Conversations with SGS
Conversations with SGS is a series of sessions for faculty in administrative roles in graduate education at the unit level to come together to share experiences, lessons, and incorporate best practices into our work. See below for information about the 2023–2024 sessions, including registration links, panelists / presenters / participants, and highlights from our past sessions.
Sessions
Winter 2024
Session #1 — Understanding and Reviewing the Final Oral Examination
Description:
The Final Oral Examination (FOE) is one of the most important milestones in the professional trajectories of students and their supervisor(s). Come join the School of Graduate Studies in discussing the premise behind the current practices, as well as clarification of areas of confusion. Moreover, the Office of the Vice-Dean, Research and Program Innovation, along with the Program Completion Office, is undertaking a review of the current Final Oral Exam regulations and guidelines to make sure it meets the needs of the evolving landscape of unit practices and needs. As a first step in our review we invite you to this important conversation, so we can learn what is working for you and what you would like to see revised within the SGS guidelines.
Presenters:
Vina Goghari, Vice-Dean, Research and Program Innovation, SGS
Laura Stathopoulos, Director, Graduate Awards and Financial Aid, SGS
Lisa Haley, Senior Advisor & Manager, Graduate Program Completion and Postdoctoral Services, SGS
February 13, 2024
10 AM–11:30 AM ET
Fall 2023
Session #1 — The Role of SGS in the Graduate Ecosystem: What SGS Can Do for You
Description:
Come join the Dean of SGS, Joshua Barker and the SGS team in discussing the role of SGS both as a central service, as well as a hub of promising practices for the graduate ecosystem. Learn what are current priorities in the Dean’s and Vice-Deans’ portfolios. Also, learn what our five centre and service directors can do for you and your students. Come inform us of what is working in your units and how we can better support the work that you do.
Participant(s):
Joshua Barker, Dean of SGS & Vice-Provost, Graduate Research and Education
Vina Goghari, Vice-Dean, Research and Program Innovation, SGS
John Peever, Vice-Dean, Students, SGS
Rachael Cayley, Director, Centre for Graduate Professional Development, SGS
Jane Freeman, Director, Graduate Centre for Academic Communication, SGS
Aziza Kajan, Director, Centre for Graduate Mentorship and Supervision, SGS
Sarah Peake, Director, Student Academic Services, SGS
Laura Stathopoulos, Director, Graduate Awards and Financial Aid, SGS
September 19, 2023
9:00 AM–10:30 AM ET
Session #2 — Graduate Academic Appeals
Description:
Come join the SGS and legal team in learning about graduate academic appeals, from the role of graduate faculty leaders in informal mediation, to the role of the Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee (GDAAC), to the role of the Graduate Academic Appeals Board (GAAB). Learn how to set up the process for success at the Department level, as we share observations from our learnings at the second level up of the Graduate Academic Appeals Board (GAAB). Please invite your GDAAC Chairs to attend this event as well.
Participant(s):
John Peever, Vice-Dean, Students, SGS
Leora Jackson, Legal Counsel
James Phillips, Senior Chair, Graduate Academic Appeals Board
November 14, 2023
9:00 AM–10:30 AM ET
Session #3 — Understanding Graduate Student Funding at U of T
Description:
Graduate student funding is often identified as a key priority for graduate units and divisions. Yet the way graduate students are funded can vary greatly from division to division, graduate unit to graduate unit, and program to program. This complexity can make it challenging for graduate leaders to understand the graduate student funding landscape as a whole, communicate to their students and faculty where their unit fits into this wider landscape, and take actions required to improve funding in their own domain.
This Conversations with SGS session is designed to inform graduate leaders about the overall landscape of graduate student funding and where they fit into it. It will describe: a) the foundational policies related to graduate student funding; b) how funding practices differ by program type and SGS division; c) opportunities to support international and underrepresented groups; d) why graduate funding is so pinched right now; e) what levers are available for making improvements to graduate funding at U of T.
Participant(s):
TBC
November 23, 2023
9:00 AM–10:30 AM ET
Session Highlights
Contact
For more information or questions about Conversations with SGS, please contact:
Vina Goghari, PhD
Vice-Dean, Research and Program Innovation, SGS
sgs.vdeanprograms@utoronto.ca