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

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