Annual progress reviews are a requirement of the University under the Graduate General Regulations section 1.8.1 as a means of ensuring the progress toward degree of our graduate students.

In the spring or summer term of each year, students must submit a Student Annual Self-Review form. This form is filled in by each graduate student and submitted on goSFU.

Each year, all students must arrange with the members of their supervisory committee to review the student’s progress in the graduate program and plan the next steps in the degree completion. This meeting should be held no later than the date specified in the email from the Program Assistant (usually early to mid-June). The committee meeting may take place in person, or by phone, video conference or email, but all students must participate in an annual committee meeting aimed at assessing their degree progress.

Please note: If a student is on leave during the term in which the review is due but was active for at least one term since the previous annual review, they must submit an annual self-review form, but may delay the annual committee meeting until they are ready to resume their studies.

Following the committee meeting, the supervisor must submit a Supervisory Committee Report to the GPA indicating whether the supervisory committee deems the student’s progress to be satisfactory or not. The GPC will subsequently review these reports and assess each student’s progress as one of the following: S – Satisfactory, SC – Satisfactory with Concerns, or U – Unsatisfactory. This evaluation is submitted to the Office of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies and becomes part of the student’s academic record. The student will receive the GPC’s final assessment and recommendations, and the Supervisory Committee Report via email from goSFU.

Students who receive an unsatisfactory evaluation or fail to submit their report will be required to meet, in camera, with their supervisory committee and the GPC. Following that meeting, the GPC will make a determination as to their evaluation of the student’s progress. In this case the determination will be either satisfactory with concerns (SC) or unsatisfactory (U). If the student’s progress in deemed unsatisfactory, the student may be asked to withdraw from the graduate program. Unless the unsatisfactory determination is based on CGPA, normally a detailed plan of action through which the student may improve their performance so that it may be deemed satisfactory will be developed. The timeframe for this action plan is between four and six months and its goals and assessment criteria are detailed and specific, including when an interim progress evaluation will be performed. If the decision is to allow the student to continue, whether the student was given a satisfactory with concerns or an unsatisfactory review, the detailed action plan must be communicated to the student and their supervisor normally within seven days of the in camera meeting.

Any graduate student who wishes to comment upon the report and recommendation submitted by their supervisor to the GPC is entitled to do so either in writing or by requesting a meeting with the GPC. Students may also appeal an unsatisfactory report by following the procedures laid out by GPS. Students wishing to appeal a decision of their Supervisory Committee or the GPC are strongly encouraged to consult with a student advocate from the Graduate Student Society.