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MEMORANDUM 

To..... 

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Senate 

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Office of the .De.a.n..,.o.f,..Gr.a.dva.t.e,...S.ucU.e.s 

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General Regulations 

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December 

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10, 1980 ? 

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MOTION: That Senate approve and recommend approval to the 

Board, as set forth in 

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S.81-22 

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- proposed changes 

in the General Regulations - Graduate Studies. 

These changes were approved by the Senate Graduate Studies 

Committee on December 1 , 1980. 

Bryan P. Beirne 

Dean of Graduate Studies 

/bjr 

attachs. 

•Studies Committee 

General Regulations 

Assistant Registrar 

Graduate Studies 

.1.8.,....9.8.0 

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Members 

the Senate 

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Marian McGinn...................................... 

The attached changes to the General Regulations for Graduate 

Students were approved by the Executive Committee of the 

Senate Graduate Studies Committee at its meeting on 

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November 17, 1980. 

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Marian McGinn 

MM/bjr 

attachs. 

is

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Proposed revision to the General Regulations for Graduate Studies (1980-81 

Calendar, page 28):- 

1.9.5 The Role of an External Examiner 

The External Examiner shall be chosen as a distinguished scholar '-with 

particular experience in the field of the thesis/project research. Whether 

the External Examiner will participate in person or by conference telephone or 

similar means in the examination of the candidate or will examine the candidate 

in absentia will be determined by the Dean of Graduate Studies who will take 

into account the Departmental views. 

If the External Examiner is to be present at or is to participate by 

distance communication procedures in the examination of the candidate, he/she 

shall be asked to submit a written report on the thesis to the Dean of Graduate 

Studies before the examination. The report, which should indicate whether he/she 

believes the thesis is ready for defence, shall be distributed before the 

examination to the members of the Examining Committee. Once the examination 

has taken place, and if the thesis is passed, the External Examiner shall send 

a brief report to the Senior Supervisor which indicates what he/she considers 

to be the general quality of the thesis. That report (which may be either a 

copy of the initial report to the Dean of Graduate Studies or a report prepared 

after the thesis defense) shall accompany the recommendation for award of the 

degree. 

In the event of examination in absentia, the External Examiner shall be 

asked to submit a written report on the thesis to the Dean of Graduate Studies 

prior to the examination. The report should be quite extensive and give a 

specific recommendation as to whether or not the thesis ought to pass, fail, 

or be subject to extensive revision as under 1.10.2. This report shall be 

copied to 

all members of 

the Examining Committee before the examination. 

Specific questions raised by the External Examiner in that report shall be 

directed to the candidate 

during the examination. 

Rationale for proposed change:- 

The present regulation requires that the External Examiner be present 

at the examination unless the Dean of Graduate Studies grants permission for 

him to examine in absentia. The proposed revision permits greater flexibility 

than now in how the External Examiner operates. It should result in greater use 

than hitherto of examinations by in absentia and distance communication methods. 

This would bring practices in SFU in line with those of various other 

universities, avoid the possibility that a suitable External Examiner cannot 

be invited because it would cost too much to bring him on campus, and provide 

a means Of avoiding delays in examination scheduling that can be detrimental 

to student interests. 

Note that the substantive change is in the first paragraph; the content 

of the second and third paragraphs is as in the existing regulations with 

minor reorganizations and changes in wording for purposes of clarity. Note 

that a conference telephone system is available in the office of the Dean of 

Graduate Studies for use in thesis defences. 

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Proposed addition to the General Regulations for Graduate Studies (1980-8.1.    

Calendar, page 31):- 

1.12.3 Readmission 

Under exceptional circumstances ai 

Departmental Graduate Program Committee 

complete the degree requirements within 

required to withdraw, may be readmitted 

those requirements. Final approval for 

Graduate Studies. 

d with the recommendation of the 

concerned, a student who did not 

the maximum time, and who was thus 

for one semester only to complete 

readmission is by the Dean of 

(Subject to approval by the Board of Governors of a proposed fee there would 

be a consequent suggested addition to Graduate Studies Calendar under 

Special-Fees, 1980-81 Calendar, page 37, 

Readmission fee ? 

$270.00) 

Rationale for proposed addition:- 

Under present regulations there is no way that a graduate student who has 

run out of. time can obtain his higher degree. Whereas most students who run out 

of time either have lost interest or are able to complete the degree 

requirements when granted an extension of one or two semesters by the Dean of 

Graduate Studies, a minority who have the motivation, energy, and ability to 

complete the requirements run out of time because of circumstances beyond their 

control such as employment or family problems or impractical thesis subjects. 

The purpose of the proposed new regulation is to provide such individuals with 

an opportunity that does not now exist. 

Note that the first stage is approval and support by the Department, which 

in practice means that the student must have an apparently satisfactory thesis 

(and/or other requirements) completed by then. Note also the relatively high 

suggested fee. This is designed to deter procrastinators from using this 

regulation as an extension device. 