Looking back on his term as Rector, Owen Crawford-Lem said his favourite time on the job was convocation.
“Being able to be one of those people that shake their hands and see their smile when they come across the stage and turn and wave to their family was really special,” Crawford-Lem said.
Crawford-Lem spent two years as Queen’s Rector, the third highest position at the University, representing over 28,000 students. He resigned on Dec. 12, but remains in the seat until April 30 when the next Rector—who will be elected next week—will take over.
When he was first elected, Crawford-Lem had big dreams for his position. He wanted to build relationships with everyone.
“There are 28,000 full time students, and it’s impossible to speak to each and every one of them, and I think I thought I could at the beginning,” Crawford-Lem said. “Even if I made one person’s experience better here, it’s absolutely worth it.”
Though a lot of the job happens behind the scenes, Crawford-Lem is particularly proud of the work he’s done to improve housing for students in Kingston. Crawford-Lem has spoken with city councillors and the Provost about issues with student housing. He also helped develop the Queen’s Accommodation Listing Service, an online site for students to navigate off-campus housing.
Crawford-Lem chaired the AMS Housing Crisis Committee and is working on collecting data on student housing to present to the University. Though he is proud of his successes, Crawford-Lem wants students to understand how difficult it is to make change at the University-level.
“Change is slow at the University, and especially when there are financial challenges, the investments into student housing and whatnot, are a little bit more difficult,” Crawford-Lem said.
After all his focus on housing, he was disappointed to learn the University would no longer be guaranteeing residence to first-year students in September.
ing his stint on The Shift Podcast speaking about men’s roles in allyship for equity and inclusion, Crawford-Lem realized how much work there is to do. He acknowledged not all his peers share his experience, and as Queen’s grows more diverse, there are growing pains.
“I think everything that I do comes from a place of how we can make this place work for everyone,” he said.
Queen’s University was the first large organization Crawford-Lem was a part of. Having uncovered the complexities of Queen’s istration, Crawford-Lem wishes Queen’s would adapt quicker to its environment. While checks and balances are necessary, he said Queen’s as an institution could be more open to change.
“I think it’s a testament to how much people think about things and the reflection on all the things we do here. But in the same vein, it’s a bureaucratic place,” Crawford-Lem said.
Crawford-Lem wants to ensure an easier transition for his successor. He created a formal role description and advocated for a greater compensation package for future Rectors.
He has one piece of advice for Queen’s next Rector: listen more than you talk. Reflecting on why students voted for you and acting with integrity is important.
After taking some time off to travel, Crawford-Lem wants to enter the political arena.
Despite Queen’s making national headlines over its budget crisis, Crawford-Lem is proud to be walking the convocation stage as a Queen’s graduate and future alumnus.
“We have to speak, as students, for ourselves and to continue to go make an impact on the world regardless of the headlines,” he said.
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