Implementation Plan
Recommendation | Proposed Follow-up | Responsibility for Leading Follow-up | Timeline for Addressing Recommendation |
---|---|---|---|
1. Time-to-Completion | Implement a robust student progress reporting process across the Graduate School. | DGS | Completed. Will required ongoing monitoring and adjustment. |
2. Resources are Critical | Fill and/or resolve the HR challenges associated with the two administrative positions (AY 2016/17) . | Department Head, Dean of Engineering and VPA. | Completed. Senior position filled, junior position abolished. |
3. Streamlining Processes | Efforts are underway to shorten the approval process at the top end through greater delegations. | Principal | Ongoing. Approvals and administration required for conference travel were greatly simplified in February 2018. |
4. Inadequate library resources | Funding for additional electronic journals has already resulted in 60 new titles. Other titles are currently being identified. | VPA and Chief Librarian |
Monitored annually Access to electronic journals is continually expanding. |
5. Coherent plan for start-up funds allocation |
1. Incorporate start-up fund proposal and allocation in the hiring process. 2. Establish a more realistic budget line for start-up funds to enhance attraction of new faculty and ensure their early success. |
1. Principal 2. VPR, Principal. |
July 2018 (completed) The department has just initiated the process to hire a new faculty for a start date in the summer of 2023. Startup will be negotiated with the VPR and the Principal. |
6. More support for non-engineering aspects of the program | Consider better supports for professional development courses. Ensure both students and faculty are better informed as to student support services (including the Writing Centre). | Department Head, Dean of Engineering |
Monitored annually. The Success Centre (Student Centre) was launched in 2017 for the RMC community. |
7. Insufficient financial support for civilian graduate students. | Lobby the provincial government to make RMC eligible for OGS for their civilian graduate students. Consider a revenue sharing model for graduate student tuition that would deliver better pedagogical supports, especially conference attendance. |
DGS |
OGS lobby was unsuccessful and is considered closed. The department offers several TA opportunities for civilians PG students.
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8. Graduate recruitment. | Advertise at other Canadian universities and relevant conferences. Seek opportunities to engage undergraduate students in research. | Department Head |
Completed. Undergraduate student research opportunities have translated into several PG student enrollments. |
9. Course on methodology in research | Introduce a research seminar course with material on research methodology. | Department Head | Ongoing. Seminar course introduced, research methodology component in progress. |