SGS Student Services
General Meeting for
Graduate Administrators
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
2:00 to 4:00 pm
GB 202, Galbraith Building
Agenda
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Welcome
Update from Systems & Records
Update from Information Systems
Update from the Quality Assurance & Governance
Offices
Changes to International Student Advising
Update from the Postdoctoral & Doctoral Examinations
Office
Update from the Graduate Awards Office
Update from Student Services
Questions
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New Faces at SGS
Corey Dales, Director, Information Systems
Josie Lalonde, Associate Director, Student
Services, Systems & Records
Sophia Kirschner, Student & Administrative
Systems Support Representative
Scott Moore, Student Services Officer, Division II,
Social Sciences
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Update from
Student Systems & Records
Josie Lalonde
Associate Director, Student Services
Refusal of Access to
Official Student Record
• Beginning November 2013 graduation
• SGS is withholding the diploma for graduate
students with outstanding fees
• Not for Balance of Degree fees
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Refusal of Access to
Official Student Record
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General email informed ALL students
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Targeted emails to those with arrears
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Many cleared their accounts
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43 will have diploma withheld
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DO attend the ceremony─and celebrate this
important day!
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Present proof of payment after the convocation
period
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Option to Access Services While on
Approved Leave
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Access to services at the Faculty of Kinesiology &
Physical Education, Hart House, and Student Life
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Cost-recovery fee
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Access to Services While on Leave
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Opt-in on the leave of absence form:
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Access to Services While on Leave
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Pay on the SGS online payment site:
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JOINid
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Type of UTORid
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Assigned as soon as applicants are in ROSI
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Very limited access to services─MyRes
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JOINid & MyRes
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Eligibility of Members of Teaching &
Administrative Staff
• SGS Admission Policy regarding staff members
who are graduate students
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Student Systems & Records
Contact Information
• Josie Lalonde, Associate Director, Student Services,
Student Systems & Records
josie.lalonde@sgs.utoronto.ca
416-978-2780
• Sofia Kirschner, Student & Administrative Systems
Support Representative
sofia.kirschner@sgs.utoronto.ca
416-946-5611
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SGS Information Systems
Projects Overview
Corey Dales
Director, Information Systems
SGS Information Systems
• Overview
o The team providing infrastructure and support to SGS
systems and services which support the graduate
community (SGSDrive, online application, Ontario
Graduate Scholarship, website, etc.)
o We have many projects which have been completed,
are in progress, or are on the roadmap for the near or
distant future.
o Today we will be covering a quick overview of these
projects.
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SGS Information Systems
• Projects completed
o SGS website
 In late July, SGS launched its new website
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Updated look and feel
Improved content organization
Responsive design for mobile devices
Enhanced search
 This required infrastructure updates
– Two new servers running the latest versions
» Windows Server
» SQL Server
» SharePoint 2013
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SGS Information Systems
• Projects in progress
o Videoconferencing for Final Oral Examinations
 Cisco TelePresence equipment will be installed at 63
St. George, room 111, including a display screen, video
camera, and digital white board
 A vendor has been selected and we are working to
develop the implementation timelines
o Confirmation of Registration
 Web-based form allowing students to purchase a
confirmation of registration letter
 Awaiting final testing before putting into production
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SGS Information Systems
• Projects in progress
o Confirmation of registration letter
• Web-based form allowing students to purchase a
confirmation of registration letter
• Final testing is occurring this week
• Bug fixes and re-testing
• Training, communications, and roll-out
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SGS Information Systems
• Projects in progress
o Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)
 Migrated to SharePoint 2013
 Updates to the application including:
– Individual applications by department
– Addressed concurrency issues
» Ability for students, referees, and grad admins to edit
the same application at the same time without losing
data
– Rebranding to match new website
– Updated status messages
– And more…
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SGS Information Systems
• Projects in progress
o Online Calendar
 Migrated to SharePoint 2013
 Working to automate some of the behind the
scenes functions performed for QA&G staff
– Word file generation for unit entries
– Production of PDF
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SGS Information Systems
• Projects in progress
o Progress Tracker
 System to facilitate tracking research-stream
students through their program
 Provide units a single location to view basic
student information and capture progress/
committee reports
 We are in the initial planning stages for this project
(timing, funding, and data requirements)
 We will be engaging units in the near future
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SGS Information Systems
• Projects to come
o Online Admissions Application (OAA)
 Migrate to our development platform SharePoint 2013
 Review structure and process (enhancements)
 We will be engaging units before redevelopment occurs
o SGSDrive
 Investigate SharePoint 2013 as an enhanced method
to distribute data between units
 We will be engaging units before redevelopment occurs
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SGS Information Systems
• Projects to come
o Student Services forms
 Provide web-based forms/workflows for our paperbased form
o Infrastructure
 Investigating the move from SGS-hosted virtual servers
to ITS-hosted VMWare solution
 Exploring campus-provided Office 365 to replace the
SGS email system
 Campus-based Active Directory to provide single signon to SGS systems
o And many, many more!
