Frequently Asked Questions

  • Graduate student or faculty member seeking coaching on interpersonal communication skills and strategies for developing and maintaining an effective supervisory relationship.
  • Graduate student expressing concerns regarding the lack of availability and contact with their supervisor which is impacting their academic progress.
  • Faculty member expressing concerns regarding a student’s progress which they attribute to either interpersonal and/or wellness issues.
  • Graduate Chair seeking support/assistance in addressing concerns raised by a student about their supervisor.

If you are a graduate student or faculty member experiencing interpersonal challenges within your supervisory relationship, you can book a confidential consultation with CGMS. During a consultation, we will first support you in unpacking and debriefing your situation. We will then support you in identifying your desired outcomes, what options you have access to, and what next steps you can take to best manage your situation. You do not need to prepare for your consultation; however, please feel welcome to bring any documents (emails, committee reports, etc.) that you feel are important to your situation to help inform the discussion.  

Your referral form and consultation with CGMS will be confidential in that we will not contact your colleagues, supervisor, or department regarding your case without your permission. There may be circumstances where it will be beneficial to involve other parties such as your Graduate Chair or Coordinator. In these cases, we will either coach you in how to contact these resources, or we will ask for your consent to contact these resources on your behalf, to facilitate further collective conversations.

The CGMS mandate is to facilitate interpersonal skill-building and provide informal conflict resolution services to support successful graduate supervisory relationships. Therefore, CGMS does not receive or facilitate formal complaints, as we do not coordinate investigations, reinforce University of Toronto policies, or sanction parties.

CGMS does provide system navigation. So, if you approach us with a concern or question that falls outside of our mandate, we can assess your concerns and help you determine the appropriate office or resource, and directly connect you when possible.

The CGMS team will first meet with you in a confidential consultation to understand your concerns and goals, and support you in developing a plan to manage and resolve your current challenge. In addition to consultations, CGMS offers the following services:

Coaching: We can support you in developing your interpersonal communication skills and conflict management strategies. If you are a faculty member, we can assist you in addressing your supervision practice(s) and develop supervisory approaches which are aligned with best practices.

System Navigation: We can assess your concerns and help determine if there are other appropriate partners, or related policies/jurisdictions, to assist in identifying all the potential resources and facilitate a connection/referral.

Workshops: We offer skills-based workshops to graduate students and faculty, on understanding and resolving interpersonal challenges. CGMS workshops can be booked by individual units and student groups, or you can join a standing workshop offered through the School of Graduate Studies. Please visit the CGMS Events Calendar to register for an upcoming workshop. To book a workshop for your group, please contact us at cgms@utoronto.ca.

Mediation: We can support a graduate student and their supervisor who are experiencing challenges in their relationship  through a mediation process. During a mediated conversation, we can help all parties discuss their interests, needs, identify the desired outcomes, and negotiate a mutually agreeable plan with clear and documented outcomes.

Facilitation: We can facilitate a conversation between a graduate student and their supervisor who are involved in an interpersonal difficulty within their relationship. During a facilitated conversation, we offer a confidential space for all parties to: share their experiences with each other, work toward mutual understanding, identify common ground, and make decisions about how differences of opinion can be managed. The goal of a facilitated conversation is to repair the supervisory relationship.

Graduate Student FAQs

CGMS will not be able to connect you with a supervisor; however, you can reach out to us for support in understanding the process of finding a supervisor, understanding the relevant SGS policies and guidelines around supervision, and/or finding the appropriate contacts in your department or at the university.

You can find general guidance on choosing a supervisor in Section 3 of the Supervision Guidelines for Students. We recommend that you also check your graduate handbook and with your graduate administrator to find your graduate unit specific policies on securing a supervisor.

If you are thinking of changing supervisors, you should meet with the head of your graduate office (usually the Associate Chair, Graduate Coordinator, or Program Director) to understand your unit’s perspectives on changing a supervisor.

You can also book a consultation with CGMS to discuss concerns regarding your current supervisory relationship. During the consultation, we can help you explore interpersonal strategies for repairing and managing your supervisory relationship.

Visit the SGS website to learn about working with your supervisor including how to maintain healthy supervisory relations and identify clear expectations. You can also read Section 4: Responsibilities of the Student, Supervisor, and Supervisory Committee of the SGS Graduate Supervision Guidelines – Students to understand important student responsibilities.  

You can find an overview of the general responsibilities of the student, supervisor, and supervisory committee in Section 4 of the Supervision Guidelines for Students. You should also consult with your supervisor and graduate office and read your graduate handbook to understand your graduate unit and program specific expectations.

Supervision Guidelines

The SGS Graduate Supervision Guidelines – Students is a set of best practices, general guidelines, policies, and suggestions, that provide direction on choosing a supervisor, establishing a supervisory committee, and maintaining a productive working relationship among all three. Below are the Supervision Guidelines – Student Edition, Table of Contents:

Section 2: General Characteristics of Graduate Supervision
Section 3: Choosing a Supervisor
Section 4: Responsibilities of the Student, Supervisor, and Supervisory Committee
Section 5: If You Need Academic Accommodations
Section 6: When Problems Arise
Section 7: Finishing Up
Section 8: Scenarios
Section 9: Appendix 1 – Resources
Section 10: Appendix 2 – Checklist for Students

School of Graduate Studies Calendar

All degree program students are subject to both the General Regulations and Degree Regulations. We recommend that you review Section 7 of the General Regulations on Good Academic Standing and Satisfactory Academic Progress, Time Limits, Supervision, and Candidacy and Section 8 of the General Regulations on Thesis and Graduate Student Supervision.

