On Wednesday, September 4, the University of Northern British Columbia will begin offering courses in its 22nd academic year. The 2013/14 year will be the first since UNBC passed the threshold of 10,000 all-time graduates, which was marked by a video that follows senior UNBC executives, including UNBC President George Iwama, as they travelled more than 2,000 kilometres granting degrees in Prince George, Quesnel, Terrace, Fort St. John, and the Nass Valley. In the video, recent grads are asked “What if there was no UNBC?”

Campus Correspondent

This year also marks the first time a UNBC campus correspondent will be tweeting, posting, and blogging his way through the school year. Lukas Bosch is scheduled to arrive at UNBC on Sunday, September 1, for the Residence Move-In, and join UNBC President George Iwama and his wife Marilyn for their tradition of helping new and returning students settle in. Follow Lukas’ blog and connect to his other social media assets.

Keep up with Lukas on his blog, follow him on twitter, and like him on Facebook.

Canada’s Green University™

As part of our commitment to being Canada’s Green University, UNBC is continuing to focus its efforts on being a leader in green energy alternatives relevant to its region. The University recently made headlines when it was announced that the Bioenergy Plant that heats the Prince George campus has been certified LEED Platinum, the highest environmental certification in the country.

In related news, UNBC’s commitment to sustainability has led researchers to explore the use of ash produced by bioenergy plants as a soil amendment that can be used to revitalize land after mining and forestry. Early results demonstrate that when combined with biosolids it can result in a more than 200 percent increase in tree growth in some species. It also promises to help reduce the amount of material added to landfills.

WIDC under Construction

Construction for the Wood Innovation and Design Centre (WIDC) is set to begin, with the first wood elements expected to arrive on site by the end of September. Through the year, UNBC will be recruiting faculty who will develop the new masters-level degrees in Engineering. Last month, UNBC announced the BC Government has committed to funding the degrees, helping to provide the engineering expertise and capacity necessary to support regional economic expansion in the coming decades. The new programs are built on pillars such as wood mechanics, timber structures, sustainability, and  hands-on experience, and include a one-year, course-based Master of Engineering in Integrated Wood Design, and a thesis-based Master of Applied Science in Engineering.

Second Year in CIS Competition

UNBC’s former women’s basketball coach and recently named Director of Athletics Loralyn Murdoch will lead UNBC’s men’s and women’s soccer and basketball teams into its second year of competition in the Canada West division of Canadian Inter-University Sport, the highest level of amateur sport in the country. Recent additions to the coaching roster include Murdoch’s replacement as coach, Sergey Shchepotkin.

Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams are playing in their first home exhibition games this weekend at Rotary Field against Thompson Rivers University.

Orientation

UNBC’s Office of Student Orientation has more fun and informative activities than ever before for both new and returning students as well as their parents. Join faculty, staff, and student volunteers for activities such as Residence Move-In, Welcome Back Barbeque, Find Your Classroom, and a senior student panel titled “Surviving your First Year.”

Visit the Orientation website for the full roster of events.