Graduate Studies Policy Summary

About Summary

This summarizes policies and procedures concerning graduate programs in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Its purpose is to conveniently summarize, for graduate students and their Faculty Advisors, procedures and conventions in the department. Suggestions for improvements are always welcome and should be submitted to the CEE Graduate Affairs Assistant. Users should be aware that any policies and procedures given in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) Calendar represent the official regulations and so take precedence over any information presented in this handbook. Reference should also be made to the SGPS Thesis Regulations Guide, also available from the SGPS website, for additional requirements for theses.

Students are advised that it is their responsibility, and not that of their Chief Advisor, to ensure that they follow the procedures and policies described in this handbook.

WHMIS and Laboratory Safety

WHIMS is a set of government regulations concerning the labeling, storage, handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals. If an accident were to occur as a result of improper handling of a hazardous substance, you could be personally liable for injuries sustained by a fellow worker. WHMIS course attendance is therefore required for the legal and physical protection of those working in laboratories. On 28 September 1990 the Engineering Science Faculty Council passed a motion that “all graduate students be required to attend a WHMIS course”, in part because it is difficult to ascertain who will or will not be handling potentially dangerous substances during the course of their graduate program.

Students who have completed their WHMIS training and obtained their certification should present their certificate to the CEE Graduate Affairs Assistant. Students who have previously attended WHMIS training and obtained a certificate elsewhere must provide proof of their certification to the CEE Graduate Affairs Assistant. Laboratory keys and laboratory use privileges will not be issued to the student until proof of WHMIS training has been provided to the Graduate Office.

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Orientation

New students should contact the Graduate Affairs Assistant upon their arrival to obtain an orientation package.

Any student taking a graduate course offered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering must attend the Orientation Meeting, typically the first CEE Graduate Seminar in the Fall and Winter terms, where graduate courses are scheduled.

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Procedure for Changing Chief Advisor

Occasionally a student my feel that it is in his/her interest to change the Chief Advisor. The agreement of the current Chief Advisor should first be sought; in the event that it is withheld, the student must notify the Chair of the CEE Graduate Committee, who will attempt to resolve the impasse.

In these situations, Principle 7 of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies “Principles and Guidelines Regarding Graduate Student Supervision” shall be followed.

Students of Advisors on Sabbatical (or Other) Leave

Chief Advisors that have been granted Sabbatical (or other) Leave shall complete documentation outlining the arrangements made for the supervision of graduate students and submit this documentation to the CEE Graduate Office. A copy of the documentation shall be forwarded to all graduate students involved for their information.

Scholastic Offences

Section 10 of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Calendar defines Scholastic Offences to “include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

  • Plagiarism - the “act or an instance of copying or stealing another's words or ideas and attributing them as one's own.” (Excerpted from Black's Law Dictionary, West Group, 1999, 7th ed., p. 1170). This concept applies with equal force to all academic work, including theses, assignments or projects of any kind, comprehensive examinations, laboratory reports, diagrams, and computer projects. Detailed information is available from instructors, Graduate Chairs, or the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

  • Cheating on an examination or falsifying material subject to academic evaluation.

  • Submitting false or fraudulent assignments or credentials; or falsifying records, transcripts or other academic documents.

  • Improperly obtaining, through theft, bribery, collusion or otherwise, an examination paper prior to the date and time for writing such an examination.

  • Unauthorized possession of an examination paper, however obtained, prior to the date and time for writing such an examination, unless the student reports the matter to the instructor, the relevant program, or the Registrar as soon as possible after receiving the paper in question.

  • Impersonating a candidate at an examination or availing oneself of the results of such an impersonation.

  • Intentionally interfering in any way with any person's scholastic work.

  • Submitting for credit in any course or program of study, without the knowledge and written approval of the instructor to whom it is submitted, any academic work for which credit previously has been obtained or is being sought in another course or program of study in the University or elsewhere.

  • Aiding or abetting any such offence.

Evidence of wrongdoing may result in criminal prosecution in addition to any proceedings within the University.

Penalties

Section 10 of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Calendar states the University will treat seriously any incident of academic dishonesty and students should expect significant consequences for their actions. A serious incident or repeated offences may result in a requirement that the student withdraw from the program and/or may result in suspension or expulsion from the University.

A student guilty of a scholastic offence may be subject to one or more penalties, examples of which are:

  • Reprimand.

  • Requirement that the student repeat and resubmit the assignment.

  • A failing grade in the assignment.

  • A failing grade in the course in which the offence was committed.

  • Withdrawal from the program.

  • Suspension from the University for up to three academic years or for a portion of one academic year including the academic session in which the student is currently registered.

  • Expulsion from the University. (Additional information concerning the application of these penalties is given in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Calendar).

Appeals

A graduate student is entitled to appeal in any situation in which he/she feels that he or she was not treated fairly.

It is incumbent on the student to first attempt to resolve the matter informally with the person in authority who is most immediately involved, be it the student’s Chief Advisor or a course instructor.

In the event that a satisfactory resolution is not obtained the student may then lodge a written appeal with the Chair of the CEE Graduate Committee. This must be done within six weeks of the occurrence of the matter under appeal.

The Chair of the CEE Graduate Committee will attempt to mediate the dispute; if this is not successful, the Graduate Committee Chair will either (a) rule on the matter, or (b) refer the matter to the CEE Graduate Committee for a ruling. If the matter is referred to the Graduate Committee then any member of that committee who might be directly involved with the matter being appealed will withdraw from the committee during the hearing.

Immediately prior to the final ruling the student is entitled to make a verbal presentation to the person or body making the decision, upon which occasion he or she may elect to be accompanied by a colleague who is a graduate student in Engineering.

All appeals proceedings must be confidential, and the Department must provide a ruling within six weeks of submission of the written appeal.

If at this stage the appeal is not successful the student may appeal to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies through the Associate Dean, Physical Sciences Division. Sections 10 and 11 of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Calendar provide additional information concerning appeals.


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Contact Info

Western Engineering

Spencer Engineering Building (SEB)
Room number 3005
Telephone: (519) 661-2139
Fax: (519) 661-3779
E-mail:  civilgrad@uwo.ca