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From Here Forward shares stories and ideas about amazing things UBC and its alumni are doing around the world. It covers people and places, truths, science, art, and accomplishments with the view that sharing better inspires better. Join hosts Carol Eugene Park and Jeevan Sangha, both UBC grads, in exploring solutions for the negative stuff out there — focussing on the good for a change, from here forward.
[00:02] Rumneek: Hi, welcome to From Here Forward, a UBC Podcast Network podcast. I'm Rumneek and she's Carol.
[00:15] Carol: That's me. Hello, friendly alumni. And welcome back to us.
[00:20] Rumneek: Today, we're having a very exciting conversation. We had a chance to talk to UBCs outgoing president, Santa Ono.
[00:28] Carol: Oh, no. He's leaving us. Get it?
[00:32] Rumneek: Unfortunately. Anyways, as the only president we've ever known during our time at UBC, Class of 2020 shout out, we had to have a chat with him.
[00:41] Carol: I don't know about you, Rumneek, but I've only met two university presidents in my long 26 years of life. And I have to say he's a pretty cool dude, super chill and pretty easy going too.
[00:53] Rumneek: Yeah, definitely. And he was charismatic too.
[00:56] Carol: So before we jump into our conversation with him, was there anything that stood out to you from our interview?
[01:02] Rumneek: I'll be honest, I was kind of nervous. I mean, we aren't even in school anymore, but I was scared I was going to get in trouble. But he was actually really chill and shared some great insight.
[01:13] Carol: True. Facts, no printer. Well, on that note, let's dive into the convo.
[01:21] Santa Ono: My name is Santa Ono. I'm 15th president of University of British Columbia, and I've been here for about six and a half years, and I'm a dad to two daughters. I'm married to Wendy for 34 years.
[01:35] Carol: So you've been, as you said, at UBC for six and a half years and now you're leaving to go to University of Michigan. Tell us a little bit about like where you came from and what convinced you to come to UBC as president?
[01:44] Santa Ono: Well, it's quite a story. You may know that my father was a professor of mathematics at UBC in the late fifties, early sixties, and I was actually born in 1962 in Vancouver at St Paul's Hospital, and we lived actually on the campus of UBC, which is now called Acadia Place on Presidents Row of all places. And so I was the president of the University of Cincinnati and in 2015 or so I was contacted because UBC was doing a search for its 15th president, and I was surprised that they were interested in me and pleasantly surprised.
[02:22] And the search committee selected me to become the 15th president of UBC. And that's what brought me back just to try to come full circle to UBC, which is now one of the world's great universities, and the chance to come back to where I was born, where my father taught as a professor of mathematics and a place that has always inspired me over the years because of its remarkable upward trajectory in a very short period of time to where it is today.
[02:51] Rumneek: That's a great story. So what kind of jumped out at you or surprised you, I guess, when you first arrived in this role, to UBC in its capacity?
[03:02] Santa Ono: You know, University of Cincinnati is also a pretty large public university. At that time, there were about 44,000 students. And so when I arrived at UBC, what I had remembered from photographs and my father's telling me about what it was like at UBC, it was a much smaller UBC. And when I arrived in 2016, I noticed that the Point Gray Campus itself was only about a thousand acres of land and the Kelowna campus was on about 600 acres of land.
[03:30] So UBC [] campus was larger than the whole University of Cincinnati campus. And so the first reaction I had when I stepped onto campus here in Vancouver and then flew to the Okanagan is “Boy, is this place huge.” We're now verging on about 71,000 FTE here on both campuses. And so every day on the Vancouver campus alone, we're verging on over 80,000 people converging.
[03:53] If you look at faculty, staff and students and then you have about 15 to 18,000 in the Okanagan. So the other reaction in addition to the space, the acreage of the two campuses was the vast size of the community. It's really become a large town or small city. And if you think about it in aggregate, it's about the size of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
[04:19] Santa Ono: So it's a pretty big enterprise here at UBC.
[04:22] Carol: In your view, what differentiates UBC from other kind of prestigious universities across Canada?
