Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane announced today that Vice-Principal (Advancement) Karen Bertrand (Artsci’94) will be stepping down from her position at Queen’s, effective June 14, 2024, to take on the role of Vice-President (University Advancement) at Western University, starting Aug.1.

The Queen’s University Alumni Association Mission (QUAA) Statement: 

“To reach out and foster a lifelong association with Queen's, to engage our members in the life and work of the university, and to serve the alumni community in all its diversity.” 

The new year brings a new beginning. It signals a new start for anyone making new year’s resolutions. It is considered a blank slate.

The opportunity and the optimism of this time of year are cherished. But they also suggest that the year that will follow is somehow unimpacted by the year that came before it. Of course, this could not be farther from the truth. What will happen in any given year is unassailably impacted by the past.

Today marks the beginning of the in-person gathering for some of us. By Thursday, we will all gather in person at the Isabel to reflect on the year, celebrate colleagues, and share in the camaraderie of the year-end gathering and holiday season. This always puts me in a reflective mood. 

It will not likely come as a surprise to anyone that I have conflicted thoughts about this past year.