Thesis and Dissertation Archives - Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS)

A Story of Progress and Commitment: FGS Reflects on 2024

anesaa — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 13:22:00 +0000

In 2024 the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) marked its 60th Anniversary with both celebration and reflection. Over the decades, FGS has become a cornerstone of research and academic excellence, fostering scholarship, diversity, and innovation. As FGS marked 60 years, there was renewed commitment not just to celebrate past achievements, but also to lay the foundation for a future that would be more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable than ever before.

The FGS leadership understood that this milestone was an opportunity to further advance its dedication to Decolonization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (DEDI). This vision led to the creation of the FGS 60th Anniversary Award, an initiative designed to support part-time Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) scholars who were balancing academic progress with other commitments and responsibilities. With six awards given over multiple years, this scholarship will help bridge the gap for students who faced financial hardship and additional barriers, offering them the chance to thrive academically while pursuing their graduate studies.

In addition to the financial support, FGS also recognized the need for a broader conversation around the experiences of graduate supervisors and students. That’s why, in partnership with Memorial University (MUN) and the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS), FGS organized a national conference on best practices for Graduate Supervision in Canada. This event attracted hundreds of graduate supervisors and administrators from across the country, making it a pivotal moment for sharing knowledge, resources, and strategies to improve graduate education and mentorship.

FGS has also taken bold steps to integrate the values of DEDI into academic practice and policy. The FGS Faculty Council, alongside various standing committees, has begun implementing decolonizing frameworks and promoting inclusive academic resources for both students and staff. This work was essential in confronting the systemic inequities embedded in graduate education.

As part of their ongoing efforts to attract exceptional scholars and researchers from underrepresented groups, FGS proudly announced the recipients of the 2024 Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowships for Black and Indigenous Scholars. This prestigious fellowship program, offering a $70,000 salary for two years, gives talented Black and Indigenous scholars the opportunity to delve into groundbreaking research projects while receiving mentorship and support from leading academic figures. These fellows were at the forefront of pushing the boundaries of knowledge, tackling crucial problems from Indigenous sociocultural resurgence to sustainable solutions for drinking water management.

Meanwhile, FGS had also made important strides in sustainability. As part of 91��ɫ's broader Sustainability Strategy, the Faculty of Graduate Studies revised its thesis and dissertation defence practices. By reducing the need for long-distance travel, FGS contributed significantly to the university’s goal of reducing its carbon footprint.

Another significant milestone in FGS’ 60th year was the overhaul of Intellectual Property Policy for Graduate Programs. This update emphasizes clear and transparent guidelines for intellectual property rights, while also addressing the unique considerations of Indigenous knowledge, knowledge keepers and communities. The Faculty of Graduate Studies took an active role in decolonizing approaches to intellectual property, recognizing the importance of protecting Indigenous intellectual contributions and ensuring that those contributions were respected within academic and research contexts.

FGS is making strides in outreach and recruitment. In response to the growing global demand for graduate education, FGS ramped up its efforts to attract students from diverse backgrounds. Our recruitment team hosted over 40 information sessions, nearly 100 office hour drop-ins, and numerous other events designed to engage prospective students. From Experience Grad 91��ɫ (our institutional open house) to virtual sessions for Markham-bound students, FGS committed to helping students navigate the application process, with special attention to those who needed additional support. By partnering with internal groups like 91��ɫ International, ACMAPS, and the Career Centre, FGS ensured that prospective students had the resources they needed to succeed.

As part of its commitment to continuous service improvement, embarked on a comprehensive project to transform five pan-university graduate processes: 1) Graduate Petition Portal 2.0, 2) Proposal Milestone, 3) Supervisor & Supervisory Committee, 4) Oral Exam, and 5) Progress Report. This initiative, powered by Flowable technology, sought to move graduate processes online, making them more transparent and streamlined. Processes were digitized, allowing for easier access and improved service delivery for students and faculty alike.

