Membership Policy

The policy contains the criteria and process governing membership in the Yeates School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (YSGPS). The main objective of this policy is to ensure that supervisor qualifications are consistent with standards necessary to provide high quality graduate student experience. Membership signifies commitment to: scholarship, research and creative (SRC) activities, productive supervisor/student relationships, and excellence in graduate education.

All completed application packages should be directed to the Vice-Provost and Dean, YSGPS and rachquel.thompson@torontomu.ca for approval and processing.

There are three categories of membership in YSGPS. Depending on the membership category, a graduate faculty member may have different privileges and duties. YSGPS membership is:

• Strongly recommended, but may not be required in some programs, to teach graduate level courses;
• Not a right of employment; and,
• Separate and distinct from appointment to a TMU faculty position.
  

Full membership

This category is open to TFA members who meet the membership criteria established by the graduate program they wish to be affiliated with and are recommended by the Graduate Program Director to the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS. YSGPS members may serve as:

• The sole/principal supervisor of a doctoral dissertation, a master’s thesis or a major research paper or project;
• A member of a comprehensive/candidacy examination committee, and perform all associated duties;
• A member of a thesis/dissertation supervisory committee;
• Chair of a final thesis/dissertation oral examination; and
• A voting member of a thesis/dissertation oral examination committee.
  

Associate membership

This category is open to qualified personnel who are employed by, or affiliated with, Toronto Metropolitan University but are not members of the TFA. Eligibility for membership in this category may include: research scientists, research associates, postdoctoral fellows, adjunct professors, and visiting professors, who are actively engaged in SRC activities and who meet the criteria established by the graduate program with which they are to be affiliated. Upon recommendation of the Graduate Program Director and approval by the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS, an associate member’s responsibilities are typically limited to serving as:

• A co-supervisor of a master’s thesis, or the primary/sole supervisor of a major research paper or project,
• A co-supervisor of a doctoral dissertation provided that he/she/they holds a terminal degree at the doctoral level,
• A member of comprehensive/candidacy examination committee and he/she/they may perform all associated duties,
• A member of thesis/dissertation supervisory committee,
• A voting member of a final thesis/dissertation oral examination committee.
  

Details about the privileges and duties of associate member’s shall be outlined in the letter of appointment, which will be sent by the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS. Associate YSGPS membership is limited to a period of 3 years and may, upon reapplication, be approved for extension.

Emeritus membership

This category is open to retired full members of YSGPS who continue to meet the membership criteria established by the program with which they are affiliated, and who remain active (e.g., supervision, examination committees). These members will have the same privileges as full YSGPS members. Upon recommendation by the relevant Graduate Program Director and approval of the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS, an emeritus member may be appointed for a renewable 3-year period.

A Program Membership Committee (PMC) shall be established and structured as per the needs of each graduate program (e.g., a PMC at the Faculty or Departmental level), and governed according to by-laws determined by the Graduate Program Council. Typically, the PMC will be chaired by the Graduate Program Director.

On an annual basis, the Graduate Program Director shall send the names of the PMC and an updated list of YSGPS membership to the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS. Each PMC shall establish program-specific criteria for YSGPS membership and supervisory responsibilities, which must be consistent with the YSGPS requirements, and approved by the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS.

The PMC shall review its membership applications and submit its recommendations to the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS for final approval.

The mandate of the Program Membership Committee is to:

• develop program-specific criteria and procedures for YSGPS membership and forward them to the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS for approval;
• review membership applications at the program level in light of the rationale established for membership, and to submit its recommendations to the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS; and
• review the YSGPS membership list on an annual basis and submit it to the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS.

All completed application packages should be directed to the Vice-Provost and Dean, YSGPS and rachquel.thompson@torontomu.ca for approval and processing.

• An applicant to any YSGPS membership category shall submit his/her/their CV along with a cover letter detailing the planned contributions to the program director of the relevant graduate program. For membership renewal, the cover letter also must detail the applicant’s past contributions to the graduate program.
• The Graduate Program Director will then forward the application package (CV and cover letter) to the PMC for review. A decision on whether to formally recommend the applicant for YSGPS membership and the category of appointment will be determined by a simple majority of PMC votes.
• The Graduate Program Director will email a soft copy of the application package PLUS a letter of recommendation detailing the rationale for the recommendation to the Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS. The Vice-Provost and Dean of YSGPS will make the final decision and communicate this in writing to the Graduate Program Director.

All completed application packages should be directed to the Vice-Provost and Dean, YSGPS and rachquel.thompson@torontomu.ca for approval and processing.

• YSGPS membership is concurrent with the member’s appointment at Toronto Metropolitan University.
• A faculty member, who no longer belongs to the TFA, will have his/her YSGPS membership expire automatically. If he/she/they wishes to become a member of YSGPS while no longer part of the TFA, he/she/they will need to formally apply as an Associate YSGPS member.
• A YSGPS member who wishes to supervise or co-supervise students in a degree program outside his/her/their home program/department/Faculty, can do so with the approval of the Graduate Program Director and PMC of the respective program of interest.
• Rights and obligations accompany YSGPS membership. It is important that YSGPS members understand their rights and obligations as outlined by YSGPS.
• A YSGPS member who fails to meet the membership requirements, including failure to fulfil his/her supervisory responsibility as outlined in the YSGPS guidelines on graduate supervision, University policy (e.g., civility), and violation of the code of ethics, may have his/her/their YSGPS membership suspended or revoked. Such a faculty member has the right to appeal this decision through the YSGPS membership appeal mechanism.
• An applicant to YSGPS membership whose application was not approved can appeal the decision through the YSGPS membership appeal mechanism.

YSGPS maintains the central database of all full, associate and emeritus members of the graduate school.

 (google sheet) YSGPS Membership List (external link) 

If you are looking for program specific faculty, then please contact the program directly.