Transcript SGS Student Services - University of Toronto

SGS Student Services
General Meeting for
Graduate Administrators
Friday, February 28, 2014
2:00-4:00 p.m.
GB 202, Galbraith
AGENDA
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Welcome
Update from Systems & Records
Update from Information Systems
Update from the Quality Assurance & Governance
Offices
Update from the Post-Doctoral & Doctoral Examinations
Office
Update from the Graduate Awards Office
Update from Student Services
Piloting and Implementation of e-Marks
Questions
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Update from
Student Systems & Records
Josie Lalonde
Associate Director, Student Services
SGS Information Systems
Project Updates
February 28, 2014
SGS Information Systems
• Overview
– The team providing infrastructure and support to
SGS systems and services which support the
graduate community (SGS Drive, Online
Application, Ontario Graduate Scholarship,
Website, etc.)
– Update on two projects
• Video Conferencing
• Graduate Student Progress Tracker
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SGS Information Systems
– Video Conferencing For Final Oral Examinations
• Cisco TelePresence equipment is being installed in 63
St. George, Room 111
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a 70” digital display and white board
a dedicated computer
an HD video camera
a surround sound system
microphones (wireless and table mics)
Table mounted electrical/video connections
Touch-screen controls
• This room is accessible
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SGS Information Systems
– Video Conferencing For Final Oral Examinations
• The room is being renovated (right now!)
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Bookshelves have been removed
New electrical and data connections are being installed
A new conference table is arriving (as we speak)
Patching and painting
• Next week
– Equipment installation and setup
– Training of SGS staff
• A announcement will be made regarding the official opening
of the room
– Procedures / protocols will be distributed at that time
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SGS Information Systems
– Graduate Student Progress Tracker
• An interactive web-based tool to help students,
supervisors, and grad coordinators track research
stream student progress
• Provide you a tool to view basic student information
and capture progress / committee reports
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SGS Information Systems
– Graduate Student Progress Tracker
• Since we last talked, we have presented and requested
feed back at…
– Graduate Administrators – Fall 2013
– Academic Administrators – Fall 2013
– Joint Committee of Student Matters and Committee of
Program Matters – Fall 2013
– Council of Graduate Deans – Summer / Fall 2013
– Deans of Single Department Faculties – Winter 2013
• Following these, some units have emailed ideas and
sample forms
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SGS Information Systems
– Graduate Student Progress Tracker
• We have met with ITS / EASI to ensure
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We align with current or planned NGSIS/Kuali projects
We do not duplicate efforts or functionality of current or
upcoming systems
We develop a system on which we can build and grow
collaboratively
• From these consultations, we have started to finalize
our requirements
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SGS Information Systems
– Graduate Student Progress Tracker
• Extremely fortunate to receive funding from the
government as part of a multi-university grant
– We have resources to hire a contract developer to be
dedicated to this projects
– But the funding comes with some very tight deadlines
» March 2013 to September 2013
» Work may continue after this point, but must be funded
by SGS
• We need to work quickly and may not be able to
perform as much consultation as we would like
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SGS Information Systems
– Graduate Student Progress Tracker
• To maximize our opportunity…
– Our system will compliment the tracking offered by existing
systems
– We will focus the requirements on tracking the annual
supervisory committee meetings
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SGS Information Systems
– Graduate Student Progress Tracker
• Next Steps…
– We will be distributing a link to the requirements as well as
wireframes next week
» Target: Wednesday March 5, 2014
– We welcome feedback from all but will need to receive it
quickly (probably within 1 week)
» All feedback will be collected and prioritized
» We will integrate feedback where we can where others
may need to be deferred for future development
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SGS Information Systems
– Graduate Student Progress Tracker
• Next Steps…
– The update requirements will be reviewed by a focus group
including students, faculty and staff
– The feedback will form the final requirements for the
developer
– Developer will be hired to perform the work
– Development will occur (March 2014 to Aug 2014)
– Testing and bug fixes (Aug 2014)
– Pilot project in Fall 2014
– Larger scale roll out of the application
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SGS Information Systems
– Graduate Student Progress Tracker
• This is not the end of the conversation, just the
beginning
• We want to create the foundation on which we can
develop the system further after the funding ends
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SGS Information Systems
• Contact Information
– General Support
• [email protected]
Corey Dales
Director, Information Systems
[email protected]
416-978-6115
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Update from Quality
Assurance and Governance
Emma Thacker, Governance & Policy Coordinator
Lily Yee-Sloan, Communications Officer
February 28, 2014
Communications Update
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Calendar Production Update
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Timing of Calendar Outputs
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HTML - June 30
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PDF - July 31
Calendar Deadlines
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Graduate Faculty Membership (GFM) Requests – Feb 28
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Editorial Revisions – Mar 7 (multi-dept Faculties), Mar 14 (single-dept
Faculties)
Sessional Registration Notation
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Memo, dated November 4, 2013
Indicates the time a student is expected to be in the program and clarifies
the associated minimum degree fee
Inclusion of the notation into 2014/2015 SGS Calendar
You will see it included at calendar proofreading
e.g. Program Length: 3 sessions (typical registration sequence: F/W/S)
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Governance Update – New Guidelines
Termination of Registration Guidelines
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Guidelines completed December 2013
Now posted to the SGS website - Memo sent February 3, 2014
Guidelines outline the University regulatory framework involving termination
and academic progress, provides step-by-step procedures, references and
contact information.
Termination - Info for Graduate Students: Webpage (and hand out)
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Provides overview to explain ‘what is termination of registration’ and outlines
the process when facing a potential recommendation for termination.
