S.91-31
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Vice-President Academic
MEMORANDUM
TO:
?
Senate
?
From:
?
J
.
Munro, Chair
Senate Committee on
Academic Planning
Subject Supervisory Committee
?
Date
?
May 16, 1991
Composition
(SCAP91 -16)
• Action undertaken by the Senate Committee on Academic Planning and the Senate
Graduate Studies Committee, gives rise to the following motion:
MOTION: "that Senate approve, as set forth in S.91- 31
?
, the
changes to General Regulations 1.2 and 1.6.4."
LIM
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Memorandum
DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES
TO: ?
Senate ?
FROM: B. P. Clayman
SUBJECT: Supervisory Committee Composition
?
DATE: May 16, 1991
The Senate Graduate Studies Committee recommended to SCAP changes to graduate regulations 1.2 and
1.6.4 concerning the composition of supervisory committees. SCAP approved the recommendation after
minor editorial change. Given below are the present and proposed regulations and a brief rationale for
the change.
Regulation 1.2
FROM: Supervisory Committee
The student's Supervisory Committee is composed of two or more faculty members who help
the student define a program of studies and report on the student's progress to the Graduate
Program Committee. The Supervisory Committee forms part of the student's final examining
committee.
TO: ?
Supervisory Committee
The student's Supervisory Committee is composed of two or more
persons who
help the
. student define a program of studies and report on the student's progress to the Graduate
Program Committee. The Supervisory Committee forms part of the student's final examina-
tion committee.
Regulation 1.6.4 Supervisory Committee
FROM: In consultation with the graduate student, the Senior Supervisor shall recommend a
Supervisory Committee composed of the Senior Supervisor and at least one other faculty
member. This recommendation shall be made during the same semester in which the Senior
Supervisor is appointed. The composition of the Supervisory Committee for which the Senior
Supervisor is Chair, shall be approved by the Graduate Program Committee and sent to the
Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval. It shall be sent to the Faculty Graduate Studies
Committee for information.
The Supervisory Committee is responsible for helping the student develop a program of study
leading to a degree and reporting on the progress of the student's work. The Committee
shall be available for consultation.
TO:
In consultation with the student, the Senior Supervisor shall recommend the composition of
the Supervisory Committee. The committee consists of the Senior Supervisor and, in most
cases, at least one other faculty member. For degrees designated by Senate as professional
degrees, the other member(s) of the committee may be other suitably qualed person(s).
This
recommendation shall be made during the same semester in which the Senior Supervisor is
appointed. The composition of the Supervisory Committee, for which the Senior Supervisor
is Chair, shall be approved by the Graduate Program Committee and sent to
.
the Dean of
• ?
Graduate Studies for final approval. It shall be sent to the Faculty Graduate Studies
Committee for information.
The Supervisory Committee is responsible for helping the student develop a program of study
leading to a degree and reporting on the progress of the student's work. The Committee
shall be available for consultation.
.......2
4
-2-
Brief Rationale
As stated in regulation 1.2, the Supervisory Committee helps a student develop a program of study,
reports on the student's progress and forms the core of the student's Examin i
ng Committee. The main
requirement in these roles is relevant expertise. The Supervisory Committee now consists of the Senior
Supervisor (who must be a faculty member holding the rank of Assistant Professor or
above) and at least one other faculty member, all chosen for the relevance of their
expertise to the student's work.
For students in professional programs (e.g. M.Ed., M.B.A, M.Eng., M.P.M., M.R.M.), the nature of
their interests frequently presents a need for supervision by qualified professionals with relevant
expertise. These people may be Adjunct Professors, Research Associates or prominent practitioners in
the field of the student's work. Often, they have credentials that would have made them eligible for
faculty appointment if they had chosen academic careers. At present, they are appointed to a
Supervisory Committee in addition to the two faculty members who are required under the present
regulations. In many such cases, there is no functional need for the second faculty member because
adequate supervision is provided by the Senior Supervisor and the "third member"; the second member
is appointed only to satisfy the regulation.
The proposed change would remove, for student's in professional Master's programs, the requirement
that the second member of the Supervisory Committee be a faculty member. It would not remove the
requirements that the Senior Supervisor be a faculty member and that the second member have relevant
expertise and qualifications. Supervisory Committees would continue to require the approval of the
Dean of Graduate Studies, who would continue to require curricula vitae for persons who are not
faculty members, prior to consideration of a recommendation of their appointment to a Supervisory
Committee. It would provide the flexibility needed to accommodate properly the needs of our
professional Master's programs.
BPC:lc
MMYI5SEN
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