The class consisted of students graduating from the University of British Columbia Faculty of Arts in 1923.

The Class of 1916 (Arts) consisted of members of the University of British Columbia's first graduating class of 1916. All graduates of 1916 were from the Faculty of Arts; therefore, the whole class is often referred to as "Arts 1916".

Cinema 16 was formed in 1960 to show films at the University of British Columbia for series pass holders. Because members of the Canadian Federation of Film Societies could only charge its members for film showings, the UBC Film Society had split its operation in 1960 into two groups, one of which was Cinema 16. By 1970 Cinema 16 had a separate constitution and aimed to encourage film as an art and as a medium of information and education through film showing and to promote the study and appreciation of films through lectures and discussions.

The 1908 University Act articulates the duties of the Chancellor as a member of the Board of Governors and a member of the Senate. Over the years, the official functions of the Chancellor have also evolved to include the duty of conferring all degrees granted by the University, serving as chair of Convocation, and undertaking the unofficial honour of representing the University on social and ceremonial occasions. The Chancellor is elected by members of the Convocation to hold the office for a three-year term and may be re-elected but may not hold office for more than six consecutive years. In addition, the Chancellor serves as the ceremonial head of the University. Since 1912, the Chancellors of UBC have been Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton (1912-18), Robert E. McKechnie (1918-44), Eric W. Hamber (1944-51), Sherwood Lett (1951-57), Albert E. Grauer (1957-61), Phyllis Ross (1961-66), John M. Buchanan (1966-69), Allan M. McGavin (1969-72), Nathan T. Nemetz (1971-75), Donovan F. Miller (1975-78), John V. Clyne (1978-84), W. Robert Wyman (1984- 87), Leslie R. Peterson (1987-93), Robert H. Lee (1993-96), William Sauder (1996-2002), Allan McEachern (2002-07), Sarah Morgan-Silvester (2008-2014), Lindsay Gordon (2014-2020), Steven Lewis Point (2020-2024) and Judy Rogers 2024-present.

From the time of the University of British Columbia's first Congregation, a Ceremonies Committee was appointed from faculty by the President to assist in staging the event. The committee chairman supervised the Congregation activities, while ad hoc committees handled other ceremonial activities. Ceremonial functions of the university fell primarily to the Chancellor; the Ceremonies Committee worked closely with the Chancellor and the President. The Ceremonies Office evolved slowly, beginning with the arrival of Sir Ouvry Roberts in the President's Office. He began as Director of Traffic and, in the early 1960s, gradually assumed responsibility for staging the university's public functions. The Ceremonies Office was first located in the Wireless Station. Malcolm McGregor replaced Roberts as Director of Ceremonies in 1968. The Office moved to the Old Administration Building in the late 1960s and assumed responsibility for staging the university's public functions. McGregor characterized the role of the Office as the "University on parade." The Ceremonies Office has prepared material for memorials, tributes, obituaries, honorary degrees, plaques and dedications, and sponsored special luncheons and dinners, hosted royalty and directed Congregations. In 1977, Benjamin N. Moyls succeeded McGregor as Director of Ceremonies. Moyls was, in turn, succeeded by J.K. Stager (1985-1990), C.E. Slonecker (1990-2004), and Eilis Courtney (2004- ).

The Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) was formed in July 2010 out of the Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth and the Office of Learning Technology. The Department of University Extension first developed distance education at UBC in 1936, and in 1946 the first for-credit correspondence courses were taught. In 1970 the responsibility for distance education merged into the Centre for Continuing Education, which in 1973 created the Credit and Independent Study to run correspondence courses. In 1973 Credit and Independent Study became Guided Independent Study (GIS) and was responsible for correspondence courses, while the Office of Extra-Sessional Studies was responsible for off-campus courses. In 1986 GIS was renamed UBC Access. In 1993 UBC Access, the Office of Extra-Sessional Studies and the Centre for Continuing Education merged into Continuing Studies under the Associate Vice President's authority. In 1997 UBC Access was renamed Distance Education and Technology and in 2002 was separated from Continuing Studies to be independently run through the Vice President Academic. In 2005 Distance Education and Technology was merged into the Office of Learning Technology.
CTLT is a body under the Provost and Vice-President Academic authority. Their current mission is to "[advance] scholarly and innovative approaches to teaching, learning, curriculum and educational technology practices within and across UBC's diverse disciplinary and cultural contexts." CTLT provides four primary services. First, it facilitated distance and blended learning, including course development, planning and delivery, and instructional support. Second, it offers professional development for instructors and graduate students (teaching assistants) and instructors' support with course technology. Lastly, CTLT provides curriculum and course services, supporting the creation of new courses. CTLT also oversees the Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISoTL), which runs programs and initiatives to further the teaching and learning scholarship at UBC.

