UBC Health Council

UBC Health works under the Office of the Vice-President, Health to enhance and enable interprofessional and collaborative health education and research to train people, develop knowledge, and shape policy, seeking to address inequities and improve the systems that produce health. The Office of the Vice-President, Health advances these aims by promoting and facilitating equitable collaborations across disciplines and faculties at UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses that collectively contribute to UBC Health, as well as with communities, institutions, and government organizations around the province.

Purpose

The UBC Health Council acts as a forum for those working across UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses to discuss and strategize ways to address issues of common concern related to collaborative health education, interdisciplinary health research, and integrated health systems.

Role

1. Identify and advise on issues of common concern.
2. Advance the strategic priorities of UBC Health. 
3. Advise on future directions and activities of UBC Health. 
4. Advocate for issues of common concern with both internal and external stakeholders. 
5. Provide guidance around opportunities and issues that impact the collaborative actions of UBC Health and its partners. 
6. Recommend strategies and processes for convening groups to advance specific priorities. 

Accountability   

The UBC Health Council advises the Associate Vice-President, Health and the UBC Health Senior Leadership Team. The Council may make recommendations on issues to advance  to the UBC Health Executive. UBC Health committees and operations team may recommend agenda items for discussion by Council. Council may bring issues and proposed agenda items to the Patient and Community Advisory Committee and Health Student Caucus for input.   

Composition and Organization 

1. Chaired by the Associate Vice-President, Health.
2. Committee supported by staff from UBC Health. 
3. Membership consisting of a faculty member appointed by their Faculty, Department or School leadership or their formally appointed designate. 
4. Meetings scheduled twice per year, or as needed for 90-120 minutes. 
5. Terms of Reference reviewed annually.

Expectations and Obligations of Members 

• Foster and contribute to open, collaborative and respectful discussions. 
• Members bring forward and help identify agenda items in advance of meetings. 
• Read and review all meeting materials which, combined with active participation time, is expected to require an average commitment of up to 20 hours per year of membership.
• Actively participate in all meetings, drawing on their own knowledge, expertise and experience to provide constructive advice. 

• Christie Newton, Associate Vice-President, Health pro tem (Chair)
• Aslam Anis, Director, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine
• Robert Boushel, Director, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education
• Lea Caragata, Director and Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Faculty of Arts
• Tamara Cohen, Director, Dietetics Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
• Paola Colozzo, Interim Director, School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
• Jacqueline Denison, Acting Director, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
• Tanya Forneris, Acting Director, School of Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
• Judy Gillespie, Director, School of Social Work, Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
• Christiane Hoppmann, Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Arts
• Sandra Jarvis-Selinger, Associate Dean, Academic, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Mieke Koehoorn, Vice-Dean, Academic Affairs, Faculty of Medicine
• Darren Lauscher, Community Educator
• Ben Mortenson, Head, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
• Tracey Oh, Co-Director, Genetic Counselling Program, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine
• Elizabeth Saewyc, Director, School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science
• Alex Scott, Head, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
• Jenna Scott, Co-Director, Genetic Counselling Program, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine
• Sally Taylor, Head, Woodward Library
• Kellie Thiessen, Director, Midwifery Program, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
• Eli Whitney, Associate Dean, Academic, Faculty of Dentistry