FAQ section provides information about withdrawal, appeals, mediation and
information disclosure.
Graduate Courses Guidelines
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SGS Working Group currently consulting to update existing document
Revisions will clarify and update
Expected to be completed for Fall 2014
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SGS Contact Information
Lily Yee-Sloan
Communications Officer
Phone: 416.978.5015
[email protected]
Emma Thacker
Governance and Policy Coordinator
Phone: 416.946.3427
[email protected]
WEB: www.sgs.utoronto.ca
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Update from the SGS Post-Doctoral &
Doctoral Examinations Office
Lisa Haley
Post-Doctoral Advisor
Thesis Submission
& Graduation
• Thesis Submission
New Digital Repository – LAC form not
required
T-Space continues to be U of T repository
Thesis submission determines doctoral fees
• Graduation
Degree Recommendations & Audits
Diploma Holds
BoD Fees
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Postdoctoral Fellows
• PDFs: Employees vs. Trainees
Funding Source
Letters
• Bargaining with CUPE 3902
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Graduate Awards Updates
Laura Stathopoulos, Senior Awards Officer
School of Graduate Studies
Award Updates
1. The W. Garfield Weston Doctoral Fellowship Program
2. 3 Minute Thesis Competition
3. The JJ Berry Smith Award for Doctoral Supervision
4. Mitacs Globalink Research Award
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The W. Garfield Weston Doctoral Fellowship
Program
What is it?
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An award for top-tier doctoral students who are conducting research travel
outside of Canadian in their 3rd or 4th year of study
For research travel of 8 – 12 Months
First 16 Weston Fellows are currently conducting research in over 17 countries
across Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Value
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The value of the Weston Fellowships are $50,000 per student
Up to16 Fellowships will be awarded; distributed across all Divisions
Eligibility
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Conducting research that will have an impact on Canada and Canadians
Be registered as a full-time doctoral student (from any division)
Be a Canadian citizen
Conduct research outside of Canada (preferably outside North America)
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3 Minute Thesis Competition
What is it?
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A public speaking competition for doctoral students
Students have 3-minutes to present their dissertation research
to a panel of non-specialist judges
Divisional heats will take place on March 18, 20, & 21st
U of T Final on Wed. March 26th at 7pm
The winner and runner-up will represent the University of
Toronto at the provincial final at McMaster University on April
18th
Inaugural 2013 Winners: Provincial Final
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Jasdeep Saggar – 1st Place
Abraham Heifets – 2nd Place
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The JJ Berry Smith Award for Doctoral
Supervision
What is it?
• An award recognizing outstanding performance as a doctoral
supervisor
• Two awards: one in Humanities & Social Science; one in Life and
Physical Sciences
• Awarded annually to an active graduate faculty member who, over a
15 year period, has demonstrated excellence in supervision by:
 inspiring and guiding students to reach excellence in scholarship;
 providing an environment that is supportive and stimulating;
 enabling students to learn the essential methodologies, concepts and cultures of their
discipline;
 introducing students to the wider content of the discipline and relevant communities of
scholars;
 positioning students for future careers both within and outside academe;
 fostering a strong sense of academic integrity.
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Value
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Award Certificate
Name added to plaque housed at the SGS
An SGS Conference or Travel Grant to be awarded by recipient to a
current doctoral student
Process
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Each Faculty forwards nominations to the Dean of the School of
Graduate Studies
Nominations may be submitted through your local Faculty Dean or
Vice Dean Graduate Education
Deadline is April 1st
Inaugural Winners
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Prof. Brenda Andrews: Molecular Genetics
Prof. Clifford Orwin: Political Science
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Mitacs Globalink Research Award
What is it?
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Value:
Travel award for graduate students
Travel to Mitacs partner countries in Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Turkey and Vietnam
Project/travel period is approximately 12-24 weeks
• Up to $5000 cover travel and accommodation costs
• Provided as research grant to the home university supervisor
Eligibility:
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Registered for full-time studies as a graduate student ( domestic or international)
All academic disciplines are eligible
Have identified host academic supervisor with a faculty appointment at an accredited
university in a Mitacs partner country
• Compliant with all departmental and Safety Abroad Office guidelines prior to travel
Quick facts:
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No deadlines - applications accepted any time, sent directly to MITACS
Application assessed based on strength of the research project proposal
Results typically provided in four weeks
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Updates from Student Services
Don MacMillan
Director, Student Services
Science without Borders (CsF)
Brazilian Scholarship Program
for Doctoral Students
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Scholarship Highlights
• For Brazilian students entering a doctoral program,
primarily in the STEM disciplines.
• Provides full international tuition and fees plus a
living and travel allowance and health insurance for
a maximum of 4 years.
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Admission
• Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE)
liaises with the Brazilian government to determine
the student’s preliminary eligibility for the
scholarship.
• Students then apply to U of T on-line using the
normal procedures and deadlines.
• Student must meet U of T language proficiency
requirements and meet all other eligibility
requirements.
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Admission
• If a student receives an offer, it will be conditional
upon funding. CBIE liaises with Brazil to finalize the
scholarship.
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Funding
• According to the original terms of CsF scholarship,
any student that did not complete the PhD within 48
months would be required to repay the entire
amount (Approx. $120,000).
• U of T was able to negotiate a full year extension at
the expense of the graduate unit. The 5th year
extension of funding must be agreed upon in
writing before the student receives an offer of
admission.
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eMarks for SGS
Margaret Bura
eMarks Team Lead
Enterprise Applications and Solutions Integration
Josie Lalonde
Rodney Branch
School of Graduate Studies
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And now your questions…
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