[04:29] Santa Ono: The three institutions, UBC, UFT and McGill are considered to be the big three, not only in size but in terms of reputation and the impact of the scholarship that's underway at the institutions as really research powerhouses, but also as a place where the best and brightest students actually… it's a destination for them and they transform into world leaders in every sector of human endeavor.
[04:56] So what distinguishes us from, say, Toronto and McGill? I would say the fact that it's young, it's at least half the age of those institutions. And with that comes a different kind of spirit. It's not that we've always done it this way at UBC. It's more about what can we do as individuals and as a community to innovate and to create a new normal?
[05:21] And so there's a very different energy at UBC than Toronto or McGill. UBC is probably more entrepreneurial, to be frank. If you look at the Ivy League schools on the East Coast, there is a memoire of McGill. And if you look at Stanford or University of Washington, they're a little bit more forward looking, more-free spirited like UBC is. So I like to refer to Stanford as the UBC of the United States.
[05:48] Rumneek: On that note, when do you think that UBC doesn't get enough credit for?
[05:52] Santa Ono: If I think about my travels and who I interact with, I would say that the global brand of UBC is huge, especially in Asia but also in Europe. I was just on a Zoom call this morning with the head of a major science agency in France. And so they have tremendous respect for UBC, for the quality of the faculty, for the research output for the quality of the students.
[06:19] And so I would say actually that UBC is recognized even better outside of Canada than in some parts of Canada. But if you go to Ontario, which I often do and you'll speak to people just in neighborhoods or at barbecues, they are not aware of the excellence of the university. They're very Ontario centric. And there's a little bit of that in Quebec as well and in the Atlantic provinces.
[06:46] So I would say that that's one thing which I've noticed is that UBC could do, be more intentional, could do better in terms of its visibility within Canada.
[06:57] Carol: This might be a hard one but what has been your proudest achievement as UBC's 15th president?
[07:04] Santa Ono: It's very difficult for me to choose one. I would say… so do I really have to just choose one?
[07:10] Carol: Just one.
[07:12] Santa Ono: Oh, that's a tough assignment. I would say focusing on the culture of the institution. The culture of an institution, I think is incredibly important because it is something that impacts on the wellness of every member of the community learning at this level and performing scholarship at the highest level, competing at the highest level if you're a scholar athlete, all of these things create pressure on individuals and actually teams and groups of people departments.
[07:40] And so, you know, the wellness of the community is something that has been a priority of mine. From the very first day I stepped onto campus, there's been a focus on mental health of students, faculty and staff investments. We're still not perfect certainly, but we have really focused on, for example, the Okanagan Charter.
[08:03] Whether I go to Europe or Asia or to Michigan, they talk about UBC with reverence because it's been an institution that has put wellness and the culture of the institution front and center with the recognition that if you have faculty, staff and students that are well and are thriving they will do better in the classroom, they'll do better on the field or in the pool, they'll do better as a scientist and a scholar. So I'm really very proud of that.
[08:36] Rumneek: So this podcast focuses on alumni and faculty that are doing great things. And we have a lot of talent here at UBC. Are there any talents or folks that come to mind that we should be keeping an eye on or folks that come to mind when you think of kind of the immense talent coming out of UBC?
[08:56] Santa Ono: Well, I have to say that there's talent everywhere you look. One of the most exciting things that I think will receive global recognition soon is the central role that UBC scientists not only Peter Colors but Blakeney as well, have played in the design of the newest generation RNA vaccines that are the core of making COVID vaccines possible.
[09:20] So that's something that's increasingly recognized with some of the most prestigious international awards. And I think that is one example of talent that is becoming recognized. Peter [] was an unsung hero for four decades, really doing the fundamental research that made it possible for COVID vaccines. And I think the recognition of that talent, that persistence, that grit in taking that from the bench to the bedside will be celebrated for centuries to come because this pandemic is something that has impacted the entire world.
[09:56] But that's one example. We have examples in every part of the institution. For example, Catherine Grotzinger is on the faculty in the School of Journalism and she has in a very humble, understated way, work with colleagues across Canada and around the world to ask questions about youth and adolescent mental health. And this is something that has not been spoken about truthfully and transparently until this very large project that looked at mental health needs and the really the crisis in mental health that is occurring among our youth and university age students.
