Roles and Responsibilities of Program Directors and Graduate Officers

As per the collective agreement, among the duties and responsibilities of all Academic Staff Members (ASMs) is to “accept reasonable responsibility for academic advising and consulting with students” and “accepting a fair and equitable share of advising duties.” Faculty members who are appointed by the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences as Undergraduate Program Director (Honours/Major/Minor), Program Director (Diploma/Certificate), or Graduate Officers have a special responsibility to continually communicate and collaborate with others concerning University Calendar and program regulations.

Only ASMs can reasonably attend to curriculum and other specialized program matters. Therefore program directors, in consultation with their academic unit Head and others as appropriate, should be concerned with resolving complex matters that someone outside of the academic unit cannot address.

Student Responsibility and Academic Advising

The following appears in the Humanities and Social Sciences section of the University Calendar:

9.1 Student Responsibility and Academic Advice
Students are responsible for following regulations as stipulated in the University Calendar in all respects. In accordance with University Regulations, Academic Advising, the ability to make sound academic decisions requires access to sound academic advice. Information in the University Calendar and in an academic degree audit prevails over any other advice provided by any representative of ��APP.

Students may seek guidance about academic programming from a variety of sources. Written materials include official documents such as the University Calendar, degree audits and program forms; support materials such as the Guide to First Year or program brochures; university and program webpages; and online tools such as the Faculty’s degree maps. This is supplemented with interactions with a variety of University employees, as follows.

Role of Full-time Advisors for Undergraduate Students (staff positions)

In order to deliver consistent advice to students in a holistic manner that considers all University regulations and support services, ��APP and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences employ full-time non-academic staff members to handle most routine enquiries about academic programs of study. These advisors actively collaborate with each other, and operate simultaneously but not necessarily in tandem with faculty members who have specialized program expertise. Generally speaking, and subject to change, their roles are understood to entail the following:

Academic Advising Centre staff offer guidance to prospective students, first year students (below 30 credit hours), undeclared students and those transitioning between programs.
Full-time advisors employed by the Office of the Dean offer guidance to students who have declared a program in the Humanities and Social Sciences, with emphasis on students who have completed 30 to 60 credit hours. They also provide assistance with course selection for students with more than 60 credit hours based on audit reports.
Office of the Registrar staff offer guidance to students who have completed 60+ credit hours. For instance, an Assistant Registrar is primarily responsible for advising students on their academic progress and on the overall components of degrees for the purpose of graduation, based on their expertise in understanding the University Calendar, ensuring that academic policies and procedures are enforced and maintained. This includes preparing an academic degree audit.

Notwithstanding the above, a department is often the first point of contact for a student, and full-time advisors external to the academic unit may not be familiar with program or course details. Conversely, the Office of the Registrar, the Academic Advising Centre, the Dean’s Office, full-time advisors and students depend on academic units for timely and appropriate revisions to curriculum.

Role of Program Directors (faculty positions)

The Dean’s Office offers remuneration to each department for their Academic Staff members appointed as Undergraduate Director and/or Program Director to help ensure that programming is maintained. These individuals bear special responsibility for the program’s smooth operations. Other members of an academic unit, including the Head of Department, are not normally expected to advise students.

The primary responsibility of an Undergraduate Program Director or a Program Director is to deal with program-specific matters with respect to undergraduate recruitment, retention, curriculum and programming that cannot reasonably be handled by a full-time staff advisor, or by someone who is not a subject specialist. Directors have specific knowledge of a program and its subject matter. However, they may lack awareness of overall components of degree programs, university regulations and other administrative matters that full-time advisors are knowledgeable about.

The Undergraduate Director is normally the department representative for the Curriculum and Programs Committee (CPC), with the understanding that other members of the academic unit are similarly encouraged to consider such administrative service.

Expected duties of Undergraduate Program Directors and Program Directors normally include:

maintaining an up-to-date University Calendar entry for the relevant program requirements and courses, which may involve coordinating efforts with the unit’s curriculum and planning committee if one exists;
being available to answer questions from the Registrar’s Office, full-time advisors, the department Head and the Dean’s Office;
consulting the Assistant Registrar and Associate Dean regarding processes of curriculum reform;
offering guidance to the department Head about the teaching plan, when requested;
supporting the regularization of special topics courses and formalizing their calendar descriptions;
holding office hours to meet with students who require specialized information (e.g., Honours students) or who have extraordinary circumstances – students with more general enquiries should not normally meet with a Program Director in the first instance but rather should be referred to full-time staff advisors and/or to information available online;
encouraging students to declare a program of study by informing them that they can do so by sending an email from their @MUN email account with their student number and chosen program (e.g., Major, Minor, Diploma, Certificate) to the Registrar’s Office at registrar@mun.ca
responding to student emails promptly;
representing the department at student-focused events organized by the Faculty or University;
nominating undergraduate students for scholarships and awards (in consultation with the Head) and helping to make students aware of field-specific opportunities for scholarship and awards;
exploring options to create new undergraduate programs;
building a sense of community among undergraduate students who have declared the program of study (e.g., coordinating meet and greets at the start of a semester);
commenting on calendar change proposals prepared by members of another academic unit, if invited to do so;
proofing calendar change proposals before they are submitted to the Office of the Dean; and
fulfilling other required responsibilities varying by program, in consultation with the academic unit Head and/or the Dean’s Office. For example, acting on a request from the Dean’s Office to provide information about career paths, which will be provided to staff advisors and used online.

