Dear fellow APSA members,

Thank you for engaging in recent opportunities to provide feedback on university processes. From attending open forums to provide feedback on the President Search to completing the Transform the SFU Experience survey, your engagement matters. When you take the time to share your perspective, you not only make your voice heard, but you also help amplify the voices of others who may have similar concerns but feel less comfortable speaking up. In doing so, you strengthen APSA's ability to represent the experiences and perspectives of our members.

One of the things I value most about working and studying with SFU Beedie is being in an environment where I can say difficult things when they need to be said. I can raise concerns, question a process, or offer a perspective that may not be what someone wants to hear, while still knowing that the conversation can remain constructive. That kind of environment is important. We should be able to disagree, challenge assumptions, and identify problems without worrying that doing so will negatively affect how we are viewed or our ability to participate.

I think this is particularly important at a time when critical thinking and good judgment are indispensable. One idea I still hold dearly from a leadership development program I did years ago comes from The Leadership Challenge: the importance of challenging the process. That does not mean challenging for the sake of being difficult or assuming that every existing process is wrong. It means being willing to ask why we do things the way we do, whether a process is achieving its intended purpose, and whether there is a better way forward. 

As APSA members, we should feel able to ask difficult questions and offer honest feedback, particularly when we are continuously trying to do more with less. That requires courage from those speaking up, but it also requires openness from those receiving the feedback. A healthy organization doesn't just make space for agreement; it makes space for disagreement, thoughtful questions, and perspectives that may be uncomfortable.

So, I encourage you to use your voice in these times. Speak honestly, challenge the process when you believe it is warranted, and engage constructively with the people around you. Most importantly, make your words meaningful by following them with action. Words can be used to solve problems or to create them. It is our responsibility to use our words thoughtfully and constructively, not as a weapon, but as a tool.

Thank you for your continued engagement, your courage to speak up, and your efforts to make SFU a better place to work.

Christopher