Codes of Conduct
The Code of Student Conduct can be found in the School of Graduate Studies Calendar, and it applies to all members of the academic community. The essence of these rules is that you are expected to complete all degree requirements and research activities with integrity, treat all members of the community fairly and respectfully, and respect the rules.
Students are responsible for making themselves familiar with the Code of Student Conduct, as well as all of the School of Graduate Studies’ Policies and Guidelines, including, but not limited to, academic integrity, intellectual property, plagiarism, publishing, and termination of registration. A variety of SGS’s policies are also referenced in the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters, which with students are also required to comply.
Appeals
The program abides by the regulations governing appeals as set out in the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies.
If you feel you have been unfairly treated by any member or group of the program such that some aspect of your academic life has been damaged or want to dispute a decision made by anyone regarding academic issues (e.g., you have not been allowed to count a course toward your degree), you may appeal the decision or conduct in question. The hierarchy of appeals is as follows:
- Speak to the instructor, faculty member, or group of members with whom you are disputing. If your problem is not resolved, then proceed to the next step.
- Speak to the Graduate Director. If your problem is not resolved, then proceed to the next step.
- You may make an appeal to the Graduate Committee, a subset of which acts as the Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee (GDAAC). If your problem is not resolved, then proceed to the next step.
- You may file a formal notice of appeal to the Graduate Academic Appeals Board (GAAB), through the School of Graduate Studies. If your problem is still not resolved, then proceed to the next step.
- You may appeal the decision of the GAAB to the Governing Council's Academic Appeals Committee by filing a formal notice of appeal with the Secretary of the Board no later than 90 days after you have received written notice of the decision reached by the GAAB.
If you do not feel comfortable coming to the Graduate Department of Psychology with your issue (i.e., the first few steps listed above), then the University of Toronto’s School of Graduate Studies provides support to both students and faculty through the Centre for Graduate Mentorship and Supervision. You can email them at cgms@utoronto.ca to get help.
If you would like help with an issue regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion, then the University of Toronto’s Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office provides a service for connecting you with the most relevant resources or supports: https://antiracism.utoronto.ca/help/
Supervision
Students and supervisors seeking resources or support for supervision, including workshops or advice, are encouraged to contact the Vice-Dean, Students at sgs.vdeanstudents@utoronto.ca. The School of Graduate Studies’ Graduate Supervision Guidelines may also be a helpful resource. The resources offered by the School of Graduate Studies have been expanded to include Strategies for Graduate Mentorship and Supervision at a Distance and a Guide to Working from Home for Graduate/Postdoctoral Researchers, as well as the newly-established Centre for Graduate Mentorship and Supervision. The Division of Student Life also continues to grow co-curricular programs, events, resources, and engagement specifically for graduate students available through GradLife, a hub for graduate student support and community.
Undoubtedly, the most important person in the program is your research supervisor. Your supervisor is responsible for directing, guiding, and supporting your research as well as your graduate career. The selection of your supervisor is probably the most critical decision you will make since it will determine the direction of your work, the type of training you receive, and many aspects of your life in the program.
Although students are admitted to the program with a supervisor and typically keep the same supervisor throughout their graduate career, it is possible to change supervisors. The reasons for wanting to change supervisors are many, but the most common reasons are changes in the student's area of interest and personal or intellectual friction between student and supervisor. You can email the Graduate Director for consultation on potentially changing supervisors. On occasion, supervisors also request for the student to find a new supervisor, and they should also reach out to the Graduate Director for advice.
The supervisor and graduate student relationship is both critical and delicate. To work well, it requires sensitivity, care, and the attention of both partners. For advice on navigating this relationship or advice about specific situations, please feel free to reach out to the Graduate Director or the Centre for Graduate Mentorship and Supervision.
When you begin your relationship with your supervisor, you should expect to discuss the details of how it will work. You can expect to meet regularly, to have your responsibilities and duties described in detail, and to have some idea about issues like authorship of papers, types of work you are expected to do, and so on. It is important to note that supervisors have different styles of research supervision. Some supervisors are directive, expecting students to become involved in an ongoing research project and to work, at least at the beginning, largely on studies that are outlined by the supervisor. Others are less so, giving the student considerable leeway in the projects they select and in how they are carried out. And, of course, most fall in-between these two extremes. There is no right or best way of supervision, but you may feel that you work better under one type than another. It is usually helpful to discuss the type of research supervision at the start of your time in the graduate program, so that the expectations are clear.
If for whatever reason you are dissatisfied with the supervision you receive, need advice on a specific issue, or feel that the need for support in approaching your supervisor about an issue, then please contact the Graduate Director. Any discussions of this sort will be treated with the utmost discretion and will not appear in student records. As in any personal relationship, if things start to go wrong, it is best to bring matters out into the open and to do so before things go from bad to worse. Obviously, the further advanced you are in your program, the more likely it is that such a change will be disruptive.
Please also be advised that one of the criteria for maintaining good academic standing and ensure continued funding (see Graduate Student Funding), students must also have a research supervisor. Since progress in our program is dependent on having a supervisor, students who have been enrolled without a supervisor for 6 months or more may no longer be considered in good academic standing.