FGS is equally proud of new and exciting development from the graduate programs themselves – including, this year, the announcement of a new PhD program in Disaster and Emergency Management (DEM), slated for commence in Fall 2025. 91��ɫ is extremely proud to be able to offer Canada’s first-ever doctoral program in DEM. Disaster studies has become an expanding academic and professional field that is sure to experience increased relevancy for the foreseeable future.

Our Faculty’s legacy of excellence has only just begun. With its unwavering commitment to research excellence and knowledge creation, DEDI, sustainability, and transformative graduate education, FGS is setting the stage for a future where exceptional academic opportunities are accessible to all, and where diverse scholars can thrive and contribute to socially engaged research and problem-solving. The next 60 years promise even greater possibilities, as we continue to push the boundaries of what higher education could be, for everyone.

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Frequently Asked Questions (Intellectual Property and Graduate Education)

vinish — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 16:24:49 +0000

Intellectual property rights are granted by society to producers of novel or original work through research, scholarly or creative ventures. The nature of graduate education leads to the creation of intellectual property daily, and it is crucial that graduate community members are aware of Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations on Intellectual Property and Graduate Education. Further, there are several offices at the institution supporting IP creation and mobilization, ranging from Innovation 91��ɫ—who help facilitate and maximize the commercial, economic, and social impacts of research & innovation—to and the Teaching Commons—units supporting a variety of researchers in the dissemination of new knowledge.

Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations on Intellectual Property and Graduate Education outlines two central tenets: (1) in general, intellectual property rights are granted to the creator; and (2) graduate education is contingent upon the intentional contributions of supervisors and supervisory committees towards the student’s intellectual development and research/scholarly/creative outputs. While exceptions may present themselves due to differing practices across disciplines, graduate students and faculty are responsible for upholding the general principles of intellectual property, in line with the university’s commitment to the creation and dissemination of knowledge.

Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations on Intellectual Property and Graduate Education encompass all graduate students, and graduate education broadly, at 91��ɫ. Additionally, the 91��ɫ Faculty Association (YUFA) Collective Agreement outlines information for full-time faculty and professional librarians at the university holding tenure-stream appointments (excluding Osgoode Hall Law School).

Yes, as a graduate student, you are expected to produce original work in many respects, and as such, intellectual property rights are granted to the creator.

Graduate students are the sole authors of their thesis, dissertation, research project or creative work, and therefore hold the copyright.

While practices vary between disciplines, authorship can be credited only to those who make substantial intellectual contributions to a piece of work. It is important to discuss expectations on co-authorship with your graduate supervisor, in line with Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations on Intellectual Property and Graduate Education. Disciplinary norms and practices can also be discussed further with your Graduate Program Director.

Several intellectual property considerations must be accounted for when one is interested in working with Indigenous communities. Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations on Intellectual Property and Graduate Education outline responsibilities and actions to be aware of prior to the start of any research. Additionally, the Indigenous Research Ethics Board at 91��ɫ shall govern all research done involving Indigenous Peoples and knowledges, cultural heritage and traditional cultural expressions.

While rare, disputes can arise regarding intellectual property between various individuals. Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations on Intellectual Property and Graduate Education outline clear steps for resolving disputes on such matters.

While not mandatory, graduate students and their supervisors are encouraged to agree in writing to matters concerning IP at the onset of the relationship through the Intellectual Property Awareness Checklist, and the Intellectual Property Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Graduate Students and Graduate Supervisors. Such an agreement helps to lay out clear expectations and greatly reduces the risk of misinterpretation or the need for dispute resolution.

There are several types of work performed by graduate students at the university while completing a graduate degree. For graduate students conducting research, scholarly or creative activities as part of an employment relationship with the university, ownership of intellectual property lies with the creator, except for works that are standard administrative or professional assigned tasks created in the course of the employment. In such scenarios, ownership lies with the university. A common example of such a scenario would be producing course materials such as assignments or examinations, as the creation of these materials are often an assigned task as part of the employment position. This would differ from the production of teaching notes—one’s intellectual contribution to teaching the course materials of the class—that continue to lie with the creator.

