The ThunderBlogs

Most people came to the President’s Campus Town Hall carrying umbrellas on the rainy Monday morning. Arrivals shed their wet raingear in the Chan Centre of Performing Arts and a homogenous business casual crowd emerged.

Platters of bite size sandwiches, colourful vegetables and chocolate covered deserts spread across three tables in the lobby and invited participants to sample the lunch buffet. Uniformed servers maneuvered through the crowd and restocked diminishing food supplies.

People mingled while carrying glass plates filled with refreshments and sipping non-alcoholic beverages. Groups formed around tall tables draped in white cloths that grazed the floor. Postcards lay on the tables promoting Place and Promise: The UBC Plan.

Sweatpants and hoodies infiltrated the sea of suits when the student crowd lingered in. The buffet line grew longer and plates were piled higher with snacks. But the free lunch was not why students attended.

Andrew Longhurst said he came to report for CiTR, the campus radio station, and would not have otherwise. He said he finds these types of events formulaic and would prefer an organic session. He was interested to see if the president would take questions from the floor, he said.

Jennifer Peverelle, a first year engineering transfer student, came because her unique academic question went unanswered after being shuttled through a long line of administrators and faculty members. It is a “last ditch effort to take it as high as I can,” said Peverelle.

“10 minutes ladies and gentleman,” said an aide and people moved inside the Telus Studio Theatre. Many chatted with their neighbours while a baby’s wail carried throughout the dark hall. “Good afternoon everyone,” said Sarah Morgan-Silvester, chancellor elect of the University of British Columbia, and silenced the crowd.

Professor Stephen J. Toope, president and vice-chancellor of the University of British Columbia, began his speech after a series of thanks and introductions. The speech discussed the university’s upcoming strategies to promote research, excellence and community engagement. The audience listened and waited to hear what form the question and answer period would take.

Toope finished his speech and pointed to two microphones set up on either side of the audience. Anyone with questions would be allowed to line up at the microphones while he answered two queries received earlier by e-mail, he said.

Longhurst arrived at the microphone first. He and many others seized the opportunity for an open discussion.