Advisory Committee for Learning Spaces

The Office of the Provost and VP Academic created the Okanagan Advisory Committee for Learning Spaces in 2017. This committee, and the related administrative support groups on campus, are committed to supporting UBC Okanagan’s ability to be adaptable to the evolving needs of teaching and learning.

Terms of Reference

The committee provides advice and recommendations to the Okanagan Space Allocation Committee at the direction of the Provost to enable UBC to deliver on its promise of providing an exceptional learning environment to its community of learners and teachers. The Advisory Committee’s mandate would include advising on budget, schedule, funding, design and financing and is intended to take a campus-wide perspective in the management and use of learning spaces.

The main objectives of the committee’s work are to:

1. In cooperation with the Okanagan Space Allocation Committee (OSAC), support the development of planning/strategies to help address short and long term needs and opportunities for learning space use.
2. Approve frameworks, principles and learning spaces’ design guidelines for Learning Spaces across the Okanagan campus
3. Establish and confirm priorities for learning space initiatives on campus
4. Advise on the overall functioning of the campus learning spaces and provide direction and guidance around conflicting priorities.
5. Establish a process for resolution of conflicts.
6. Set criteria for the prioritization of renovation or upgrade projects to learning spaces and recommend the yearly upgrade and renovation plan to OSAC.
7. Engage in consultation and planning with relevant university committees and working groups to strengthen cross-university communication and avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts.
8. Support learning space principles among university leadership and our general community.
9. Meaningfully engage in consultation and planning with relevant stakeholders (e.g. students, faculty, library,…).

Annual reports and updates as requested will be provided to the Senate Academic Building and Resources Committee and/or the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee as appropriate. The Advisory committee will meet (3) times a year or as needed.

Committee membership:
- Patricia Lasserre, Associate Provost, Enrolment and Academic Programs (Chair)
- Peter Newbury, Senior Advisor, Learning Initiatives, and Director, Centre for Teaching and Learning (Vice-Chair)
- Rob Einarson, Associate Vice-President, Finance and Operations
- Curtis Morcom, Director, Finance Strategies
- Fred Vogt, Deputy Registrar
- TBD Director, Campus Planning and Development
- Todd Zimmerman, Senior Manager, Media and Classroom Services
- Erin Shannon, Associate Director, Enrolment Services (Scheduling portfolio)
- Karen Young, Senior Facilities Planner
- 2 members at large coming from the Faculties
- Laura Prada, Manager, Curriculum and Academic Programs (Executive assistant role)