It is important for graduate students to discuss these matters with their employment supervisor at the onset of the arrangement to help ensure clarity between both parties.

Graduate students whose financial support stems primarily from their supervisor’s research funds typically receive a Research Assistantship (RA), which is a non-employment relationship. RAships are work performed by full-time graduate students registered at 91��ɫ who receive financial assistance from or through 91��ɫ for research and academic activities which are predominantly for the purposes of advancing the students’ progress towards fulfilment of their program and degree requirements.

Despite the origin of the funding source, it does not negate the central tenets and principles outlined in Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations on Intellectual Property and Graduate Education. While terms of a grant may have specific parameters in place, generally, ownership of intellectual property lies with the creator. This reinforces the importance of using the Intellectual Property Awareness Checklist, and the Intellectual Property Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Graduate Students and Graduate Supervisors to set out clear guidelines and expectations. The supervisor should make sure the student is aware of any restrictions relating to ownership, publication and use of any work (including data or results). It is the responsibility of both supervisor and student to ensure a document setting out these matters comes into existence, to inform themselves of its contents, and to act by it, in line with Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations on Intellectual Property and Graduate Education.

Most public granting agencies that commonly support graduate education in Canada e.g., Tri-agency funding do not impose intellectual property claims as an obligation to receive funds. However, granting agencies are all not alike, especially with the increase of those from the private sector providing financial support to graduate students. It is critical that graduate students read and understand the terms and conditions laid out by the granting agency for receipt of funds for the purposes of conducting graduate research. It may be the case that some conditions seem relatively straightforward or standard; however, being a registered graduate student at 91��ɫ denotes accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations on Intellectual Property and Graduate Education. Intellectual property conditions beyond the standards set out by 91��ɫ must be carefully considered.

Graduate students should speak with their Graduate Program Director (GPD) for guidance in situations where a funding body imposes some form of intellectual property stipulations for the receipt of funds.

Aside from rare scenarios involving a co-authorship/creator arrangement, this would not apply. Ownership of intellectual property lies with the creator—in this case, the graduate student producing academic work as part of a university course.
Similarly, graduate students have no rights regarding the academic work of the course director and may not copy or publish their written work or recorded lectures without permission.

helps researchers bring their early stage intellectual property from the lab to the market and into people’s hands. It is recommended to seek out the unit’s advice and assistance as early as possible in the process. As their expertise extends from assistance in licensing to providing support for a start-up venture, the commercialization unit is available to provide support to all researchers at the institution.

Artistic Works FAQs—With a particular emphasis on film/video, new media and other audio-visual works (given the extensive use of research creation at the university)

As director (and in most cases, producer), students hold the copyright to all the artistic work they create during their Studies, including class assignments and the final thesis project. Artistic works may include, but are not limited to, films, music, visual art, photographs, and those stemming from artistic craftsmanship. Copyright is a legal framework that protects creators by establishing economic and moral rights that enable creators to control the publication and reproduction of their works, receive remuneration, and protect the integrity of those works.

If a graduate research creation project includes copyright-protected works like archival footage and/or licensed material from other sources, 91��ɫ shall request that the student has permission in writing from the copyright owner, or has a publisher's permission licence, to use any copyrighted material created by others. The student is responsible for ensuring that they have the legal rights to include every material whose copyright belongs to another in their thesis/dissertation, as an example. Simply referencing a material does not give the legal right to publish that material in a thesis/dissertation. If a student does not have rights to the copyright, they must redact the archival footage and/or licensed material from the publication.

