SGPS Membership

In accordance with Senate regulations, only members of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies may be involved in graduate student education. For each student writing a thesis the program must provide a Thesis Supervisory Committee, consisting of a Supervisor, who must have membership in the graduate program of the student and at least one additional SGPS member who may or may not be in the student's program. For students in professional or course based research programs, supervisors must have SGPS membership in the student's graduate program. In each case the Graduate Chair for each program nominates individuals for Membership in SGPS. The categories of SGPS membership are Teaching/Advisory, Associate, Master’s and Doctoral.

Master’s and Doctoral memberships are on-going (reviewed when the graduate program undergoes its periodic quality assurance review) in the home department and require a tenured or tenure-stream appointment at Western.

Teaching/Advisory and Associate involve limited educational activities which may be temporary or permanent, as per the letter of appointment. Criteria for, and privileges associated with each category are listed below.

Forms

Levels of Membership

  • Teaching/Advisory Membership
  • Associate Membership
  • Master's Membership
  • Doctoral Membership

Nomination Process

  1. Determine the appropriate membership level
  2. Nominee completes Nomination Form and provides it to nominating department
  3. Department Administrator nominates Nominee for membership via Membership Approval Requests System in GradNet
  4. Nomination reviewed by Graduate Chair, Associate Dean (Graduate) and Associate Vice-Provost (SGPS) via GradNet

Resources

  • Procedures for Adjunct Academic Appointments of Faculty at Western (PDF File)

Summary of Privileges by Membership Level

Teaching/Advisory Associate Master's Doctoral
Supervise Doctoral Students No Yes* Yes* Yes
Supervise Master's Students No Yes* Yes Yes
Chair Doctoral Thesis Exam No No Yes Yes
Chair Master's Thesis Exam Yes Yes Yes Yes
Participate as Thesis Examiner Yes Yes Yes Yes
Participate as Supervisory Committee Member Yes Yes Yes Yes
Teach Graduate Course Yes Yes Yes Yes

*Only alongside another Supervisor holding the appropriate Master’s/Doctoral Membership 

Summary of Criteria and Qualifications Required by Membership Level

Teaching/Advisory Associate Master's Doctoral
PhD or Equivalent Yes Yes Yes Yes
Faculty Appointment No Yes Yes Yes
Satisfactory Supervision Record No No No Yes
Nomination by Program Yes Yes Yes Yes

Complete criteria for, and privileges associated with each category are listed below:

Teaching/Advisory Membership (TAM)

Criteria and Qualifications

  • Nomination by a Western graduate program offering a Quality Assurance Council approved graduate degree
  • PhD degree or qualification appropriate to the discipline
  • Appropriate expertise and experience commensurate with program activities and responsibilities
  • Elders, Indigenous knowledge keepers and practicing professionals are eligible for SGPS Membership

Privileges May Include

  • Teach graduate courses
  • Serve as member of thesis supervisory committee
  • Participate as thesis examiner
  • Chair master's thesis examinations
  • May be involved in graduate student education (i.e., student advisor, teaching, non-thesis research paper reader) except sole thesis supervision.  

Associate Membership

Criteria and Qualifications

  • Faculty appointment including adjunct, at Western or an Affiliate University College
  • Nomination by a Western or Affiliate University College graduate program offering a Quality Assurance Council approved graduate degree
  • Ph.D. degree or qualification appropriate to the discipline
  • Appropriate expertise & experience commensurate with program activities and responsibilities

Privileges

  • Supervise thesis (with another Supervisor holding appropriate membership (Master’s or Doctoral) in the student’s program)
  • Teach graduate courses
  • Serve as member of thesis supervisory committee
  • Participate as thesis examiner
  • Chair Master's thesis examinations
  • May be involved in graduate student education (i.e., student advisor, teaching, non-thesis research paper reader) except sole thesis supervision

Master's Membership

Criteria and Qualifications

  • Nomination by a Western graduate program offering a Quality Assurance Council approved graduate degree with a Master's thesis
    • An established program of research or performance and, where appropriate, research funds from an external source
  • A record of successful participation in graduate education
  • Academic Appointment at Western as Assistant Professor or higher, OR a current Western Adjunct Academic Appointment.
  • Nomination by a Western graduate program offering a Quality Assurance Council approved graduate degree
  • Ph.D. degree or equivalent qualification appropriate to the discipline
  • Appropriate scholarly and/or professional record commensurate with program activities and responsibilities

Privileges

  • Supervise Master's theses
  • Supervise Doctoral Theses (with another Supervisor holding Doctoral membership in student’s program)
  • Chair Thesis Examinations
  • May be given access to Graduate Application System
  • Teach graduate courses
  • Serve as member of thesis supervisory committee
  • Participate as thesis examiner
  • Other facets of graduate student education (i.e., student advisor, non-thesis research paper reader)

Doctoral Membership

Criteria and Qualifications

  • Academic Appointment at Western as Assistant Professor or higher, OR a current Western Adjunct Academic Appointment.
  • Nomination by a Western graduate program offering a Quality Assurance Council approved graduate degree
  • Ph.D. degree or equivalent qualification appropriate to the discipline
  • Appropriate scholarly and/or professional record commensurate with program activities and responsibilities
  • Nomination by a Western graduate program offering a Quality Assurance Council approved graduate degree with a Doctoral thesis
  • Satisfactory supervision of at least one Master's candidate.

Privileges

  • Supervise Doctoral/Master's theses
  • Chair Doctoral/Master's Thesis Examinations
  • May be given access to Graduate Application System
  • Teach graduate courses
  • Serve as member of thesis supervisory committee
  • Participate as thesis examiner
  • Other facets of graduate student education (i.e., student advisor, non-thesis research paper reader)