What is Open Door Day?
This is a low-barrier monthly event that takes little planning and preparation, but is intended to draw lots of engagement from faculty, staff and students to create a culture of belonging at the School of Nursing. We believe that when our doors are open, and when we are present for one another and sharing our stories, we are much more able to build and maintain community, even in our spacious building, and on different floors! Although we are launching this initiative at the MacIsaac Health Building, we encourage everyone to duplicate this initiative or find ways to create community wherever you work.
Once a month, on a specified day, whenever it is possible for you, join us in these simple acts:
- Don’t work from home, come to the MacIsaac Health Building,
- Open your door, or cubicle, and
- Visit an open door or two.
Every month we will have a different theme or activity. Check the monthly ask (below) to see what’s in store.
If you have accessibility requirements for any of our events please contact communications@macisaacnursing.ubc.ca.
The Monthly Ask
It’s time to Haunt the Halls!
For Faculty and Staff: Decorate your office/door/cubicle (spooky, funny or creative) and have some treats ready for students. Sign up by October 20th via the Outlook Invitation. Decorating deadline: October 23rd @ 5 pm.
For Students: Trick-or-Treat and Voting on October 26, 12-1 pm.
- Pick up a Haunt the Halls ballot at the Student Services Office
- Trick or Treat at decorated doors on the 5th and 4th floors of the MacIsaac Health Building
- Vote for your favourite!
September 25
“Get Historical” Tea and Cake Celebration
What an historic time we are experiencing at the school right now! We are now employees of the MacIsaac School of Nursing at UBC! You are invited to celebrate with beverages and cake in the atrium on the fifth floor between the Student Services Office and the Administration Office at 4:00 pm on September 25, 2026.
In addition, we will take a group photograph of this momentous occasion, just like they did back in 1922. For those not familiar with this photo, the students were tired of lack of space and they staged a protest. The “Great Trek” and pilgrimage from downtown where VGH now stands, culminated at the Science building, which had sat unfinished since the outset of the war. You can see the nursing students gathered on the second floor, rightmost square with their legs dangling over the edge. Our photo will not require such daring and lack of respect to public safety, but it will be just has important to our history.
All day will be a time of celebration. We know not everyone can be present for every celebration, but we encourage you to make September 25th one of those work-from-work days, and take a break at 4:00 pm to get historical with your colleagues.
August 26
Get To Know Your Neighbour Walk
Open your door — and walk right through! Meet in the atrium between SSO and Admin for a Get-to-know-your-neighbour Walk. 11:30 am to 12:50 pm or any portion of that time.
July 22
Ice Cream Social: In the atrium – Noon to 1:00 pm
How many ways can we top vanilla ice cream (and a non-dairy option)? Let’s find out! Connect with your colleagues and students over lunch (bring your own) and an amazingly versatile dessert. Ice cream and toppings to be provided.
June 24
Words, Words, Words: When people come to your door:
- have a word ready for your guests to spell
- show them how to write their name with characters from your language
- ask them about their favourite word. Some people actually have one!
- introduce a word from another language that we don’t have an equivalent for in English (but should).
Team Based Spelling Bee – Medical Terms edition: Room 3281 — Noon to 1:00 pm
Put together a team for this one. Don’t worry if you’re a bad speller and don’t know medical terms. Someone on your team might be inspired/informed/fluent in Latin. If you know the alphabet, you can contribute a letter! If you miss a word–or many words–you’ll have teammates you can commiserate with.
Medical Terms supplied by Sheryl Zentner. Visit her door and see if she accepts bribes.
May 27
Foodies’ Delight:
When people visit your door, find out/tell about:
- The best meal ever eaten
- A favourite dish
- Beloved foods from ethnicities other than one’s own
- A food detested as a child but love now
- Weird culinary cravings
- Best kitchen tool ever invented
Then, join us for a:
Potluck Lunch: Room 5228 Noon to 1:00 pm
Bring your lunch and, if you can, enough to share with at least two other people.
Or, just bring your lunch and eat whatever we’ve got to share.
Or just bring yourself and no lunch. We anticipate that people will bring more food than they and (at least two others) can eat. Don’t stay away just because you forgot! Come and taste the variety.
April 29, 2026
For our Inaugural Event on April 29 we ask that you bring a treat. This can be a treat that has cultural significance to you, it might generate conversation, or it might just be something you picked up from the grocery store on the way to work. Don’t fuss. This is a low barrier activity! We’re just happy your door is open!
Since this is our first ODD, we’re sorry we can’t estimate how many will be at your door. Numbers might be high because of the faculty research poster event happening on the same day, or low because this is our first time. So bring something you like – in case you have to take some of it home again!
PRIZES
GOLDEN PASSPORT: Shams Al-Anzi (61 signatures)
GOLDEN DOOR: Ellen Siu (12)
RANDOM DRAW: Merrilee Hughes (Flamingo Paperclips)