Managing your Program

Find general guidance on managing your program. This site includes guidance on:

Maintaining Good Standing
Finding a Supervisor
Thesis & Dissertation Writing Support
Candidacy Extensions
Coursework Extensions
Program Extensions
Leave of Absence
Stop-Out, Withdrawal, Failure to Register
Academic Integrity Resources
Academic Appeals

Graduate Handbook

Your graduate program may also have specific policies guiding academic progress and supervision. We recommend that you to talk to your Graduate Administrator, review your program website, and read your graduate handbook.

Read more about the termination of registration process. You can also book a consultation with CGMS to discuss concerns.

The School of Graduate Studies and the Division of Student Life have partnered to provide embedded wellness counselling. If you’re a registered full- or part-time graduate student, you can book an appointment with a graduate wellness counsellor. Learn more.

If you have any disability-related needs, consider registering with Accessibility Services to ensure academic accommodations are in place. You can read more about accessibility in grad-specific contexts and registering with Accessibility Services.

You can also consider a Leave of Absence (LOA). An LOA will allow you to take time away from your studies while preserving your place in your academic program and pausing your degree time clock. Learn more about Leaves of Absence.

You can read more about the Academic Appeals Policy in Section 10 of the SGS Calendar General Regulations.

CGMS provides informal conflict resolution to support successful graduate supervisory relationships. To achieve this mandate, CGMS provides consultations, interpersonal skills coaching, workshops, and facilitation and mediation services to graduate students and faculty. While CGMS does not facilitate complaints , if you are unsure of where to take your concerns, we encourage you to reach out to CGMS so we can assist you in determining the appropriate path forward.

The university has a set of policies with pathways to share a concern or file a complaint. These policies and guidelines are available online and below you can find some additional information on raising a complaint for specific concerns.

Academic Integrity

Visit the SGS website for an overview of academic integrity resources. If you have concerns about research misconduct or academic integrity, you must report it to your supervisor, department chair, the School of Graduate Studies, or to the Research Oversight and Compliance Office. If you would like to discuss the situation to determine whether it would be considered a case of research misconduct or academic integrity, you can have a confidential conversation with the Research Oversight and Compliance Office.

Discrimination and Harassment

You can schedule an intake meeting with a member of the Institutional Equity Offices if you wish to relay or discuss a concern about discrimination, harassment, and/or offensive actions. Learn more.

Funding

If you have concerns about funding, you can read the funding complaint process.

Sexual Violence and Harassment

If you are experiencing sexual violence or sexual harassment, you may raise it with the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre.  

Conflict Resolution in Graduate Studies: A Guide to Help and Support

You can use the conflict resolution guide to help you access information and support if you are concerned about – or dealing with – conflict in graduate studies. 

We recommend you speak to your supervisor and Graduate Administrator to discuss whether your department has any resources, such as awards and TA-ships and RA-ships, for which you can apply. You can also book a financial advising appointment with the SGS Financial Aid and Advising Office.

You should discuss your decision with your Supervisor and Graduate Coordinator. Learn more about withdrawal and Leave of Absence.

Please book an appointment with an International Student Immigration Advisor (ISIA) through the Centre for International Experience (CIE) to discuss your concerns.

Faculty FAQs

The SGS Graduate Supervision Guidelines – Faculty is 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 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.

It is important to have early, private, and respectful conversations with graduate students regarding their academic progress. We recommend that you be transparent and factual in your approach by describing what you have observed and what services are available to support students. You should invite your student to review University services and to choose a support office to begin a discussion about their concerns. For example, you can provide a list of resources including:

Support in having difficult conversations

You can book a confidential consultation with CGMS if you are concerned about how to communicate difficult feedback to your graduate student.

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.

Graduate Chair and Graduate Coordinator FAQs

Yes, you can book a confidential consultation CGMS, and we can provide advice on how to approach and resolve the conflict. You can also refer the graduate student and/or supervisor to CGMS to receive coaching to develop their interpersonal communication skills and conflict management strategies.

CGMS can also offer facilitating and mediating services to support graduate students and their supervisors who are involved in conflict.

During a mediated conversation, we can help all parties discuss their interests and needs, identify their desired outcomes, and negotiate a mutually agreeable plan with clear and documented outcomes that resolves the conflict, and that each person is willing to follow.

During a facilitated conversation, we offer a confidential space for all parties to share their experiences with each other, to work toward mutual understanding, to identify common ground and to make decisions about how differences of opinion can be managed. The goal of a facilitated conversation is to repair the supervisory relationship.

Graduate Administrator and Graduate Program Coordinator FAQs

Yes, you can book a confidential consultation CGMS, and we can provide advice on how to approach and hopefully resolve the conflict. You can also refer the graduate student and/or supervisor to CGMS to receive coaching to develop their interpersonal communication skills and conflict management strategies.

CGMS can also offer facilitating and mediating services to support graduate students and their supervisors who are experiencing interpersonal challenges.

During a mediated conversation, we can help all parties discuss their interests and needs, identify their desired outcomes, and negotiate a mutually agreeable plan with clear and documented outcomes that resolves the conflict that each person is willing to follow.

During a facilitated conversation, we offer a confidential space for all parties to share their experiences with each other, to work toward mutual understanding, to identify common ground and to make decisions about how differences of opinion can be managed. The goal of a facilitated conversation is to repair the supervisory relationship.