Campus Beat

CFRC Podcast Network

Welcome to the Campus Beat podcast hosted by Dinah Jansen.  In this series, we highlight campus news stories and enjoy conversations with Queen's University community members to discuss news, issues, events, services and initiatives that are of interest to Queen's students, faculty staff and alumni.

  1. 6D AGO

    2026 SGPS Student Fee Referendum Campaign Profiles

    Hello and welcome to another special edition of Campus Beat.  It’s Elections and Referenda time at Queen’s University with all manner of student candidates, student clubs, Queen’s University services and a few community organizations currently campaigning for office or for student fees across the AMS and SGPS memberships.  In this episode, the CFRC team got together to read the campaign materials provided by various groups seeking student fees through the SGPS referendum.  Unfortunately, we did not hear back from everyone given the short timeline of release of information from the SGPS about approved groups and were only able to book one interview among the nine organizations on the ballot.  CFRC team members are reading the information provided to us about each group’s campaign in lieu of interviews to provide an opportunity for their message to be heard and they will be read verbatim, sometimes in first person.  It is CFRC’s pleasure and privilege to support candidates and groups campaigning and we thank you for tuning in.  SGPS members are reminded that voting for candidates and student fees takes place on January 29th and 30th.  Watch your Queen’s Emails for ballots and visit sgps.ca for more information about candidates, groups and the elections process.   And now without further ado, we’ll dive in to our interview with Ban Righ Centre about their SGPS student fee campaign followed by the CFRC team reads of campaign profiles for all groups on the ballot.  Thank you for joining us.

    28 min
  2. 6D AGO

    2026 AMS Student Fee Referendum Campaign Profiles

    Hello and welcome to another special edition of Campus Beat. Amidst all the snow this January, it’s a very busy time on Queen’s campus! Elections and referenda campaign time is still very much underway for candidates and clubs under the Alma Mater Society through January 27th!  In this episode, we are featuring coverage of the 16 campus groups and student clubs on the ballot for student fees during the upcoming AMS referendum.  Due to the timing with which CFRC received information about what groups were going to referendum from the AMS Elections team this January, only one club was able to connect with us in time for recording and broadcast of a campaign interview. CFRC team members are reading the information provided to us about each group’s campaign in lieu of interviews to provide an opportunity for their message to be heard and they will be read verbatim, sometimes in first person.  It is CFRC’s pleasure and privilege to support candidates and groups campaigning and we thank you for tuning in.   AMS members are reminded that voting for candidates and student fees takes place over three days on January 28th, 29th and 30th.  Watch your Queen’s Emails for ballots and visit myams.org for more information about candidates, groups and the elections process.   In the meantime, let’s dive in to a conversation with one of the student clubs running a fee campaign followed by 15 segments featuring discussion of other student groups on the ballot in the AMS referendum.  Thank you for joining us.

    27 min
  3. 10/17/2025

    In Conversation: 2025 Queen’s Distinguished Service Award Winners

    In this special episode of Campus Beat, host Dinah Jansensits down with 5 of the 6 2025 Queen’s University Distinguished Service Award Recipients.   Inaugurated by the University Council in 1974, the Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals who have made the University a better place through their extraordinary contributions. Queen’s faculty, staff, students, retirees, and members of University Council, the Queen’s Alumni Association, and the Board of Trustees are invited each year to nominate candidates for a Queen’s Distinguished Service Award.   This years’ recipients include faculty, staff, and volunteers who’ve helped shape Queen’s through years of leadership, mentorship, and behind-the-scenes support. Of the winners, Principal and Vice Chancellor Patrick Deane said that is  “an incredibly inspiring group of people we’re celebrating with this year’s Distinguished Service Awards,” and “Their passion, commitment, and generosity have made a lasting mark at Queen’s, and we’re all better for it. Principal Deane extended his gratitude and went on to add that the winners “represent the best of our community, and their work is inspiring.” This years’ winners, Dr. Stephen Archer, Heather Black, Tianna Edwards, Professor Takis Katsabanis, Sandra Murray, and Ann Tierney will soon be honoured at a special reception at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts on November 7th.  Registration for the event is still open via queensu.ca/alumni. Unfortunately, we were not able to connect with Distinguished Service Award Winner Sandra Murray. Sandra dedicated 37 years of extraordinary service to Queen’s, becoming a cornerstone of the Centre for Teaching and Learning. Starting as a receptionist and progressing to impactful leadership, she played a vital role in supporting faculty and staff, advancing teaching excellence, and fostering a rich academic environment benefitting generations of educators and learners alike. She leaves an enduring legacy defined by steadfast dedication, generosity, and an unparalleled support network vital to Queen’s academic community. Congratulations to Sandra alongside her Distinguish Service Award Winning peers on their tremendous accomplishments!

    1h 31m
  4. 04/09/2025

    Hey Westerburgers, Heathers is here! A QMT Takeover of CFRC!

    Ring! Ring! Wanna see something super HOT before the summer? Queen’s Musical Theatre brought Heathers to Kingston! In this episode, CFRC’s Nathan Zhe chatted with QMT’s Vocal Director Ryan Killoran about QMT and their upcoming production hitting the Baby Grand April 10th-17th!  Details below! Queen’s Musical Theatre is proud to announce “HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL” as our Winter 2025 Production. Book, Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy. Based on the film written by Daniel Waters, “HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL” was originally directed Off-Broadway by Andy Fickman and choreographed by Marguerite Derricks. “HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com. “HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL” follows the story of Veronica Sawyer as she navigates the usual trials of high school: friends, popularity, love and murder. With music, book, and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy, the musical adapts the 1989 cult classic dark comedy movie of the same name. The musical shows Veronica’s relationship with the popular mean girls at her high school, all named Heather, and her romance with the new mysterious boy in town Jason “J.D.” Dean. But things begin to escalate as J.D. shows his darker side and soon people start to die. Veronica must deal with the school’s believing the deceased to be complex, tragic heroes who took their own lives, instead of bad people who were murdered. Heathers: The Musical knows what to poke fun at and what to take seriously. This is evident in its equal-part satirical and serious exploration of the musical’s many topics, including high school, cycles of abuse, bullying, violence, mental health, and suicide. Queen’s Musical Theatre’s “HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL” directed by Sarena Abramson, and produced by Nathan Zhe, will be running from April 10th – 17th, 2025 at Baby Grand Theatre, Kingston Grand Theatre. Enjoy the conversation!

    18 min

About

Welcome to the Campus Beat podcast hosted by Dinah Jansen.  In this series, we highlight campus news stories and enjoy conversations with Queen's University community members to discuss news, issues, events, services and initiatives that are of interest to Queen's students, faculty staff and alumni.