Resources for Faculty

Supervision Guidelines and Best Practices

The SGS Graduate Supervision Guidelines – Faculty is a good resource, a set of best practices, general guidelines, and suggestions. The goal of these best practice guidelines is to assist you in creating a rewarding graduate experience for both your students and yourself. Below are the Supervision Guidelines – Faculty Edition Table of Contents:

Section 2: Supervision and Mentoring
Section 3: Supervisory Styles
Section 4: Effective Supervision in Practice: From the Initial Stage to Finishing Up
Section 5: Supporting Students to Completion and Beyond
Section 6: Creating Equality and Equity When Working with Students
Section 7: When a Student May Need Accommodations
Section 8: When Problems Arise
Section 9: Appendix 1 – Resources
Section 10: Appendix 2 – Checklist for Supervisors

Best Practices in Graduate Supervision Reference Guide for Faculty is a quick reference for faculty summarizing the SGS Graduate Supervision Guidelines.

Best Practices for Supervisors & Instructors of Graduate Students with Family Responsibilities are a set of best practices to consider when supporting graduate students with family responsibilities. You should be aware that the Ontario Human Rights Code requires a university to allow for inclusion and full participation, and effectively address any systemic issues when dealing with family-status matters. Flexibility will be key.

Principles for Graduate Supervision at Ontario’s Universities form a set of guiding principles for the supervision of students in graduate research-based programs, and were agreed on unanimously by the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies in May 2023.

Supporting Academic Progress

The Research and Academic Resiliency and Adaptation Tool Kit outlines a tool kit of strategies to help graduate students maintain timely research and academic progress, if their research is forestalled for unforeseen circumstances.

The Guidelines for Graduate Units in Monitoring the Progress of Doctoral Students provides general recommendations for graduate units on creating structures and processes to support doctoral student success by ensuring that students can make timely progression through their programs.

Accessibility Services

The University of Toronto Demystifying Academic Accommodations booklet provides faculty and staff with information about accommodating students with disabilities. The booklet covers:

• Types of disabilities and academic accommodations
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Roles and responsibilities of the student, the accessibility advisor, faculty and staff
• Frequently asked questions
• Communication style
• Universal design and considerations for providing accessible education
• Contact information

Support for responding to distressed students

If you have a student who is experiencing distress, an immediate crisis, a personal safety situation or is presenting concerning behaviour, you can contact the Student Crisis Response/Student Progress & Support Team at 416-946-7111. You can find more information on this resource on the Student Life website.