It’s no surprise that, because this role is unlike any other at a Canadian university, it comes with privileges and challenges. While I’m not going to gripe about the challenges, I don’t want you to be fooled by my smiley social media feed.
As my last column of the calendar year, I’ll use this opportunity to recount some of the ways I’ve started addressing the goals I hoped and promised to achieve, as outlined in my statement of beliefs during the election.
Right away, I purchased camera equipment and then finessed my way into the Queen’s enterprise s for Sprout Social, Canto, and the Adobe Suite. I hired two work-study students—a Multimedia Producer and Communication & Engagement Officer, as well as a First Year Intern, to help execute my communication plan.
Planning for the Remembrance Day ceremony was an unexpected highlight. My focus was on bringing a fresh perspective to a long-standing tradition of honouring all from Queen’s who have served our country. I noticed an important story was being left out—Indigenous veterans—and worked with the planning committee to rectify this and work towards a fuller story.
If you’re wondering what my day-to-day looks like, well, if Barbie says her job is “everything,” mine is “committee.” When I’m not in a meeting for a Board committee, hiring search, or working group, I’m pouring over an agenda package for one of them. These spaces give me a chance to advocate for holistic safety and integrate student wellbeing into the conversation and decision-making process.
In response to the alarming 2023 Shift Survey response that 53 per cent of students hide a part of their identity at Queen’s, I ordered over 200 Hate Has No Home Here posters for campus, including every single residence building. My goal was to ensure marginalized students can see, in no uncertain , where they can be their full selves. Then, I teamed up with the AMS and faculty societies to make sure students weren’t taken by surprise when the University District Safety Initiative took effect during move-in and orientation. The message clearly got out, organically reaching over 10,000 s.
The most important part of this role is relationships. It’s the handshakes (and hugs) at convocation while sending off the newest grads, the advice given to incoming students at orientation, the late-night stories at homecoming with the Tricolour Guard. It’s the Shabbat dinner, Navratri celebration, semi-formals, and happenstance encounters around campus. These connections fill my calendar, my belly—and, honestly, my heart.
The work is still unfolding. I wish I had more words to tell you what’s next. We need to continue negotiating what’s possible and keep hope that some of this will ripple outward, making Queen’s feel a little more welcoming and a little more ours.
At your service,
Niki
Tags
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].