MEMO
Dean of
Graduate Studies
STREET ADDR ESS
Maggie Benston Student
Services Centre 1100
Burnaby BC V>A iSf.
Canada
MAI1.1NC ADDRESS
8888 University Drive
Burnaby BC V5A 1S6
Canada
SFU
S.12-65
TO Senate
TEL
so, Dean, Graduate Studies L0\0-is2i-^ti
FROM Wade Parkhouse
RE GGR 1.9.4 Preparation for Examination of a Doctoral Thesis
[GS2012.111
cc
DATE 7 March 2012
For information:
Acting under delegated authority at its meeting of 5 March 2012, the SGSC
approved the following revisions to GGR 1.9.4 Preparation for Examination
of a Doctoral Thesis:
[GS2012.111
Effective Date is September
2012
Senators wishing to consult a more detailed report of curriculum revisions may
do so by going to Docushare: https://docushare.sfu.ca/dsweb/View/Collection-
12682
If you are unable to access the information, please call 778-782-3168 or email
shelley gair@sfu.ca.
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
ENGAGING THE WORLD
Rationale:
A number of problems have arisen due to the current PhD thesis distribution process.
There is discordance between when the external examiners are approved and invited by the Office of the
Dean of Graduate Studies (DGS) and when, and from whom, they receive the thesis. A more reasonable
practice would be to have the theses distributed to the examiners by DGS at the time that DGS sends the
formal invitation. For consistency, it would be sensible to have DGS distribute the thesis to the rest
of the
examination committee at the same time.
Given that over 95% of theses are submitted to the library in PDF format (in addition to a hard copy),
coupled with the fact that many universities in Western Canada have gone to fully digital distribution, it
seems reasonable that the distribution of theses be done digitally.
External examiners are asked to provide their report 14 days prior to the examination. Given that they
may not see the thesis until 4 weeks prior, this gives them only 14 days to read the thesis and produce a
report. A more reasonable timeline would be to have the thesis distributed to the external examiner 6
weeks prior to defense.
These changes will ensure that:
1. DGS will distribute a digital copy of the thesis along with the formal invitation to the external
examiner.
2. This will take place 6 weeks before the defense giving the external examiner a minimum of 4 weeks
to read the thesis AND produce a report (an extensive report if they will not be present for the
examination).
3. The examining committee will receive a digital copy of the thesis at the same time as the external
examiner is invited to serve.
Z.
FROM
(Existing Calendar Language)
GGR 1.9.4 Preparation for Examination of Doctoral Thesis
Preparation for the examination of a doctoral thesis shall not take place until the thesis is substantially
complete and in the required format. See www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/theses for information.
The candidate's supervisory committee shall make a recommendation to the chair of the graduate
program committee concerning the composition of the examining committee (in conformity with 1.9.3)
and the date, place and time of the thesis examination. Upon approval of the chair of the graduate
program committee, this recommendation, with the thesis title, abstract, and curriculum vitae of the
external examiner, shall be sent to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval. The examining
committee composition shall reach the Dean of Graduate Studies at least six weeks before the
examination date. At this time, the chair of the graduate program committee will notify the University
community of the intended time and place of the examination.
After the recommendation is approved, the Dean of Graduate Studies shall formally invite the external.
Unbound copies of the completed thesis shall be distributed to the examining committee by the chair of
the graduate program committee after approval of the examining committee and thesis examination
arrangements by the dean and at least four weeks before the date of examination. The chair of the
examining committee shall inform the Dean of Graduate Studies in writing when the thesis has been
distributed. Department rules may require earlier submission of the completed thesis.
The examination of the thesis shall take place under the regulations for thesis examination given in
1.10.1.
3
TO:
(New Calendar Language)
GGR 1.9.4 Preparation for Examination of Doctoral Thesis
Preparation for the examination of a doctoral thesis shall not take place until the thesis is substantially
complete and in the required format. See www.lib.sm.ca/help/writing/theses for information.
The candidate'ssupervisory committee shall make a recommendation tothechair ofthe graduate
program committee concerning the composition of the examining committee (in conformity with 1.9.3)
and the date, place and time of the thesis examination. Upon approval of the chair of the graduate
program committee, this recommendation, with the thesis title, abstract, a digital copy of the thesis, and
curriculum vitae of the external examiner, shall be sent to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final
approval. These items shall reach the
Dean of Graduate Studies no less than six weeks before the
examination date. Upon approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies, the chair of the graduate program
committee will notify the University community of the intended time and place of the examination.
At this time, the Dean of Graduate Studies shall formally invite the external,and digital copies of the
completed thesis shall be distributed to the examining committee by the Dean of Graduate Studies.
The examination of the thesis shall take place under the regulations for thesis examination given in
1.10.1.
y