MOTION: ?
"That Senate approve the paper on The
Establishment of New Graduate Programs."
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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
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S.72.F3
To: Members of Senate
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From: J. Wheatley
Dean
Graduate Studies
Subject: The Establishment of
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Date: June 21, 1972
New Graduate Programs
Motion: "That Senate approve the paper on
The Establishment of New Graduate
Programs".
This paper was approved by the Senate Graduate
Studies Committee at its meeting on June 19, 1972.
J. Wheatley
Dean - Graduate Studies.
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History of this document
Some months ago, on a motion of the Senate Graduate Studies
Committee, a drafting committee for graduate regulations was formed,
elected from the Senate Graduate Studies Committee, the Faculty Graduate
Studies Committees and the Executive Committee of the Senate Graduate
Studies Committee. This Committee has been meeting almost weekly ever
since. The first document to come out of it was "Special Arrangements
for Graduate Students", passed by Senate at its last meeting. This is
the second document. It was considered by the Senate Graduate Studies
Committee at its June 19 meeting and is now forwarded to Senate with
that
Committee's endorsement.
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Rationale
It is clearly necessaryto have a document relating to the
assessment of new graduate programs. What this document lays down is
the routing of proposed programs and the documentation required. It is
obvious to have a small working committee to report to the full Senate
Graduate Studies Committee and such a committee, with broad representation,
is laid down. The documentary requirements laid down are extensive:
' indeed,
the principles employed by the drafting committee were inclusive rather
than exclusive. Further justification for the provisions of the document
seem unnecessary.
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THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW GRADUATE PROGRAMS
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Bodies and Functions:
Origination: Any two full-time faculty members at Simon Fraser may
present a proposal for the establishment of a new graduate program.
If the proposal is to establish a new program within a department,
the proposal must come from a subcommittee of the Departmental
Graduate Studies Committee of that Department acting with the
concurrence of the full Conmlittee.*
Assessment: Proposals for new graduate programs shall be submitted to
an Assessment Committee which shall be a standing subcommittee
of the Senate Graduate Studies Committee. The function of the
Committee shall be to recommend to the Senate Graduate Studies
Committee that it approve, approve with modifications, or reject
a proposed program. All documents concerning the program shall be
forwarded to the Assessment Committee through the Dean of Graduate
Studies Office.
The composition of the Assessment Committee shall be the Dean
of Graduate Studies or his designate as Chairman, the Registrar
or his designate as non-voting secretary, three members elected
by and from .the Senate Graduate Studies Committee, and one
member from each Faculty elected by the respective Faculty
Graduate Studies Committee from the Senate Graduate Studies
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For purposes of this document the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee in
Education shall act both as Departmental Graduate Studies Committee and
Faculty Graduate Studies Committee.
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Committee. Quorum shall be the chairman and half the
voting members. Election of the Assessment Committee shall
take place as soon as practicable after passage of this
document. Thereafter, elections shall take place in the
Fall Semester every year, members elected by the Faculty
Graduate Studies Committees being elected in even numbered
years and members elected by the Senate Graduate Studies
Committee in odd numbered years. When a member must be
absent for a considerable length of time or is unable to
fill his term on the Assessment Committee, the body which
elected him shall elect a replacement to serve for the
remainder of his term.
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Continuity: Whenever possible, a member of the Committee
sitting at the start of the consideration of a new program
shall continue to serve in meetings on that program until
consideration of 'that-' program is completed, even if another
faculty member has been elected to replace him. Newly elected
members will serve in meetings on proposals coming to the
Committee after their election.
Conflict of interest: In no case shall someone connected with
a proposed program take part in the assessment of that program.
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ID
Supervision: Graduate students In a new program shall be supervised
by a Graduate Program Committee.
For programs which fall within departments, the Graduate
Program Committee shall be the Departmental Graduate Studies
Committee.
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For programs which fall between departments, a Graduate
Program Committee will be established by the Executive Committee
of the Senate Graduate Studies Committee. A Graduate Program
Committee for a program which falls between departments shall
normally consist of at least two members from those listed
under Section II. 3. (a), one of whom will act as chairman.
Provision will be made for continuity of Committee membership.