Program Directors are expected to take the initiative to promote the diploma or certificate program to a wide audience, including people situated outside the local area and lifelong learners. For instance this might involve working with the Faculty’s communications advisor and its computing specialist to cultivate a dynamic online presence (e.g., website, social media).

Questions that full-time non-academic advisors might direct to an Undergraduate Program Director or Program Director, and which might involve communicating with the Head of the academic unit, include:

what semester is a course likely to be offered;
permission for waivers (requires approval by Head of the academic unit and HSS Undergraduate Waivers and Appeals Committee (HSS_UWAC@mun.ca));
will the student be able to complete their degree by a given semester;
what are the ideal courses for a student when choice is available within the program regulations;
can information be provided about a field school program or an exchange program;
is a student a good candidate for an Honours program; and
what undergraduate preparation is required for a graduate program.

Given the complexity of career and personal counselling, and related matters, an Undergraduate Program Director or Program Director is encouraged to direct students to applicable supports when appropriate.

Role of Graduate Officers

In consultation with departmental Graduate Studies Committees (where relevant) and the Department Head, the Graduate Officer facilitates or manages the activities necessary to ensure a good educational outcome for graduate students, from recruitment to graduation. The Graduate Officer serves as the key contact with offices of graduate student support outside the Department, notably through serving as a liaison between the Department, the School of Graduate Studies (SGS), and the Associate Dean (Curriculum and Programs). Where warranted, it is imperative that the Graduate Officer inform and consult the Department Head and Associate Dean regarding significant matters relating to graduate studies or graduate students.

Policies

The following policies regarding Graduate Officers are in effect:

The Head cannot also hold the position of Graduate Officer. It is recognized, however, that the Head may need to be Interim Officer from time to time, particularly in small departments. This should be a temporary situation.
The Graduate Officer must report to a committee on matters to be determined by the Department. The committee can be a committee of the whole department, or a separately constituted departmental Graduate Studies Committee (GSC).
Graduate Officers are normally appointed by the Head for a period to be determined by the Department, but minimally of one-year duration. Upon appointment, the Graduate Officer and Head should meet to review the duties and responsibilities outlined in the Graduate Officer Handbook.

Responsibilities

Depending on departmental practice, some of the responsibilities listed below (in parentheses) are shared or carried out by other department members or organizations (e.g., the Head, supervisors, a departmental graduate studies committee, or administrative staff).

Recruitment and Admissions

Developing and maintaining recruitment strategies in partnership with the Head and the departmental Graduate Studies Committee or the department as a whole.
Replying to inquiries from interested students regarding application and admission procedures.
Providing the departmental webmaster with updates about the graduate program to be posted on the departmental web site; proofing website and printed material regarding graduate students and the graduate program.
Putting interested students in touch with potential supervisors.
Overseeing the graduate student admissions process, in coordination with the Head, the departmental Graduate Studies Committee, SGS, and departmental administrative staff.
Issuing Program of Study documents for admitted students in OnBase.
Processing rejection decisions in OnBase.
(Making recommendations to the Head concerning the transfer of students from Master’s to Doctoral programs.) [Note that this responsibility is carried out by the supervisor or Head in some departments.]

Student Orientation

Providing an orientation for new students in September. This should include a review of the duties, responsibilities, and ethical principles for supervisors and graduate students.
Ensuring that new graduate students provide material for their departmental webpage.
Working with the Head and administrative staff to arrange and assign graduate student office and/or study space (where possible!).
Organizing or facilitating (in conjunction with the GSC and/or the Nexus Centre as appropriate) specialized graduate student workshops or events aimed at professional development and training on issues not ordinarily covered in courses (e.g., funding applications, conference presentations, job-seeking, knowledge mobilization, etc.).

Financial support

Managing the departmental SGS baseline budget in consultation with the Head and SGS.
Keeping the Head and departmental administrative staff specialist informed about all financial arrangements.
Working with ASMs to allocate baseline funding in support of external funding applications.
Departments can set their own practices for allocating baseline funding. SGS allocates $8000 for MA students and $14,000 for PhD students per year of in-program status. (Total baseline to each department is based on a three-year rolling average of Graduate enrolments). Supervisors can provide a stipend to ‘top up; students, to maximum of $35,000 for Master’s, and $50, 000 for PhD students.
Making students and supervisors aware of funding opportunities in the department, at Memorial more widely, and beyond, such as:
Presidents Doctoral Student Investment Fund (PDSIF) for new ASMs provides a ‘top up’ of $7500 in the first 3 years of appointment for their first PhD student
Tri-council funding (GSM-M and SSHRC Doctoral Awards)
SGS scholarships and awards
Travel funding for conferences from GSU and SGS

For more details on the administration of funding, see:

/sgs/guidelines-for-the-awarding-of-financial-support/

Monitoring student progress

Monitoring student progress, reviewing final course grades each semester, and, where progress is not satisfactory, notifying the student in writing with a clear statement of possible consequences. (This notification may also come from SGS if grades fall below funding cut-off, or if a student ‘times; out of a part of their program, e.g., comprehensive exams.)
With the department’s administrative staff, coordinating the collection of, reviewing, and submitting to SGS the annual Supervisory Report Forms for all students. This annual report is required for all graduate students, and it is especially critical for students who are receiving external funding (Tri-council funding will be paused if reports are not submitted).
Providing advice to graduate students on matters of academic concern to them arising from the Supervisory Report Forms or other matters.

