It is hard to believe it has been four months now that we have been working remotely.
Given the likely continuation of remote work arrangements into the fall, ALT would like to assess the Advancement team’s well-being, satisfaction, and needs.
Please take a few moments to complete the Advancement Work from Home Check-in survey before August 14. Your feedback is appreciated.
Workplace stakeholder engagement safety
It has been just over a year since the Office of Advancement’s Stakeholder Engagement Safety Guidelines (please login to the VPN to access it on QURIC) were launched in May 2019. Since then, two instances arose that warranted “do not contact” alerts in Advance.
In keeping with the guidelines and the Interim Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Policy, the option to accept an in-person meeting with a donor or volunteer during the global COVID-19 pandemic is at the discretion of the employee. The Office of Advancement recognizes that each person best understands and is able to determine the personal risk to themselves and their families. For this reason, employees are empowered to choose the appropriate option(s) outlined in a new document, Stakeholder Interaction, that has been posted on QUIRC.
Online town hall with Principal Patrick Deane
Join Principal Patrick Deane in an online town hall for Queen's faculty and staff on July 22, from 10:00 to 11:30 am, where he will answer questions about the current COVID-19 situation and our plans for the future. Stephanie Simpson, Associate Vice-Principal (Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion) will be the host/moderator.
Submit your question in advance and it may be answered live during the town hall. This event will also be recorded and shared on the principal's website.
Join the event on Teams. You may be prompted to enter your Queen's Net ID.
The importance of taking time off
Summer is in full swing and I hope everyone is enjoying the HOT weather and staying cool. I also hope everyone is taking time off to rest and recharge. COVID has changed so much about the way we live and work, which also means our holidays are going to be different too. Taking holidays has always been important, and it is probably more so given the stress of a global pandemic and the fact that we are all working from home now. Remember, downtime is not just a “nice thing to do” it is essential for our well-being, mental health and productivity. If you are looking for some ideas, Visit Kingston has a list of what is open and things to do in Kingston this summer, and Travel & Leisure has an extensive list of 100+ Fun Things to Do at Home Right now, From Virtual Tours to Animal Cams and More.
The Gift of Art
On Tuesday, June 23, the Queen’s community got a preview of the future of art at the university. The Gift of Art, a one-hour virtual celebration, unveiled the biggest philanthropic gift in Queen’s history, a $54-million donation from Bader Philanthropies to help revitalize the Agnes Etherington Art Centre.
The Gift of Art was the culmination of months of work by dozens of Advancement staff, including Development, Events, and Communications team members, and partners from across the university.
As you can see in the graph, more than 200 members of the Queen’s community attended the Zoom event. The donation also resonated with our alumni, who made our Gift of Art content some of our most-read stories and social media posts of the year. Big thanks to everyone who helped make the Gift of Art such a success!
Reminder: Register for Sizzler
Anxious to learn about what is possible with iModules?
We encourage you to register for their annual conference, Sizzler, on Monday, July 27. This annual event brings advancement professionals together to network, share, and learn valuable best practices to enhance creativity, boost productivity, and maximize Encompass.
If you have any questions, please contact Julia Bryan or Rachel Deir.
Fun fact
The Human History of Queen's
The first two official volumes of Queen's history only cover up to 1961. Because of this, the Retirees Association of Queen's (RAQ) and Queen's University Archives decided to team up in 2007 and launch an oral history project.
The project, known as the Human History of Queen's, ran each summer with the help of SWEP (Student Work Experience Program, an initiative of Career Services) funding, and consisted of several students serving as the interviewers.
The interviewees included faculty, staff, and administration who were at Queen's during the 1960's and were willing to share their memories for the project.
Each interview was transcribed and they are available for researchers in the Queen's University Archives.