[10:40] And it's foundational to change in policy that's going to occur at institutions and jurisdictions and provinces and nations, and that's an example of talent. She doesn't seek recognition, but the work that she has done here at UBC and through this network, I think will pay dividends in the lives of young people for decades to come.
[11:07] Carol: Pause for a quick rant about K.G. as her students like to call her. K.G. is a powerhouse, a woman who wears many, many hats. And as her former journalism students, we can objectively say that we wouldn't be anywhere without her.
[11:22] Rumneek: And like Santa says, Catherine never asks for praise. She simply shows up and does the work. And all of her students think she doesn't get enough credit for how important of a faculty she is. And that's an understatement.
[11:34] Carol: KG prioritizes her students mental health and just general well-being. I'm talking like if I have a midlife crisis, I could hit her up and have her share her wisdom. And if you thought that you were doing well, well, after talking to her for like literally 2 minutes, you realize that you're holding all of her emotions in when she asked you how you were really doing.
[11:55] Rumneek: She just knows anyways.
[11:57] Carol: We aren’t done. If you could describe you busy in one word, what would it be?
[12:03] Santa Ono: Dynamic.
[12:04] Carol: I knew you were going to say that. Okay. Why?
[12:08] Santa Ono: I was just walking from my office to CITR and outside there, literally thousands of students and staff mingling around and there must be 400 clubs out there. And the energy and dynamism of watching all those first-year students, think about what they're going to do on this campus. Their minds are open. My daughter is one of them.
[12:36] They don't know exactly where they want to go with their lives. But just watching their horizons open up and finding themselves is something that is not just existent at the student level, but I see it among the staff. I see them among new faculty at the institution. I see it among the even most senior faculty at the institution.
[13:01] I'm just amazed by how they are continuously asking questions, looking into questions that have yet been solved. And the transformative impact all of them are having on the world. And the world needs it more now than ever before. And I have seen during my time here the advocacy of students and staff and faculty pushing us as an administration to change the way we do things, to change how we invest our endowment, to change our priorities and focus on truth and reconciliation and on sustainability.
[13:37] They have had a huge impact on me personally. And so that dynamism is something that's very special.
[13:45] Rumneek: Awesome. And so what's something that you're going to miss about UBC and about BC? I know there's probably a million things that come to mind but I want something that you’re going to miss.
[13:53] Carol: And you can't say sushi.
[13:55] Santa Ono: Well, there are lots of sushi restaurants here for sure. I'm going to miss the just the setting, the absolutely beautiful views of the white capped mountains and the Georgia Strait, walking through Pacific Spirit Park and walking down the steps to Red Beach and watching the sunset with my friends. That's something that's incredibly special. I haven't seen this kind of setting at any other university in the world.
[14:26] It definitely is. And I've been… scores of universities, if not the most beautiful, certainly one of the most beautiful campuses of a great university anywhere in the world. I'm going to miss all that. And the Eagles too by the way. Yeah. All the wildlife, the coyotes, eagles and just the wildlife. It's fantastic. And I've been on boats and I've been fishing out there and all of that we take for granted here just doesn't exist in many other places in the world and on the planet.
[15:01] Carol: So do you have any words of advice for your successor?
[15:05] Santa Ono: I would say that every institution is different. And my advice to my successor will be to take time to understand the soul of the institution, to understand what's special about UBC, to be vulnerable and humble and to allow yourself to be shaped by the community and to be dedicated to supporting the community be what it wants to be. The only way you can actually lead is if people want to follow you.
[15:41] And if you have a view that's not consistent with the ethos of this community, no one will follow you. So that's my advice. Get to know people, talk to them, listen to them. I hope that my successor will take a long look at the indigenous strategic plan, which is another, I think, foundational document that represents the will of not only people on this campus but First Nations as well.
[16:09] It was indigenous led and needs to continue to be indigenous led. And so, I hope that my successor will respect that approach to governing and leading an institution not from the top. If you call the presidency of the board the top, but in service of the members of the community, that's central to the indigenous strategic plan.
[16:36] Rumneek: On the same thread, final words of advice to alumni. Again, we're a podcast that goes out to alumni and we feature alumni UBCs. So do you have any advice as you depart and move on to another journey?
