The VPS Strategic Initiatives Fund (SIF) was initiated to support staff from across the VPS/AVPS portfolio to envision and implement innovative projects that continue to advance the three commitment areas of the Student Strategic Plan (SSP).
In 2023, 16 exceptional projects were selected to receive SIF funding. Selected projects showcased a remarkable blend of creativity, cross-collaboration, and commitment to enriching the student experience. Funds were allocated to projects in support of the three commitment areas of the Student Strategic Plan:
- Transformative learning reinforced through local and global engagement
- Wellbeing for people, places and the planet
- Connections within and across campuses and communities
To date, seven projects have been completed providing greater understanding of student experiences and needs, and wide-ranging, positive impacts on services and students that will continue to be felt in the years to come. We would like to extend our congratulations to the project teams for each of the following projects for their success in achieving outcomes that support a positive student experience at UBC, and in advancing the commitment areas and strategies of the Student Strategic Plan. The remaining 2023/24 SIF projects will be completed by April 2025, and project outcomes will be reported afterward.
UBC Vancouver
Investigations Office – Professional Development: Restorative Justice for Campus Sexual Harm
Total project funding: $7,000
Project timeline: September 2023 – August 2024
The aim of this project was to provide IO staff with the necessary theoretical background and skills to apply a restorative lens to campus sexual violence complaint processes.
In the fall of 2023, the Director of Investigations and two Investigators completed a 12-week online course focused on root causes of campus sexual harm, restorative approaches to complaints, and re-integration practices. The Investigations Office has subsequently drawn on course content to better define IO’s approach to Alternative Resolution Processes (ARPs), and to make ARPs more inclusive so that they better reflect the plurality of experiences and identities at UBC.
UBC Bookstore – Empowering Indigenous Access through Digital Equity (EIADE)
Total project funding: $24,395
Project timeline: January – August 2024
This initiative aimed to streamline access to needed course materials in both physical and digital formats for all sponsored students.
This project addressed access disparity for sponsored students, many of whom are Indigenous. All sponsored students can now easily identify products eligible for coverage under their sponsorship, track their funds, and pay for materials online. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous sponsored students are better able to seamlessly access materials, aligning their experience with that of their peers.
Student Communications Services (SCS) – Service Design Initiative Phase 1: Alignment and Discovery
Total project funding: $25,000
Project timeline: January – June 2024
SCS engaged with Spatial Research and Design to work with the team to improve clarity, consistency, and processes across SCS’s work with 15+ service and program units. Phase 1 focused on improving clarity, consistency, and processes across SCS’s work with units, and identifying approaches to improve students’ navigation of and pathways through critical information and resources on student-facing channels.
This phase included surveys with leadership, staff interview, empathy mapping and student interviews. It established a comprehensive understanding of the current state to build upon in Phase 2 of the project. Insights gained will also continue shaping content strategies, campaign planning, and collaboration with VPS units.
Student Communications Services (SCS) – Service Design Initiative Phase 2: Co-creation
Total project funding: $25,000
Project timeline: January – June 2024
This phase focused on the co-creation and design of a coordinated, student-centred approach to communications strategy across the 15+ units supported by SCS. The aim was to improve how Vancouver students navigate and engage with content on SCS, VPS, and other UBC channels. A top area of focus was a redesign of key landing pages on students.ubc.ca.
This phase produced a report for service design optimization, student journey maps, student personas, an ecosystem map and wireframes for students.ubc.ca landing pages. This project has had a foundational impact on SCS’s overall strategy and their work with VPS units. The results are a deepened understanding of student experiences, communication pathways, and challenges, particularly for marginalized or equity-deserving students, as well as a reworked approach to communication that is more strategic, data-driven, and inclusive.
UBC Okanagan
Global Engagement Office – Mindful Move-Out
Total project funding: $7,500
Project timeline: December 2023 – August 2024
The goal of this project was to improve student wellbeing by reducing financial stress and contributing to improved sustainable practices on campus. UBCO’s Global Engagement Office created a structured move-out program that enabled the exchange of household items between outgoing students in residence and incoming international students. Items were donated and stored to to assist students with the move-out process while new students benefited from receiving needed household items free of charge..
During the move-out period in April 2023, 14 student leaders and 30 student volunteers operated a donation room in the Go Global space that housed approximately three semi-trailers worth of donated household items. The Mindful Move-out initiative successfully promoted student engagement, sustainability and affordability, and student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
SHCS – LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) for UBCO Staff
Total project funding: $7,927
Project timeline: October 2023 – August 2024
The goal of this project was to support frontline staff in developing the skills and confidence to respond appropriately to students experiencing suicidal ideation.
Three training sessions were held at the UBC Okanagan campus between October and August, and a total of 38 professional and student staff across multiple departments received ASIST training. Through robust mental health literacy and access to suicide intervention training, staff are better able to recognize the signs, and take life-saving action by connecting students to hope and support.
Wellbeing & Accessibility Services – Journey Mapping of Student Health Clinic and Student Counseling Services
Total project funding: $24,510
Project timeline: January – September 2024
UBCO’s Student Health Clinic and Counselling Services conducted patient journey mapping to understand how students experience each clinical touchpoint, from requesting health or counselling service, through service agreements and appointments, to leaving service.
The project produced a draft report on gaps in expectations between what UBCO’s Student Health Clinic and Counselling Services thinks it provides students, and what students expect in terms of services and access. This knowledge of the barriers that students face while accessing services will help to inform necessary changes to services to make them more student-centered, culturally safe, and anti-ableist.