SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM

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Studies

Action undertaken by the Senate Graduate Studies Committee, at its

Meeting on June 22, 1987, gives rise to the following motion:

MOTION:

"That Senate approve and recommend approval to the

Board of Governors, as set forth in S.87-17

the revised Terms of Reference for Special Arrange-

ments for Graduate Studies as outlined in the attached

paper."

B.P. Clayman

Dean of Graduate Studies.

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDIES

'10

This document specifies the conditions under which Special

Arrangements can be made for a potential graduate student who wishes

to work outside or between established programs of the University.

I.

General Principles

1. Special Arrangements will be made only when:

(a)

the applicant is exceptionally able, and

(b)

the applicant's proposed course of studies cannot be

pursued in any existing program, and

(c)

there is little need for additional expenditure of

University funds in connection with the Arrangements.

2. The Special Arrangements made for each individual student

must:

(a)

Be approved by the Senate Graduate Studies Committee,

and

(b)

Be periodically reviewed by the Senate Graduate Studies

Committee.

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.3. The Special Arrangements made for an individual student do

not set a precedent for other graduate students with similar

interests.

4. If several students in the same area come before the Senate

Graduate Studies Committee, it may require the relevant

department or departments to initiate the establishment of a

new graduate program as a condition of considering further

students in that area.

II. Documentation and Procedures for Special Arrangements

1. Initiation of Requests:

(a)

Students seeking admission under Special Arrangements

should apply to Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

(b)

In accordance with General Principle I.l.b., the Dean of

Graduate Studies may require the applicant to apply to

an existing department.

(c)

Where Special Arrangements appear to be needed, the Dean

of Graduate Studies will advise the applicant about

possible members of a Supervisory Committee appropriate

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to the applicant's interests. It will be the

responsibility of the applicant to endeavour to

establish an appropriate Committee. If an appropriate

Supervisory Committee cannot be found, the request for

Special Arrangements will be denied.

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2.

Deadline: The complete proposal for Special Arrangements

must be submitted by the applicant to the Senate Graduate

Studies Committee through the Office of the Dean of Graduate

Studies by the end of the first month of the semester

preceding the semester in which the applicant wishes to

enrol.

3.

All proposals shall contain the following:

(a)

A statement, as complete as possible, of the field of

study and its core areas to be covered by the proposed

Arrangements and the reasons that Special Arrangements

are required. For interdisciplinary Arrangements, the

statement should make clear the internal coherence and

academic merit; the departments concerned must be

identified and should provide evidence that the proposed

program cannot be pursued within any existing SFU

graduate program. Normally, statements from the

Chairmen of the Graduate Program Committees in related

disciplines will comprise the evidence.

(b)

The names and curricula vitae of all intended members of

the Supervisory Committee. For each member, a brief

statement of research interests and their relevance to

the proposed Arrangements must be provided. Each member

and the relevant department chairman should indicate

willingness to participate.

(C)

A statement indicating which of the currently awarded

degrees the applicant would be seeking and indicating

which Faculty would exercise the statutory power of

Faculties.

(d)

The minimum academic requirements for the degree; e.g.,

courses, examinations, field work, and thesis. To the

maximum extent possible, the academicrequirements

should resemble those of graduate programs (in related

disciplines) already in existence at S.F.U. and should

include regular S.F.U. graduate courses. Comprehensive

examinations (or equivalent) are required for Doctoral

programs and are recommended for Master's programs. A

proposed timetable for the completion of the

requirements should be included. Applicants should be

Aware that the Examining Committee, which will be

established prior to the thesis defence, must include at

least one examiner from outside of S.F.U.

(e)

A statement as to what University facilities will be

needed, such as laboratories, with approvals of their

use by the appropriate authorities.

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Should any additional expenditure be necessary for the

Special Arrangements, the Senate Graduate Studies

Committee should be assured in writing by the department

Chairman or Chairmen or by the Dean or Deans involved

that the cost will be met out of existing budgets.

Statements about Library acquisitions must be

countersigned by a University Librarian.

the6,

(h) A statement designating the University department which

is to be the applicant's home department, and will

provide a mailbox, etc. Normally this will be the

department of the intended senior supervisor; a

memorandum from the department Chairman indicating

approval is required. If no suitable department can be

found, the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies will

serve as home department.

4. The proposal should be accompanied by the regular Application

for Admission to graduate studies and complete transcripts

from each post-secondary institution attended. Letters of

recommendation from at least three persons familiar with the

academic work of the applicant should be sent directly to the

Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

.

5. The Senate Graduate Studies Committee may, at its discretion,

require further information from the sponsors and may seek

assessments of the proposal from inside or outside the

University.

6. The functions of a Departmental Graduate Program Committee

for a student whose Special Arrangements fall under a

department which has a graduate program shall be carried out

by the Graduate Program Committee of that Department. In a

case where the Special Arrangements are between existing

departments or within a Department which does not have a

graduate program, the functions of a Departmental Graduate

Program Committee shall be carried out by the Senate Graduate

Studies Committee; the Dean of Graduate Studies will serve as

the Graduate Program Chairman in such a case.