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SGS Information Systems
Contact information
General support: support@sgs.utoronto.ca
Corey Dales
Director of Information Systems
corey.dales@sgs.utoronto.ca
416-978-6115
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SGS Dean’s Office and the
Office of Quality Assurance and
Governance (QA&G)
Topics
Overview of School of Graduate Studies
Program Modifications (Major & Minor)
Academic Appeals
Academic Integrity
Revised/New SGS Guidelines
SGS Calendar
SGS Website
Contacts
SGS & QA&G Overview
• Promote excellence in graduate education and research
• Ensure consistency and high standards
• Define and administer University-wide regulations, policies, and
guidelines for graduate education
• Provide expertise, advice, and information
• Review the design and delivery of programs
• Develop and advise on performance standards
• Support diversity, equity, fairness, and ethical conduct
Governance: New Programs & Major Modifications
• The UTQAP addresses the approval of new programs and
the modification, closure, and cyclical reviews of existing
programs.
• Major Modifications to programs include a wide variety of
significant academic change including the creation of new
fields/concentrations or a combined program.
• The Office of the Vice-Provost, Academic Programs
coordinates the development of new program and major
modification proposals.
Contact: Emma Thacker
Governance: Minor Modifications
• Minor modifications include new courses, changes to existing
courses, changes to admission and program requirements, as well
as some other curriculum changes.
• Updates:
o Governance Forms B, C, and D updated
o ROSI form eliminated (Form B and C)
o eLearning definitions updated
o Form C─FCE weight for new courses
Contact: Erin McMahon
Graduate Academic Appeals
• Graduate Academic Appeals Policy is provided in the SGS
Calendar’s General Regulations section.
• What can be appealed?
o Any academic decision, such as grades or termination of
registration
• What is excluded and cannot be appealed?
o Non-academic matters, such as fees
o Decisions related to admission
o Student withdrawal from their program
Graduate Academic Appeals
Four steps of appeal:
• Step One: Informal Resolution
• Step Two: Departmental Appeal─GDAAC
• Step Three: SGS Appeal─Graduate Academic Appeals Board
(GAAB)
• Step Four: Governing Council Appeal (AACGC)
Contact: Emma Thacker
Graduate Academic Integrity
• The University’s policy on academic misconduct is found in the
Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.
• Other policies deal with the general conduct of students (the Code
of Student Conduct) and with research ethics.
• Allegations of research misconduct─see website of the VicePresident, Research and Innovation.
Graduate Academic Integrity
 The Code indicates an obligation to report alleged offenses; this
includes plagiarism and others.
 Assignments worth more than 10% of the final mark for a course─
the Chair will refer the allegation to the SGS Dean.
 SGS website resources:
o What to do if misconduct is suspected
o Procedures for preparing a case file for SGS
o Sample letters, checklists, information on jurisdiction and the
prevention of misconduct.
Contact: Erin McMahon
Guidelines: Final Oral Exams (FOEs)
Updated, effective July 1, 2013: available on website. Highlights of
revisions:
• An external appraiser should not be used more frequently than
once every two years by a single supervisor or for committees with
substantive overlap of members;
• Sample letter of invitation to a potential appraiser;
• Student must participate in person and FOE may not be recorded.