Monitoring graduate programs

Chairing the departmental Graduate Studies Committee (where relevant).
Facilitating and developing calendar change proposals with ASMs for special topics courses and other new graduate courses, obtaining departmental approval for them, and submitting them to the Associate Dean, Curriculum and Programs
Monitoring the graduate programs offered by the Department on an ongoing basis; consulting with the Head regarding graduate course offerings.
Ensuring that graduate course offerings will allow students to complete degree requirements without undue delay.

Graduate Assistantships (GAs)

Assisting the Head with the allocation of graduate assistants to specific courses and/or faculty members. [In some departments, the call is sent by the GO and the allocation is done by the Head, in consultation with the GO and the administrative staff.]
Ensuring compliance with the TAUMUN Agreement.
Settling disputes regarding the allocation of GA units to faculty members.

Note: The Head, not the GO, should be responsible for the following items, as they are staffing issues and can be contentious:

Graduate funding and awards

Representing the Department in all matters pertaining to graduate student awards, including serving on selection committees as required, directly submitting nominations for awards, and/or recommending nominations for awards to the Head. Where appropriate, nominations and recommendations can be made in consultation with the GSC.
May assist with coordinating graduate student-oriented requests for SITA funding as needed by department.
(Overseeing the submission of internal and external grant applications by graduate students.)
Providing advice on scholarship, fellowship, and grant application processes. Reviewing draft applications by students if they have been submitted in a timely manner according to internal departmental deadlines.

Note: Either the Head or the GO is responsible for writing the departmental evaluation component of SSHRC scholarship/fellowship applications. The Head should write the evaluation in the case of a conflict of interest (the GO is the applicant’s supervisor, or has been involved significantly in the development of the application).

Liaison

Liaising with the Head of the Department about matters related to graduate students.
Representing the Department on external committees related to graduate studies and regular SGS meetings of the GOs.
Acting as liaison between SGS, the Office of the Dean of HSS, and the Department.
(In consultation with SGS administrative staff, dealing with all requests from graduate students for Leaves of Absence, waivers of regulations, incomplete grades, graduation requirements, etc.)

Graduate examinations, proposals, and presentations

Recommending (or forwarding supervisor’s recommendations) to the Head potential members of PhD comprehensive examination committees and ensuring that proper examination procedures are followed (/university-calendar/school-of-graduate-studies/school-of-graduate-studies/4/8/#4.8.2)
Arranging PhD defenses in consultation with SGS administrative staff, the examining board, and the supervisory committee.)
Arranging dates for the defense of comprehensive exams (where applicable)
Acting as a delegate for the Head as required, as the Chair of PhD comprehensive committees, at PhD defenses, and at PhD and MA proposals and seminars.
Organizing graduate student presentations (e.g., MA thesis proposals, post-fieldwork presentations, graduate symposia).

Process for Appointing Program Directors

The appointment of Undergraduate Program Directors and Program Directors are made by the Dean, normally after considering a recommendation from the academic unit Head, following collegial consultation with members of the academic unit. A principle of administrative rotation is generally observed, which may periodically involve a call for expressions of interest issued by the Office of the Dean. A new tenure-track hire in the first year of the position, an ASM holding a contractual position, and a faculty member on sabbatical or administrative leave is not normally appointed to these positions. The appointments typically apply for the entirety of an academic year.

A faculty member is discouraged from holding two administrative appointments simultaneously. An exception is when the number of students enrolled in the program is small and curriculum/promotion activities can reasonably be handled by a single individual. As well, in the event that an Undergraduate Program Director or Program Director cannot be located in an administrative unit, the added administrative responsibility shall normally fall to the Head.

Duration of the Appointment

Appointments are for the entirety of the academic year (September 1 to August 31). In the event of resignation prior to the end of the appointment, appropriate notice should be given to the Head, so that the Head may identify another member of the department to serve on an interim basis. The interim appointment must be approved by the Dean.

Contact Information for Students

Faculty, department and program webpages are encouraged to identify the Academic Advising Centre, the Office of the Registrar and the Office of the Dean’s full-time staff advisors the first point of contact for students who have routine enquiries about their program of study, degree requirements and academic advice. Undergraduate Program Directors and Program Directors should also be identified.

*Note: Undergraduate Program Director was previously known as "Undergraduate Liaison" and "Undergraduate Advisor." Effective 2022, the revised title and description was introduced to clarify roles and responsibilities. Likewise, Program Director was previously refered to as "Program Coordinator.

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