The Centre for Human Settlements was established at the University of British Columbia during the United Nations Conference of Human Settlements in Vancouver (May 1976). Administered by a director responsible to an inter-disciplinary Board of Management chaired by the Dean of Graduate Studies, the Centre was created to provide a research focus for issues relating to human settlement. One of the centre's main objectives was the provision of access to the audio-visual reference library of video tapes of the 240 presentations contributed by 140 nations participating in the 1976 conference.

Cecil and Ida Green Lecture Series began in 1972 and is currently ongoing. The Lecture Series sponsors academics from various fields and other prominent figures to lecture at the University. UBC faculty members often nominate potential lecturers. The Cecil and Ida Green, Lecture Series Committee makes the final decision on which guests to sponsor and invite to lecture at UBC.

The Office of Physical Plant was established in 1967 to manage engineering, maintenance, and planning of buildings and grounds on the University campus. Previously, these had been the responsibility of the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds.

In 1969, the Office of Physical Plant was organized into Operations and Maintenance, Design and Planning, New Construction, and Administrative Services.

In 1986, the Office of Physical Plant was reorganized into two departments: Plant Operations and Plant Design and Construction. Plant Design and Construction was merged with Physical Design and Development and was responsible for designing new campus buildings. This new department was renamed Campus Planning and Development in 1989 and renamed Campus and Community Planning in late 2001.

The Office of Physical Plant was established in 1967 to assume the responsibilities of engineering, maintenance, and planning of buildings and grounds on the University campus. Previously, these had been the responsibility of the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. In 1969, the Office of Physical Plant was organized into four divisions: Operations and Maintenance, Design and Planning, New Construction, and Administrative Services. In 1986, the Office of Physical Plant was further reorganized into two departments: Plant Operations and Plant Design and Construction. This department was renamed Campus Planning and Development in 1989 and again renamed Campus and Community Planning in late 2001.

The Bursar's Office was the University of British Columbia's administration unit responsible for financial affairs between 1915 and 1984. The Bursar, who acted as a chief financial officer for the University, implemented the Board of Governors' fiscal policies. In addition, the office encompassed the following areas of responsibility: treasury, internal audit and control, consultative or financial management, and the implementation of technological developments such as data processing and computerization. The position of Bursar dates back to the University's first opening in 1915. However, the position was known as Business Agent for the first two years of operation.
Relatively few individuals have served as Bursar at UBC. Fred Dallas held the position of Bursar for twenty years until his retirement in 1935. His successor, Angus MacLucas, was Bursar until 1948. He was succeeded by R.M. Bagshaw, who held the position for three years. E.D. MacPhee was appointed Honorary Bursar in 1951 and oversaw the operation of the office until 1963. William White became UBC's last Bursar, finishing his term in 1969. After that, the position of the Bursar was discontinued, although the Office of the Bursar continued to control the University's financial matters until 1984, when it was superseded by the Office of the Vice-President Finance (now V.P. Administration and Finance).

The UBC Bookstore is owned by the University and operated by University staff in co-operation with faculty and students to provide the campus community with course textbooks, reference works, and office supplies. The Bookstore is prepared to supply all course supplies required by students, including books, notebooks, instruments and all kinds of specified and general stores. Over the years, the Bookstore has expanded into a significant academic bookstore in British Columbia. It now regularly stocks a wide range of available and educational titles for the convenience of students, faculty, staff of the University, and the public.

The Board of Governors of the University of British Columbia was first constituted under the British Columbia University Act 1908. The Board originally consisted of the Chancellor (who served as chairman) and the University President, ex-officio members and nine individuals appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor. The Board is now composed of fifteen members. It includes elected members of faculty, students and full-time employees, and eight people appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
The Board of Governors is charged with the management, administration, and control of the University's properties, revenue, business, and affairs. With the approval of the Senate, the Board establishes procedures for the recommendation and selection of candidates for presidents, deans, librarians, registrars and other senior academic administrators as the Board may designate. The Board also appoints the president, deans of all faculties, librarians, and other teaching staff members. The Board has the power to fix salaries and define duties and tenure of office. Members of the teaching staff may not be appointed, promoted or removed from office except upon the president's recommendation. The Board fixes the fees to be paid by students; administers funds, grants, fees, endowments, and other assets; and, with the Senate's approval, can determine the number of students that may be accommodated at the University. The Board is required to seek the University Council's approval, which, in turn, must seek the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council before incurring deficits.