Fair Dealing is a user’s right in copyright law permitting use of, or ‘dealing’ with, a copyright protected work without permission or payment of copyright royalties. The fair dealing exception in the Copyright Act allows one to use other people’s copyright-protected material for the purpose of research, private study, education, satire, parody, criticism, review or news reporting, provided that what is done with the work is ‘fair’. If the purpose is criticism, review or news reporting, the researcher must also mention the source and author of the work for it to be fair dealing. However, it is essential for students to clarify if their claim to fair dealing in their work is legitimate. A timely and open discussion with their supervisor and/or Graduate Program Director is essential.

Yes. In some cases, contracts with third parties may restrict the dissemination of student work. For example, in the case of a fiction film produced by a student in AMPD, there is an agreement with ACTRA (the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists), signed by 91��ɫ, that stipulates that students who have made a fiction film for course work or their thesis/dissertation and employed ACTRA members only have the right to exhibit the film for academic purposes, non-commercial showcase screenings for professional and student audiences, and entry of the Production into non-commercial film competition. This highlights again the importance of conversations with thesis supervisor and/or Graduate Program Director when those categories are unclear.

It is important that students working with collaborators establish the parameters of ownership in advance of or during the production of a work, following best practices within the discipline or professional practice. For example, creative practice research projects might be created by collectives whose members make key contributions to the work. In the specific example of filmmaking for a thesis, film credits are expected to accurately reflect the student’s contributions and the contributions of all their collaborators—like Director of Photography or Editor—following best practices of independent film production. But only the director holds the copyright to their films created as class assignment films and thesis project, and for copyright purposes is understood as the author.

In some cases, the co-authorship by a faculty member(s) may be restricted by internal program regulations. For example, films and videos created at CMA/FILM may acknowledge the contributions of committee, faculty and staff members in their credits (e.g., including their names in the 'Thank you' or 'Special Thanks’ credit) but not credited for any creative role (e.g., ‘story editor’ or ‘executive producer’).

Even though the individual creator is the copyright holder, at the Graduate Program in Film, all film/video thesis works must include the 91��ɫ logo in the credits. That potentially makes the university liable for legal action if statements are perceived as slander, libel or hate speech. While 91��ɫ’s commitment to academic freedom is a foundational pillar of the institution, it is important and beneficial for students to discuss with their supervisory committee or Graduate Program Director if their thesis film may require the attention of 91��ɫ’s Office of the Counsel for guidance and support navigating such complex ethical and potentially legal situations.

Students have a responsibility to ensure that the work conforms to appropriate standards of academic conduct beyond their immediate graduate student/supervisory relationship. In the example of a film/video production, when engaging in creative practise, students need to ensure that their film crew and actors on a set of a fiction film are behaving in an appropriate manner, and that their documentary film subjects fully comprehend and sign appropriate consent forms which are intended to protect the research subjects and researchers alike. This differs from a release form, common in the industry, that predominantly indemnifies the producer and/or broadcaster. In fact-based documentaries, the depiction of human beings and events must abide by journalistic principles.

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Another Year of Excellence in Graduate Education: FGS Reflects on 2023!

vinish — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 13:30:00 +0000

As the year comes to an end, the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) reflects on all the transformative work undertaken by our inspiring community. Our faculty, staff and students have exemplified all the values portrayed in 91��ɫ’s mission to incorporate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our daily practices. The SDGs are a framework that calls on member countries to take urgent action in seventeen areas that are critical to ensure peace and prosperity for people and the planet, to which 91��ɫ is ideally placed to contribute. Here are some memorable moments we are proud to reflect back on.

Announcement of appointment of new vice-provost & dean, and associate dean students: FGS welcomed two new members to our community. The Board of Governors appointed Dr. Alice MacLachlan to the position of Vice-Provost & Dean, Graduate Studies, and Dr. Tokunbo Ojo joined as the new Associate Dean, Students. Both MacLachlan and Ojo bring their diverse and expansive perspectives, which help them work together with various stakeholders within the Faculty and across campus to advance the UN SDGs and the University Academic Plan (UAP).

