Introduction
The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is dedicated to maintaining a rich academic environment for every student in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at the University of British Columbia. Among other things, the Faculty oversees the academic quality and integrity of its graduate programs, and ensures that graduate students are provided with training in research and other scholarly activities of the highest standard.
Faculty Membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies consists of the President, Vice-President Academic, Vice-President Research, the Dean and Associate Deans of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Deans of other Faculties and appropriately qualified members of the University faculty.
Members
Members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies must be tenured or tenure track (including grant tenured or grant tenure track) faculty members in the Research Stream holding the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor. They must be approved by their disciplinary Faculty (or functional equivalent) for membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and must meet the criteria established by the graduate program with which they are affiliated. Members of the Faculty may supervise graduate students, chair examining committees, and vote at the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies general meetings.
Members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies may continue as members upon retirement, provided they are approved by their disciplinary Faculty (or functional equivalent) for membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and continue to meet the criteria established by their graduate program for membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Membership notwithstanding, a retired faculty member may supervise or co-supervise graduate students as provided for by their disciplinary Faculty.
Supervision of Graduate Students by Other Faculty
Other appropriately qualified individuals (e.g., clinical professors, adjunct professors, professors of teaching, senior instructors or visiting professors) who are actively engaged in research and experienced with graduate education may be approved, upon the recommendation of their Head, Director or Dean (or functional equivalent) of the graduate program with which they are affiliated and the approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, to supervise or co-supervise master’s and doctoral students and/or serve on doctoral student supervisory committees provided they meet the relevant criteria. These individuals are not members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
Supervision of Graduate Students by Non-members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Non-members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies as Supervisory Committee Members
Approval for individuals who are not members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to serve as members of master’s student supervisory committees is the responsibility of the graduate program concerned.
Teaching
Teaching of graduate courses is the responsibility of the disciplinary unit, Department or Faculty.
Administrative Procedures for Recommending Faculty for Membership
- Graduate programs have the primary responsibility for defining their specific criteria for membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, provided they are approved by their disciplinary Faculty (or functional equivalent), and are in agreement with the general criteria set by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. These criteria are in addition to those of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. The criteria are forwarded to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for review to ensure that they meet the requirements of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
- On an annual basis, each graduate program, in consultation with its disciplinary Faculty (or functional equivalent) will review and update a list of individuals provided by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies comprised of: (1) faculty who meet the criteria for membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and (2) those other individuals (e.g. clinical professors, adjunct professors, senior instructors or visiting professors) who are approved to supervise or co-supervise master’s or doctoral students or serve on doctoral student supervisory committees by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Each graduate program, in consultation with their disciplinary Faculty (or functional equivalent) will also determine: (1) whether any new faculty members should be added, (2) whether any members should be deleted because of death, resignation, illness, etc.
- Graduate programs may recommend other appropriately qualified individuals (e.g., clinical professors, adjunct professors, senior instructors or visiting professors) who do not meet the criteria for membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to supervise or co-supervise master’s or doctoral students or serve on doctoral student supervisory committees, to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for approval, providing the faculty member meets the relevant criteria and is approved by the disciplinary Faculty (or functional equivalent).
- The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies may review the lists of members submitted by the Faculties to determine whether the membership lists are consistent with the formal criteria established by the graduate program. Upon request the graduate program will supply the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies with evidence that a particular appointment is consistent with the criteria.
- Where a faculty member no longer meets the criteria for membership or there is a complaint that a faculty member is not satisfactorily performing his or her duties and obligations as a member of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the Head or Director through their disciplinary Dean (or functional equivalent), in agreement with the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, or the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, in agreement with the disciplinary Dean, may initiate an inquiry and take appropriate action including recommending to the President that the individual’s membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies be suspended or cancelled. Unsatisfactory performance includes, but is not limited to, inattentive or poor graduate student supervision as well as violations of the bounds of appropriate conduct between a faculty member and student such as:
- allowing a conflict of interest to develop between the interests of the student and the interests of the faculty member,
- placing inappropriate demands upon a student, or
- failing to follow principles of scholarly integrity with respect to the research and work of students.
- A faculty member has the right to appeal a decision regarding his or her membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies under the grievance and arbitration procedures set out in Article 21 (Grievance and Arbitration under Agreements) of the Framework Collective Agreement between UBC and the Faculty Association of UBC.