The Committee will be required to accept full academic and admini-
strative responsibilities of a Departmental Graduate Studies
Committee with respect to students In the program.
II. Documentation and Procedures of Proposed New Programs
1.
Proposals for new programs within a Faculty must be approved by
the appropriate Faculty Graduate Studies Committee. Proposals for
Inter-Faculty programs must have the approval of the appropriate
Faculty Graduate Studies Committeess meeting in joint session.
2.
After obtaining Faculty approval, proposals shall be submitted
to the Assessment Committee of the Senate Graduate Studies Committee
by the Dean of Graduate Studies.
3.
All proposals should contain the following:
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(a) The names and curricula vitae of all persons wishing to be
involved in the proposed program, together with (i) statements of their
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current areas of interest and research, and (ii) a commitment
as to the duration of their involvement with the program. Names
of persons to be members of the Graduate Program Committee
should be proposed.
(b)
A statement of the field of study and its core areas to be
covered by the proposed program. For an interdisciplinary
program, such a statement should show its internal coherence,
discreteness and academic merit.
(c)
A statement giving the relationship between the qualifications
of the persons to be associated with the program and the core
areas of the program.
(d)
A statement as to which currently authorized degree, new
degree or diploma the students in the program would be seeking,
and as to which Faculty or Faculties would exercise the statutory
power of faculties.
(e)
The academic requirements for the degree: theses, examinations,
practica, field experience; courses which the students would take
and how they would relate to the core areas. The expected number
of semesters of work needed for the degree should be indicated.
(f)
Descriptions of proposed new courses required by the program.
These should take the prescribed format for new course proposals.
(g)
A statement of laboratory facilities or research equipment
needed for the proposed program, designating which facilities
or pieces of equipment are currently available at the University.
(h) A statement of sources of support, if any, for graduate students
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in the proposed program.
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(1) A
statement signed by the University Librarian showing present
library resources and future needs if the program is implemented.
(j)
An estimate of enrollment.
(k)
Adequacy of space for the student and staff offices.
(1) Names of possible external assessors of the program.
(m)
A statement of how long the program should last; i.e. whether
it would be continuing or for a specified limited period.
(n)
A description of the program appropriate for entry into the
Graduate Calendar including entrance requirements.
4.
The Assessment Committee may, at its discretion, require further
information from the program proposers, and must seek at least
one assessment of the proposal from outside the University. The
chairmen of appropriate departments shall be asked to comment
as to how the proposed program will relate to established programs
within their departments.
5.
The Assessment Committee will discourage interdepartmental proposals
when a proposed program clearly falls under the jurisdiction of an
existing department.
6.
On the basis of the Information it has received and solicited, the
Assessment Committee will make a judgment as to the academic merit
and the administrative feasibility of the proposed program and will
forward its recommendations to the Senate Graduate Studies Committee.
Reasons for the Assessment Committee's recommendations should be
Included in the report.
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III. Review of Newly Established Interdepartmental Programs
1.
The Assessment Committee shall review each interdepartmental program
implemented under the provisions of this document at the end of the
first and second years after the program has been implemented. It
shall then make a brief report on the progress of the new program
to the Executive Committee of the Senate Graduate Studies Committee.
2.
After a program has been active for a three year period, the Assessment
Committee shall review it in depth and then make a recommendation
to the Senate Graduate Studies Committee for transmission to Senate
as to whether the program should be continued, discontinued or modified.
IV. Implementation and Review of this Document
1.
The provisions of this document will come into effect immediately
upon passage by Senate.
2.
The provisions of this document shall remain in: force until revoked
by Senate. At the end of three years the Senate Graduate Studies
Committee shall assess the principles and procedures of this document.
It shall then make a recommendation to Senate as to whether the
provisions of this document should be continued, discontinued,
or amended.
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For information: the routing of new program proposals after they
leave the Senate Graduate Studies Committee.
According to Senate document S327, all new program proposals go to
the Academic Planning Committee together with supporting documents prior
to submission to Senate. If the Academic Planning Committee passes the proposal,
it then goes to Senate which approves the new program in principle. Once
approved in principle, it goes back to the Academic Planning Committee which
assigns it a priority rating for funding. The program is not implemented
until it is
approved and funded by the Board of Governors.
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