The Biological Discussion Club at the University of British Columbia began in the early 1920s. Its goal was to stimulate interest in biological subjects at the university by reading papers of general interest and by other means as determined by the club. In 1949 the name of the club was changed to the Biology Club. The club finally ceased operation in 1965.

The Biological Discussion Club at the University of British Columbia began in the early 1920s. Its goal was to stimulate interest in biological subjects at the university by reading papers of general interest and by other means as determined by the club. In 1949 the name of the club was changed to the Biology Club. The club finally ceased operation in 1965.

The Awards Office emerged in the mid-1970s at the University of British Columbia to administer student scholarship and bursary programs. In 1980 the name of the unit changed to Awards and Financial Aid, and its mandate extended to student loans. Byron Hender served as the first director of the Awards Office from 1974 until 1991. Carol Gibson, who served as director until 2001, succeeded him. Following a reorganization in 2002, the unit's functions were divided between merit and needs-based activities. These were reallocated between Student Recruitment, Admissions & Awards and Records, and Registration & Student Financial Assistance.

The UBC Association of Professors Emeriti was established in 1987 as a voluntary association of retired UBC faculty (academics, librarians, and senior academic administrators). To qualify for membership, a Professor had to be at least 65 years or older with five years of service at UBC, or be retired and have worked at least 25 years. It was a division of the UBC Alumni Association. The organization's main objective was to maintain a strong relationship with the University by putting the intellectual and academic resources of the Association at the University's disposal. The Association also aimed to serve as a forum for members to pursue matters of common interest and foster intellectual and social interactions. In February 2019, the Association dissolved, and its assets were transferred to UBC Emeritus College.

The University of British Columbia Archives was established in 1970 as separate from UBC Library's Special Collections Division. It serves as the University's corporate memory by identifying, preserving and making available for using its permanently valuable records. The Archives acquires the corporate records (regardless of physical form or characteristics) created, received or accumulated by University officers or employees in the course of their duties. To augment the information in the University's corporate records, the Archives acquire the private papers of selected faculty members, administrators and alumni, and the records of students, alumni and employee organizations. The Archives helps facilitate the efficient management of the institution's records by coordinating the University's records management program. It also serves the institution in a public relations capacity by disseminating information about the development of the University to interested individuals and promotes academic research through the provision of reference services and the preparation of finding aids and other specialized research tools.

The Architecture Undergraduate Society (also known as "Archus") was formed in 1955 when students from the School withdrew from the Engineering Undergraduate Society and formed their own organization. The Society's aims are to represent students' interests in the School and serve as a liaison between students, faculty, the Alma Mater Society, and the architectural profession.

The UBC Alumni Association established the UBC Speakers Bureau in 1975. Its purpose was to arrange speaking engagements by University faculty to non-profit organizations on a wide variety of topics. Organizations could contact the Speakers Bureau and inform them of their preferred date, time, and subject. In turn, the Bureau would contact faculty members who had indicated their willingness to participate in the program and whose area of expertise included the topic in question. The Bureau ceased operations in 1987; however, Community Relations established a new Speakers Bureau in September 1988.

The Fairview Committee was established under the auspices of the Alumni Association in the mid-1970s. Composed of UBC graduates from 1915 to 1928, the Committee undertook projects designed to commemorate the university's history, particularly relating to the Fairview era. Working on the recommendations of the Committee, the Board of Management of the Alumni Association passed the following motion at its January 1983 meeting: "That the work of the Fairview Committee be incorporated into a new heritage committee for UBC and that this committee be given every support by the Alumni Association to look after the recording and preservation of the University's heritage." Blythe Eagles, who served as chairman of the old Fairview Committee, assumed the chairmanship of the expanded Heritage Committee. The Heritage Committee included the following three original sub-committees: 1) Fairview - Dr. Harry Warren (Chairman) 2) 1928 - 1945 - A.H. Rome (Chairman) 3) 1945 - present John Banfield (Chairman) Later, a 1963 - 1986 sub-committee was added.

