March 2020     Vol 18     No 2

President’s Report

This edition of the newsletter is full of exciting announcements and updates, some of which you may already know.  The New RAQ membership model is well on its way to being implemented fully, and a number of you have already registered with the new universal membership model.   The Membership Committee, under the leadership of Donna Lounsbury, not only worked for many months to achieve this goal for RAQ, but also has spent long hours working on the details of moving to this model.  In May of 2020, when all Queen´s retirees are eligible for automatic free membership in the organization, we´ll have three new members of Council and a new Executive.  The new Council members are Sheilagh Dunn, Office of the Principal; John Holmes, Department of Geography and Planning; and Alistair MacLean, Department of Psychology.

Not too long after the new Council takes over, RAQ will also have a new home.  We will be sharing a house on King street with the Queens Women´s Association.  Here we will have our own office space and will be able to arrange for space for meetings and events.  The move is planned for late summer.  You will see a picture of the house in this newsletter and can expect further information about the space when the move is finalized.

By the time this newsletter is out, you will probably have received information from Human Resources about the change from Great West Life to Manulife for our benefits.  The advantages to retirees will be outlined in that report and will reflect the negotiations George Brandie initiated on our behalf some time ago.  I think you will be pleased at the new opportunities offered in the new package.

Diane Kelly, the incoming President of RAQ, has taken charge of our bursary portfolio and has already established a good relationship with Advancement.  We should be hearing about the recipient of this year´s bursary soon, and I hope that person will join us at April´s AGM meeting.

Those of you who take advantage of the events that RAQ sponsors will be pleased that Dr. Agnes Herzberg is busy planning a fall series of The Monday Morning Forum.  Watch for announcements of the speakers and dates.  Information about the popular RAQ/University Club luncheons is given elsewhere in this newsletter.

This year´s AGM is on Wednesday, April 29, beginning with an open bar at 11 a.m. in the University Club and lunch in the Teves dining room.  Our speaker this year is Dr. Fahim Quadir, Vice Principal and Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Professor, School of Global Development.    He will speak to us on the strategic vision of Graduate Studies at Queen´s followed by an engaging question/answer period.  Our new Council members will be there to meet you, and I hope that we´ll hear from our current bursary student then as well.  You will receive more details and a registration form by email later. I look forward to seeing you there.

Eleanor Rogers, President

RAQ's Future Location in 2020