruction.

In an email sent to clubs and constituencies on March 16, VP Administration Cole Evans confirmed that student clubs will have from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. on March 17 to retrieve personal belongings from club offices.

UBC just announced that all in-person classes will transition online starting Monday, March 16 and lasting for the remainder of the term to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The recommendations — and all of UBC’s communications on the virus outbreak — are written in consultation with a working group comprising university executives, staff and other stakeholders.

In a broadcast email sent to students, staff and faculty on March 13, the university announced that all large university events including sporting events and events at the Chan Centre would be cancelled.

The university sent out a mass email confirming that operations would continue as normal for the time being because the Public Health Agency of Canada classifies the risk to Canada as “low” and has been posting regular updates to its website.

This will be Malone and Holmes’s fourth and second year on the Board respectively. In their platforms and debates, they displayed institutional knowledge that comes from having worked inside UBC for several years.

"But just because these elections are quieter doesn’t mean there’s nothing at stake or that your vote matters any less."

One of the older campers happens to have the same name as me, and we develop a ritual. Every time I see him, I reach out to shake his hand, stifle a giggle and say, Hi Henry, said Henry, to Henry, from Henry!

Malone is running again on a platform built around the guiding principles of equity, affordability and transparency in addition to a “to-do list” of specific goals.

Having served as the AMS VP academic and university affairs from 2017 to 2019 and a long-term student senator, Holmes is also running for re-election on the Senate, where he hopes he can champion cross-collaboration.