The University of British Columbia Alumni Association was founded in 1917. Its goal is to link alumni with the University and each other and support its mission and activities. After experiencing a tenuous existence through its first two decades, the Association began to shape after re-writing its constitution in 1935. Various graduate associations were formed to operate under the guidance of the Association: "divisions" organized according to the undergraduate program, and "branches" organized by city or region outside the Vancouver area. Branches and divisions hold periodic reunions and several other social and professional activities and events. The Association itself also organizes various events and activities on campus. Several issues of a newsletter, The Bulletin, were published during the 1920s. The first Graduate Chronicle was published in 1931 and was published on an irregular basis. Renamed The Alumni Chronicle in 1948, and later simply The Chronicle, published every quarter. In 1946, to facilitate its fund-raising activities, the Association was incorporated as an independent body under the Societies Act; its liaison with the University is through the External Affairs Office. From 1953 to 1963, the Association organized the annual Convocation meetings, and its Director served as Convocation Secretary. Since 1967 the Association has operated Cecil Green Park House as a venue for banquets, receptions, and other social events. For much of its history, the Association engaged in extensive fund-raising activities on behalf of the University through its Alumni Annual Giving campaigns, the Development Fund, the Capital Gifts Campaign, and various scholarships and bursaries. However, in 1989 all fund-raising activities were transferred to the Development Office.

Student self-government at the University of British Columbia was realized during a student body meeting in the fall of 1915. At that time, Sherwood Lett was elected as the Alma Mater Society (AMS) president. In the summer of 1915, a provisional constitution for the Society was drafted. Every student becomes a member of the AMS upon enrolment at UBC and the payment of the AMS fee. In working toward its mission of improving the quality of the educational, social and personal lives of UBC students, the AMS administers resource groups, campus businesses and over two hundred clubs. Politically, the Society has the mandate to represent the student body to the University administration, federal and provincial governments, and society. The AMS is governed by a 45 member Student Council consisting of the Executive (President, Vice President, and Directors of Administration, Finance, and External Affairs), and representatives from undergraduate societies and schools, student representatives from the Board of Governors, UBC Senate and the Graduate Society and the AMS Ombudsperson. The AMS Executive, Senate and Board of Governor's representatives are elected by the general student population each January. The UBC Alma Mater Society has its Archives. The AMS Archives location, contact details and finding aids are available through the AMS Archives website.

Established in 1928/29, the Agriculture Club succeeded the Agricultural Discussion Club and the Livestock Club at the University of British Columbia. Student members of the Faculty of Agriculture felt that the work of the old clubs overlapped to such an extent that more could be accomplished if they were amalgamated into a single organization. At the outset, the club had three primary purposes. First, it would encourage debating and public speaking amongst students in the Faculty of Agriculture and oversee teams' selection for inter-faculty debates. Second, it would arrange for outside speakers to come to campus to talk on agricultural topics. Third, it arranged for evening meetings in different members' homes at which agricultural topics could be discussed.

Formed in 1917 by the first Agriculture class of seven students, the Agricultural Undergraduate Society (AUS) was established to sponsor the first annual Agriculture dance. Since that time, the AUS has represented the interests of UBC Agriculture students and continues to organize social activities.

The Academic Women's Association (AWA) of the University of British Columbia was founded in September 1976. Its purpose is to foster collegiality among academic women, to encourage and promote equal opportunities for women to participate fully in all aspects of University affairs, to provide a forum for discussion on matters that affect women at the University, and to initiate any enquiry, study, or action as decided upon by the Association. Membership in the AWA is open to all women holding tenured full-time or part-time positions and those with temporary academic appointments. The Association's administrative structure was largely ad hoc in nature until the late 1980s, when steady growth in its membership, increasing activism and establishing regular awards, a newsletter, and a monograph publishing programme led to changes in its constitution in 1989. The following year began a regular series of meetings between the AWA President and the University President to discuss women's equality and other human rights issues. The Association also fosters relations with University offices with similar aims concerning women's issues and is involved with several University committees.