Contact: Angelique Plata
New/Revised SGS Guidelines
• eLearning Guidelines (new)
• Upcoming:
o Graduate Courses Guidelines (revised)
o Termination Guidelines (revised)
o Qualifying/Upgrading Year (revised)
Contact: Emma Thacker
SGS Calendar Production
• The SGS Calendar is fully online to graduate students,
administration, and faculty members.
• Calendar production for the 2014-2015 edition will not change
significantly for graduate units.
• Dates, deadlines, and calendar entries for governance are now
posted to the website.
• Calendar content is approved via governance.
Contact: Lily Lee-Sloan
SGS New Website
• Launched in the summer of 2013
• Graduate community profiles are a prominent feature. SGS will
be approaching graduate administrators to feature in future
profiles.
• Your feedback has been appreciated.
• Please continue to let us know your thoughts or concerns:
communications@sgs.utoronto.ca
Contact: Lily Lee-Sloan
Contacts: QA&G
Jane Alderdice jane.alderdice@sgs.utoronto.ca
Director, Office of Quality Assurance and Governance
Emma Thacker em.thacker@sgs.utoronto.ca
Governance and Policy Coordinator
Erin McMahon erin.mcmahon@sgs.utoronto.ca
Governance and Policy Officer
Contacts: Communications Office
Lily Yee-Sloan lily.yee.sloan@utoronto.ca
Communications Officer
Karen Shim karen.shim@sgs.utoronto.ca
Communications Associate
Contacts: Vice-Deans’ Office
Luc De Nil
Vice-Dean, Students
Elizabeth Smyth
Vice-Dean, Programs
Angelique Plata sgs.vdeanEA@utoronto.ca
Executive Assistant to the Vice-Deans
Sue Murphy vdeanassistant@sgs.utoronto.ca
Assistant to the Vice-Deans
Update from the Centre for
International Experience
Miranda Cheng
Director, Centre for International Experience
Update from the SGS Postdoctoral
& Doctoral Examinations Office
Lisa Haley
Postdoctoral Administrative Officer
Doctoral Exams & Graduate Convocation
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Final Doctoral Examinations
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Approval of Exam Committee
Exam booking procedures and quorum
Exam facilities
Graduation
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Degree recommendations
Diploma holds
Balance of degree fees
Final-year fees
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Postdoctoral Fellows
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Postdoc registration database
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Postdocs: employees vs. trainees
o Funding source
o Letters
o Benefits
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Parchment of completion
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Conflict resolution
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Update from the SGS
Graduate Awards Office
Kerri Huffman
Associate Director, Student Services
2014-15 OGS Application Update
• OGS online application now available to students!
• Enhancements/changes for applicants:
o Must create new application if applying to more than one
graduate unit (so that there can be a customized plan of
study for each department);
o Referees will need to submit references for each
application;
o Option to upload a PDF file for Plan of Study instead of
using text box;
o Research Contributions section includes publications and
significant academic accomplishments (2-page limit).
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Tri-Agency Harmonization of the Canada
Graduate Scholarships Canada
NSERC, CIHR, and SSHRC are currently involved in the tri‐agency
harmonization of the CGS programs at both the master’s and doctoral level.
The implementation of the newly harmonized CGS Doctoral Program is
expected to launch in the fall of 2014. The tri-agency Canada Graduate
Scholarships-Master’s (CGS M) Program description and single window
application is now available to students.
Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s (CGS M)
• Allocation of awards to universities
U of T allocation: CIHR: 60
NSERC: 120
SSHRC: 125
• Simplified application and adjudication
• Common eligibility/program requirements and selection criteria
• Unified post‐award policies and regulations
CGS M Application: What’s New
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Former CGS M Programs
(CIHR, SSHRC, NSERC)
Harmonized CGS M Program
Application Process:
Three separate applications in both online and
paper formats
Three sets of deadlines imposed by units, SGS,
and federal agencies
Different application process , websites accounts
Application Process:
Common single online application via the
Research Portal (can apply to 5 universities)
Common student deadline: December 1st
(no departmental deadline for students)
No paper copy submission required
Evaluation:
Graduate Units:
• receive departmental quota
• conduct internal selection process
• forward list of quota candidates to SGS
SGS :
• central adjudication by SGS Awards Committee
• forwards quota applications to granting agencies
Federal Councils (NSERC/CHIR only):
• hold national competition
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Evaluation:
Graduate Units:
• Unchanged
• Unchanged
• Unchanged
SGS :
• Unchanged
• SGS Awards Committees makes final award
decisions
Federal Councils:
• No national competition
CGS M Eligibility: What’s New
Former CGS M Programs
(CIHR, SSHRC, NSERC)
Harmonized CGS M Program
(Tri-Agency)
Eligibility requirements:
Eligibility requirements:
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Not all imposed an academic
minimum
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SSHRC and CIHR funded only
first master’s degrees
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Eligible months of study
completed were calculated using
different methods/dates
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Have achieved a first-class average (3.7 GPA
or A-) in each of the last 2 completed years of
study
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Need not be applying to fund first degree
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As of December 31 of the year of application,
have completed between zero and 12 months
of full-time studies (or equivalent) in the
master’s or direct-entry PhD program for which
they are requesting funding (e.g., undergrad,
1st-year master’s students)
Eligibility of Degree Requirements
A CGS M eligible graduate program must have a significant
research component.
“A significant research component is considered to be original,
autonomous research that leads to the completion of a thesis,
major research project, dissertation, scholarly publication,
performance, recital and/or exhibit that is merit/expert reviewed
at the institutional level as a requirement for completion of the
program.”
Eligibility of Degree Requirements
Master’s programs that are based only on coursework are
not eligible since they do not include a significant research
component.
Clarification: course-based programs serving as basis for
admission to tri-council eligible doctoral program are
considered eligible.
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2014-15 OGS Update for Graduate Administrators
• Unit allocations for 2014-15 are forthcoming
• Summary of Enhancements for Administrators (to be
available in late November):
o Ability to see applications in progress
o Single PDF layout of application with imbedded transcripts
(in development)
• Thank you to all those who filled out the online survey.
CGS M Selection Process
• December 1st tri-agency imposed deadline: no departmental deadlines (new)
• Graduate units access/review applications online (new for SSHRC only)
• Graduate units forward list(s) of quota candidates to SGS (unchanged)
• Central adjudication by SGS Awards Committee (unchanged)
• SGS Committee awards the CGS M─no national competition (new for
NSERC/CIHR)
• SGS informs graduate units of departmental results in late February (new)
• Universities make official offers to students online the first week in April (new)
• Students have 3 weeks to decide and accept an offer; must decline others
• Must hold CGS M at the university offering the award; not transferable (new)
Update from the SGS Grad Room
Karen McCrank
Programming Coordinator
Grad Room
• The Graduate Professional Skills (GPS) programming office
• Maybe Monday: quiet study and peer academic
support/resources
• International Transition Advisor Wednesday, 3 pm to 5 pm
• Multi-Purpose Space seats 30 people boardroom-style or 40
people lecture-style
• http://uoft.me/GradRoom
Opening Doors: Creating Careers for
Graduate Students
• Monday, November 11, 4:30 to 8:00 pm, Bahen Centre
• 30 to 40 panelists with primarily U of T master’s or PhD
research based degrees
• Panelist will have graduated with degrees in all areas
such as the humanities, life sciences, social sciences
and physical sciences
• Contact: events@sgs.utoronto.ca
AGENDA
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AGENDA
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Update from SGS Student Services
Don MacMillan
Director, Student Services
Implementation of Hobson’s Connect
This fall we have introduced Hobson’s Connect, which
allows prospective students to customize their own VIP
page with program information tailored to their interests.
A feature that will be of interest to many of you is that we
now have the ability to provide your unit with the names and
email of everyone who has indicated an interest in your
program.
If you are hosting an outreach activity such as an Open
House, you can obtain an easy contact list.
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Upcoming Events
• Online Application Workshop
Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00pm
Location: Grad Room, 66 Harbord Street
• Admission Procedures Workshop
Date: Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Location: Grad Room, 66 Harbord Street
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Upcoming Events
• 14th Annual Workshop on Foreign Credentials: “Focus on Africa”
Date: Monday, December 16, 2013
Time: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
• Please register by November 29 to
whittney.ayers@sgs.utoronto.ca
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And now your questions…
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