[16:51] Santa Ono: Great gratitude and thanks to the alumni of the university. As you know, alumni UBC tracks support, philanthropic support from alumni, from foundations. So the first thing I want to say is thank you for being engaged and caring about your alma mater. In terms of advice for the alumni, I want to encourage them to be substantial actively involved in shaping what UBC will be.
[17:19] Every year at graduation, we welcome graduating students to the congregation of UBC. The congregation of UBC are all the academic staff, the students, the graduates of the institution, but also that by definition, then the alumni of the university, and students look up to alumni of the university. So my advice to the alumni of the university would be to remain engaged, shape the institution and be connected. To be vocal about what they like and what they don't like about where the university is headed, and to form connections with faculty staff, and especially students of the institution.
[18:00] Actually, I was asked, what am I most proud of? I would say within alumni UBC, what I'm most proud of is something called the Student Alumni Council or SAC. It’s something I encourage alumni UBC to create during my time here. And the way SAC works is that they identify high ability passionate students. And it's very, very selective and very, very competitive to be selected to be a member of UBC SAC. And it's been around now for a couple of classes of cohorts of these students.
[18:38] And they're meant intentionally to be bridges between alumni and students, current students. And so they were out in force. You can see them in their blue and gold rugby shirts all around campus during homecoming, during the start, during Jump Start. And it was difficult for them to work during COVID. But post-pandemic, you will see them being a connective tissue between current students and alumni of the university.
[19:09] Carol: Right. What did you learn from UBC and how did you grow?
[19:13] Santa Ono: I grew immensely as an individual. We all learn from our experiences. I would say that what I learned from UBC more than anything else is our responsibility as settlers on this land to be leaders in the truth and reconciliation process. When I arrived from Cincinnati, Ohio, I didn't know much about the history of indigenous people over millennia on these lands.
[19:43] I didn't know what Unceded traditional territory meant, but I know now. And the preparation that went into my apology for UBC's role in the residential schools was quite an education for me. And it was quite emotional, quite difficult for me to apologize to the survivors of those residential schools. But I think it is essential first step in a truth and reconciliation process here on this campus and on the Okanagan campus as well.
[20:15] So I've learned from chiefs, I've learned from [inaudible 20:18], I've learned from other First Nations about really the atrocities that occurred on these lands and our responsibility to do right and to reach out to First Nations youth, to really make this a destination, to increase their representation of students on the indigenous students on these campuses, to increase the numbers of indigenous staff and faculty on our campuses.
[20:48] And so that was the biggest education I learned. And it transcends this wrong that's occurred here locally because it's a model of the same kind of colonialization and power imbalances that are occurring around the world. And so it wasn't just an education to me about First Nations and anti-indigenous racism, but it was a lesson to me about the responsibility of being a settler and being privileged about our responsibility to make it right.
[21:29] Rumneek: That felt like a lovely goodbye. I mean, I feel like I got closure.
[21:33] Carol: You're so dramatic. It's not like he was an ex-boyfriend or something. He was just literally the president of our university. Very different vibes, if you ask me.
[21:41] Rumneek: You know what I meant. Anyways, thanks to Santa Ono for his time, and we were definitely wishing him nothing but the best as he leaves UBC and starts out on his new journey.
[21:51] Carol: It was truly a surreal moment to A, chat with him and B, take a lovely selfie with him.
[21:58] Rumneek: Iconic. We also have a very eventful interview for you all. Another Changemaker episode with Baby No Money coming out very soon.
[22:06] Carol: Anyway, I highly recommend giving a lesson because it's A, hilarious B, chaotic and C, just a great time.
[22:19] Rumneek: Thanks everyone for listening. Make sure you catch our next episode by subscribing or following our show on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you're feeling your feels, please drop us a review. You can also find me on Twitter @rumneeek with three E's.
[22:34] Carol: And me @caroleugenepark, especially if you want to see that selfie I took with Santa. I think they do.
[22:41] Rumneek: Today's episode was recorded at the CATR Radio and engineered by Henna Iman. From here forward is an alumni UBC podcast produced by Podium Podcast Company.