The Faculty of Applied Science was one of the first faculties at the University of British Columbia. In 1915, with the official opening of the University, the Faculty of Applied Science appointed Reginald W. Brock, its first Dean. He would serve from 1915-1935. He was followed by John N. Finlayson (1936-1950), H.J. Macleod (1951-1954), Henry C. Gunning (1954-1959), David M. Myers (1960-1965), William Armstrong (1966-1969), W.D. Finn (1970-1979), L.M. Wedepohl (1979-1986), Axel Meisen (1986-1997), Michael Isaacson (1997-2008), Tyseer Aboulnasr (2008-2011), Eric Hall (pro tem, 2011-2013), and Marc Parlange (2013-present).
In the Faculty's early days, courses were only offered through the Second Year in Civil, Mechanical, and Mining and Metallurgy Engineering. The Faculty now oversees two Schools, the first from the former Department of Architecture, becoming the School of Architecture (1949) and later the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (2005), and the second from the Department of Nursing and Health, which became the School of Nursing (1950). There is also a School of Engineering at UBC Okanagan, established in 2005. The Faculty currently offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, architecture/landscape architecture, and nursing.

The UBC Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering is one of six departments in the Faculty of Applied Science carrying out engineering studies. Chemical Engineering was established at UBC in 1915 as the first Canadian chemical engineering program west of Ontario, and a separate Department of Chemical Engineering was established in 1954. Biological Engineering evolved from Agricultural Engineering, and Agricultural Mechanics was established at UBC in 1945. In 1975, the name and degree were changed to Bio-Resource Engineering. In 1996, the Department of Chemical and Bio-Resource Engineering was formed from the merger of these two separate departments. In 1999, the name was changed to the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and reflected the growing need for biotechnology, biomedical, and bio-resource engineering engineers.
The Department has established a world-class reputation in chemical engineering science, including fluid-solids contacting pulp and paper engineering, heat exchanger fouling and, more recently, biotechnology. Several faculty members have won national and international recognition for their research contributions. In addition, many former students have become leaders in industry and academia in Canada and abroad. The Department's administration is represented by the Department Head, Associate Heads, Manager Administration, Systems Administrator, Secretaries and Financial clerk. Various workshops and store personnel also complement the staff technicians, storekeepers and teaching lab assistants.

The University Loan Act (1921) empowered the British Columbia Provincial Government to survey and sell 3,000 acres of land in the Point Grey area as revenue for the University of British Columbia. This represented the beginning of the University Endowment Lands, which became an unorganized territory directly under the administration of the provincial government. In light of the unique administrative system, the residents of the district (locally known as University Hill) exerted little control over its governance. Consequently, the ratepayers formed the University Hill Ratepayers' Association to represent the area. While in the early days, the organization operated informally, it was later incorporated under the B.C. Societies Act.

The University Hill Book Club was formed in 1939. The object of the Club was to form a circulating book group for women in the area. Members lived in the University Hill area, paid a membership fee and chose a list of newly published books which would appeal to all members.

By 1904, the movement for higher education in British Columbia had given rise to several organizations interested in pursuing the cause. In 1904, the University Graduates' Society convened in Vancouver to "make and co-operate in all efforts to secure a University (with endowments) for British Columbia." Several meetings of the Society were held with most of the discussion focusing on a proposed land endowment for a provincial university. Unfortunately, the local government was not yet prepared to provide the requisite funding for such an undertaking. However, the activity of the Society did help establish McGill University College of British Columbia in 1906.

The University Endowment Lands (UEL) was formed due to the University Endowment Land Act of 1907. This was done to establish a lands trust to raise money for the formation of the University of British Columbia. The site that would become UBC was chosen in 1910, and the first residential lots were sold by public auction in 1925. UEL does not have an elected municipal council. Instead, the provincial government, through the Minister of Municipal Affairs, governs the University Endowment Lands under the authority of the University Endowment Land Act. Every four years residents, elect an electoral area director to represent them on the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board. It is the only urban area in B.C. directly governed by the provincial government.

In 1911, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), representing Canadian universities, was formed. Its name was later changed to Universities Canada. It is a membership organization providing university presidents with a unified voice.

Professor Dorothy Somerset of the Department of English applied to the UBC Senate for the funds to set up a theatre program. This was granted in 1958. In 1966, Professor Don Soule taught “History of the Film,” the first film studies class offered at UBC, then Professor Joan Reynertson’s “Introduction to Film Production” was available the subsequent year. The number of film courses grew under the leadership of Dorothy Somerset’s successor, John Brockington, and in 1992, the department officially became UBC Theatre and Film.

The United Transportation Union, Local 422, represents non- operating running trades in the Vancouver area. Prior to the United Transportation Union, the non-operating train staff were represented by the Order of Railway Conductors, Switchmen's Union of North America, the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen (BRT) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen (BLFE). The BRT was part of the merger in 1969 and the BLFE joined with the UTU in 1976.