Eagle Glassheim

Eagle Glassheim is a faculty member in History at UBC.  Eagle lives in the Wesbrook Place local area.

Each candidate was asked four questions about their connections to, and engagements within, the UNA. I provide the questions and candidates answers below. Rather than asking them about their political platform (we will hear a lot about that throughout the election) I asked them to reflect on the more personal aspects of their lives at UBC in the UNA community.

Describe how you are involved in the life of the UNA community.

I’m have been involved with our community on several fronts over the past decade (my kids attended NRP School starting in 2012, and we moved to campus in 2015). I was active in the NRP PAC for several years, including in the core group that designed, fundraised for, and helped construct the wonderful, accessible playground the school currently enjoys. I met with UBC reps (including CCP and UBC Properties Trust) and convinced them to donate $40,000 towards the playground (and also the UNA who donated $12,500). And I applied for grants to support using recycled tires for the accessible surfacing. For the last 5 years, I’ve been active in the University Faculty and Staff Tenants Association (UFASTA), and currently I’m the acting president of the organization. UFASTA represents faculty and staff renter interests with the University, has periodic meetings to discuss renter concerns, facilitates communications among neighbours within individual buildings, and hosts occasional potlucks to build community among faculty and staff renters. We’ve also recently been involved with conversations about road safety in our various neighbourhoods.

What brought you to live in the UNA community?

We moved to campus so we could walk or bike to work and school, and so we could enjoy the easy access to forest and ocean. We also have appreciated the incredible diversity of our neighbourhoods, combined with the proximity of the university and others who appreciate its academic and public mission.

Where in Canada, or the world, did you grow up? What about living in the UNA reminds you of your childhood home?

I grew up in North Dakota, in the US. My partner & I moved to Canada in 2005 to work at UBC. Both our daughters were born in Vancouver, and we’re all proud (but also critical) Canadians now. My childhood home in North Dakota was very different, but I carry some habits from home with me wherever I go. My father was on the city council of my home town for 30 years—while I lived at home, I would drive the city streets with him checking into constituent complaints: potholes, lack of wheelchair accessible curb cuts, and zoning violations (garage too big, etc.). I’m always on the look out for streets that are poorly designed, safety hazards, and zoning choices that affect livability and affordability. I’ve always liked to explore on foot and bike, and I have an eye on public spaces, and the intersections of public and private, that I think would be an asset on the UNA board.

How would you describe your normal daily routine?

I’m a professor. In a normal year, I teach 3 or 4 days a week and work about half time in my office on campus, half time at home. I’m currently on a year-long sabbatical, so I’m home doing a lot of reading &, I hope, some writing soon. I take occasional trips for research. I was Head of my department (History) from 2017-2020, and that was more of a 9-5 job at the office (and gave me considerable administrative experience, especially working with other offices around campus).