Deans Message for LFS Community Connects: March 2021
Spring is here, as evidenced by cherry blossoms appearing across the Lower Mainland!
Spring is a time for renewal. It is serendipitous that our Faculty is launching our renewed Action Plan this month. Titled Navigating a Better Future: LFS Action Plan, this will be our guide for teaching, research and engagement for the next five years.
I’m really proud of the accomplishments made by our students, faculty and staff in the previous five-year Action Plan. They challenged themselves and they challenged the status quo. In addition, when COVID-19 forced us into a new online reality a year ago, everyone showed amazing resiliency and they continue to show it today. Our students, faculty and staff have laid a strong foundation for the next five years.
Our new Action Plan leads with a bold vision: Balancing our food system and planetary health to create a better world.
It recognizes our current strengths in working towards ensuring agricultural systems promote planetary health – sustainable stewardship of Earth’s natural resources, improved human health and animal welfare. But the vision inspires us to steer towards a better future.
Navigating a Better Future: LFS Action Plan was a year in the making. During the past 12 months, we gathered feedback from many people. LFS alumni, faculty, staff and student leaders shared online feedback on our framework (Vision, Mission, Priority Areas, Pillars) last summer. We spoke to our Faculty Advisory Board and UBC campus partners leading change within the university related to wellbeing, Indigenous reconciliation, equity, diversity and inclusion, and climate action. We then held a second round of consultations as the Action Plan became more complete. This is a living document and as we move ahead in the next five years, we will make adjustments as needed to our actions.
If you were one of the many who provided input into this plan, my sincere thank you for taking time to support LFS.
I invite you to read and welcome your input on the Action Plan 2021-2026.
Cheers,
Rickey Yada
Professor and Dean
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