I am pleased to announce today that Dr. Santa Ono has been named as the 15th President and Vice-Chancellor of UBC.

Dr. Ono joins us from the University of Cincinnati (UC) in Ohio, where he has served as President since 2012. Prior to that, he served as the Senior Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Provost at UC. Under his leadership, UC achieved its largest enrolment in its history and received numerous accolades, including being named Public University of the Year by the Washington Center.

Dr. Ono will become President on August 15 for a five-year term. He succeeds Dr. Martha C. Piper, who will end her term as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor on June 30. Dr. David Farrar, former UBC Provost and Senior Advisor to the President, has agreed to take on the role of Interim President after June 30 and prior to Dr. Ono’s arrival.

Dr. Ono is no stranger to UBC. Originally born in Vancouver, his father (Takashi Ono) was a mathematics professor at the university in the early 1960s.

As we welcome Dr. Ono, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the search committee, which comprised faculty, staff, students, alumni, senate and board members from UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. I would like to thank the committee for finding a visionary leader who will challenge and inspire us.

I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize Dr. Piper for her exceptional service to UBC. I know the students, staff and faculty have greatly appreciated her warmth and experienced wisdom.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Ono to UBC.

Stuart Belkin
Chair, Board of Governors

Read more about Dr. Santa Ono here.