7. Other than the exceptions stated in this document, the

current Graduate Regulations approved by Senate apply to

students for whom Special Arrangements are made.

Originally approved by Senate in June, 1972

Amended and approved by Senate on October 3, 1977

Amended and approved by Senate on

1987

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GS. 87.11

SIMON F R A S E R UNIVERSITY

.

MEMORANDUM

DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES

TO:

SGSC

FROM: B.P. Clayman

SUBJECT: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS

DATE: 13 April 1987

As promised at our meeting March 23, 1987, I have made a

number of revisions to the document "Special Arrangements

for Graduate Students." They incorporate the outcomes of

the review of Special Arrangments concluded at that

meeting. In addition to numerous editorial changes, made to

improve the clarity and usefulness of the document, the

principle changes are:

(1)

Elimination of the report on the Special

Arrangements by the Executive Committee regarding

"the value of the training" provided. (Old Items

I.2.(c) and 1.3.).

Rationale:

.

a) The Executive Committee no longer exists.

b) Even when it did, the requirement for such

reports was not consistently fulfilled.

C)

I believe that reports on "the value of the

training" are of little value themselves.

(2)

Changing the person responsible for finding a

supervisory committee from the Dean of Graduate

Studies to the applicant. (Item II.l.(c)).

Rationale:

This reflects past and current practices and places

the responsibility where it belongs.

(3)

Advancing the deadline for submission of proposals

by one month. (Item 11.2.).

Rationale:

The previous deadline left too little time for

evaluation of the proposal in my office and by the

SGSC.

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(4)

Specifying more clearly the evidence needed to

establish that Special Arrangements are required.

(Item II.3.(a)).

Rationale:

The SGSC found that some proposals contained no

clear evidence that the program could not be carried

out within an existing program.

(5)

Specifying more clearly the necessary contents of

the description of the academic requirements for the

degree and specifying that they should resemble

those of existing graduate programs. (Item

11.3. (d))

Rationale:

The SGSC found that proposals were often too vague

and/or relied too heavily on Special Topics courses

when existing courses (participation in which was

deemed preferable) would have sufficed and would

have been beneficial to the student.

(6)

Describing the documentation that must accompany the

proposal and its routing (New Item 11(4).)

Rationale:

Clarification of procedures.

A copy of the current version of the document is

attached for ease of comparison with the proposed one. This

matter will be on the agenda of the next SGSC meeting.

c

B.P. Clayman

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Enclosure

cc: M. McGinn

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SIMON VR.ASFP

UNIVEtC"ITY

originally

approved by Senate In June, I97:

Amended and approved by

Sounte

(a)

(b)

(c)

(a)

(b)

(c)

University has been able to provide for each student.

set a precedent for other graduate students with similar interests.

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5.. Many students in the same area come before the Senate Graduate

-

ofa new program as a condition of considering further students

to

(a)

(b)

(c). Where Special Arrangements appear to be needed, the Dean. of

•

.

Graduate Studies will endeavour to establish

.

2. A specific proposal for Special Arrangements shall be submitted

by the sponsors to the Senate Graduate Studies Committee through

the Office

of the Dean

of

should be named.

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(b)

The names and curricula vitae of all intended aeithers of the

Supervisory Committee. For each member, a brief tnt.umenL

- of research interests and their relevance to the propoid

• Arrangements should be provided.

(c)

A statement indicating which of the currently awarded

degrees the student would be. seeking and indicating which

Faculty would ecercise the statutory power of Faculties.

(d)

The minimum academic requirements for the degree; e.g.

courses, examlnatiOtl8, field experience, and thesis. A

proposed timetable of the completion of these requirements

should be included.

(e)

A statement as to what University facilities will be needed,

such as laboratories, with approval for their use by the

appropriate authorities; a statement as to the adequacy of

the Library holdings in the proposed area of work.

(f)

Should some small additional expenditure be necessary for

the Special Arrangements, the Senate Graduate Studies Committee

should be assured in writing by the department chairman or

chairmen or by the dean or deans involved that the cost viii. be

,

met Out of existing budgets. Statements about Library

acquisitions must be countersigned by a University Librarian.

(g)

A statement giving sources of income, if any, for-the student;

(b) A statement designating the University department which is

to be the student's home department, and which will provide

a mailbox etc. Normally this

will

be the department of

the

intended senior' supervisor; approval by the department

chairmen

is

required. If no suitable department can be found, the Office

of the Dean of Graduate Studies will serve as home depnrtmeiit.

4. The Senate Graduate Studies Committee may, at its discretion, require

further information from the sponsors and may seek other assesmcnts

of the proposal from inside or outside the University.

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S. The functions of a

of that Department. The functions of a Departmental Graduate Studies

Q,dttse for a student whose Special Arrangements fall between

existing

6. Other than ths...axceptions stated in this document, the current

Graduate Regulations approved by Senate apply to tudents for whom