After 20 years leading Vancouver Island University’s Powell River campus, Arlette Raaen is stepping down and taking a phased retirement.
Raaen’s husband, Chris McNaughton, is a City of Powell River councillor. “Because of our life circumstances I realized that I was going to want to retire a few years earlier than I had planned,” said Raaen, 55.
She said her employer has been very supportive of her decision and worked with her to develop a phased retirement plan.
She will continue to work at VIU in September, but on a part-time basis to avoid being penalized on her pension.
“I was looking for a way to bridge a little bit,” she said.
Her last day as campus principal will be August 31 and then from September through to the end of 2015 she will be working part-time focusing on aboriginal education.
“It’s a great fit for me,” she said. “I love working in that area and it will be a really nice transition that way.”
She said she can see how it would be difficult for some people who have had an “all-encompassing career and then one day it’s all over.”
The change in jobs will mean that Raaen can step back from the day-to-day operations of the campus and work a little more independently, though still reporting to VIU provost and vice-president Dave Whitty on her project work.
Aboriginal education is a priority area for the campus and VIU as a whole, said Raaen.
Two years ago, the campus developed an aboriginal education plan and Marlane Christensen has been working to develop programs that are being implemented as a result of that plan.
“We’re just at the beginning stages of that process,” she said.
Raaen added that with Tla’amin (Sliammon) Nation completing its treaty, it is hoped there will be more opportunities for people to engage in education that leads to jobs.
“The timing seems right,” said Raaen. “There’s a lot of work we could do that could be very beneficial over the next year.”
