Santa Ono has been reappointed as UBC president and vice-chancellor, the Board of Governors announced in a broadcast on Tuesday morning.
He will begin his second five-year term in August 2021. His first term officially expires on August 14, 2021. The Board was required to determine whether it wanted to reappoint Ono before the final year of Ono’s first term.
“Professor Ono’s collaborative and consultative leadership style has served UBC well. He has connected on a personal level with students, faculty, staff and the broader community through his open and engaging communication style,” Board Chair Nancy McKenzie wrote in the broadcast.
The possibility of his reappointment was evaluated by the Board of Governors through the Presidential Reappointment Committee. The committee was established to review Ono’s performance as president and vice-chancellor and report their findings to the Board by July 2020. The findings of the committee remain “confidential and non-public” in accordance with Ono’s contract.
Ono was evaluated on the basis of the general guidelines of the responsibilities of a UBC president. The committee also reviewed contract-based guidelines and reached out to members of the broader committee for their evaluation of Ono’s performance. Community members were also able to submit comments through an anonymous online form.
“Our goal for this is not only to address reappointment, but also to serve as a sort of a midterm review on UBC’s progress [under President Ono’s leadership],” former Board Chair Michael Korenberg said at the beginning of the process.
McKenzie added that the Board has “every confidence” in Ono’s ability to lead UBC through the challenges of the pandemic.
“The board believes that his reappointment provides the best opportunity for UBC to continue on its path as a globally-recognized university providing excellence in teaching, learning and research,” she wrote.