A FASS farewell: Celebrating Bonnie Yeung’s retirement

Throughout her remarkable 25 year career, Bonnie Yeung made a significant and lasting impact on SFU and in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS). From her early days helping the university converge old systems to PeopleSoft to spearheading a new in-house web application and information system in FASS, Yeung's contributions, deep institutional knowledge, and unwavering commitment will continue to benefit the SFU community for years to come.

Before joining SFU, Yeung worked in public practice which exposed her to a range of industries including submarine manufacturing, financial services, and real estate brokerage companies. “My most memorable experience during this time was an audit trip to three remote Indigenous communities, “says Yeung, “We stayed in local homes and were invited to traditional feasts. I developed a lasting friendship with a Band office staff member well beyond the audit.”

When Yeung’s daughter began attending SFU daycare, Yeung’s priority was to be close to her. In March 2000, she joined SFU as a commodity tax accountant in central Finance, beginning a long and steadfast career with the university.

Over the next few years, Yeung gained valuable insight into the university’s operation and established strong relationships across the institution. The university was transitioning to PeopleSoft, a comprehensive suite of enterprise software used by universities for admissions, student records, financial aid, and advising—giving Yeung a major project to dig into and an opportunity to develop and master essential skills for her professional growth.

In 2005, Yeung was invited to apply for the position as finance manager in FASS Dean’s Office. “I assumed it would be a relatively easy learning curve transitioning from the central offices, but I quickly discovered I was so wrong!” says Yeung. During her first few months in the weekly FASS Dean’s office meetings, Yeung thought the Dean and Associate Deans were speaking a foreign language. Yeung worked weekends and statutory holidays to get up to speed and learn what was required for the position. She also used her newly acquired expertise in PeopleSoft to modernize business processes within the faculty.

To better serve FASS’ vast and complex needs, Yeung initiated a business case to develop an in-house, comprehensive academic financial administration system. With the support of the departmental managers, Yeung advocated to the Dean for funding to develop a Teaching, Research, and Collaboration System (FASS TRACS) which departments and programs use for course planning, faculty renewal planning, study leave requests, and more. Thanks to the collective efforts of the technical staff and the managers, FASS TRACS has become an indispensable tool for the faculty and continues to be used today.

Upon reflection of her career, Yeung found working and learning from six Deans, numerous Associate Deans, countless dedicated colleagues, and an exceptional team of 20 departmental managers incredibly rewarding. “I never imagined working in the same office for 20 years,” says Yeung. “I am deeply grateful for the experience, the relationships, and the growth I developed from my time in FASS.”

Yeung intends to approach retirement with the same work ethic and personal best she strived for during her career. She's eager to get involved in volunteer work helping children, having participated in Convent House’s Sleep Out in the past, as well as work with organizations which give rescue dogs another chance at a happy life. While Yeung enjoys travelling, she also wants to improve her skills on pursuits close to home, like cooking and baking, but a top priority for her will be spending quality time with her parents. Yeung plans to enrich this next chapter of her life by looking inward, "I have recently begun exploring mindfulness and spirituality, so with retirement, I am looking forward to dedicating more time to this journey and continuing to grow as a person."