Faculty of Graduate Studies Council undergoes major revisioning: FGS Council’s mandate and membership were revised to represent more fully, effectively and efficiently the range of stakeholders in graduate and postdoctoral educational development to facilitate positive change for the campus community.

New record set for graduate student registration for our Personal Wellness & Learning Skills certificate program: FGS partners with Learning Skills Services (LSS) to arm graduate students with proactive tools to protect and improve their personal wellness.This year, there was a 73% increase in graduate student registrations for the fall 2023 cohort. Thank you to our FGS partners for promoting the Certificate in Personal Wellness & Learning Skills to graduate students.

C4: Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom welcomes graduate students in pilot opportunity: The Graduate Studies Pilot is an award-winning, immersive, experiential and interdisciplinary initiative that provides graduate students with the opportunity to take C4 for academic credit. It is a unique space where students actively work on real-world, research-design projects with community and industry partners - all of which are linked directly to the UN SDGs.

The Updating of Offer Letters for graduate admission: Offer letters were revamped for all graduate programs to provide applicants with more details about offers of admission, including awards and funding, creating a more comprehensive application process.

The Inclusion of an EDI Question on the central application: Graduate applicants can optionally identify themselves as a member of an equity-seeking group on their application. Graduate programs have received resources and training on how to use this information in practices of holistic admission, with the aim of increasing admission of applicants with disabilities as well as Black, Indigenous, racialized and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples.

Fall 2023 cohort completes Academic Integrity Educational Modules: All incoming graduate students are required to complete The FGS Academic Integrity Module to have a better understanding of what constitutes a scholastic offence, as well as their responsibilities in relation to a variety of academic principles. Through this initiative, community members are able to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty throughout their studies in accordance with the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty.

Ontario Graduate Scholarships: The Faculty of Graduate Studies has earmarked 10% of our central Ontario Graduate Scholarship quota to support black scholars who exemplify excellence. Graduate Programs nominated eligible meritorious incoming black students to receive $15,000 for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Academic Excellence Fund (AEF) expansion: Launched in the Fall of 2021, the AEF continues expanding. Additional funding is now available to students who identify as having a disability to supplement the costs of assistive devices, accessibility software and communication support while participating in an eligible AEF research activity. Additionally, AEF supported our graduate students to register and attend Congress 2023, which helped over 250 scholars disseminate their cutting-edge research to the broader academic community.

The Bennett Family Graduate Scholarship for Black & Indigenous Students: The Bennett Family Foundation has created an endowment to support meritorious Black and Indigenous scholars. The scholarship is open to graduate students who identify as Black and/or Indigenous. Master’s students are eligible to receive up to $40,000 for the duration of their degree and Doctoral students are eligible to receive up to $60,000 for the duration of their degree.

Seven students awarded Vanier Canada Scholarships: The award, presented by the Government of Canada, aims to support first-rate doctoral students who undertake graduate studies in the fields of social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering and health. Candidates are evaluated based on three equally weighted selection criteria: academic excellence, research potential, and leadership. All seven recipients from 91��ɫ will be awarded $50,000 annually for up to three years to support their research projects.

Recipients for the 2023 Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowships for Black & Indigenous Scholars announced: Doug Anderson and Jean de Dieu Uwisengeyimana have been named recipients of the 2023 Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowships for Black and Indigenous Scholars. The Fellowship program seeks to attract outstanding scholars who will push the boundaries of knowledge in necessary ways. With a salary of $70,000 provided each year for a two-year term, award recipients will be able to dedicate their time to pursuing a proposed project, working alongside a supervisor and other mentors.

Six graduates have been awarded thesis and dissertation prizes by FGS for their outstanding scholarly work: The prizes are bestowed to celebrate exceptional master’s and doctoral research work from the recent academic calendar year. From creating the world’s largest dataset on honeybee genomics to demystifying the function of consciousness, the winners of this year’s award are breaking new ground with their research. The value of the awards is $2,000 for doctoral dissertations and $1,000 for master’s theses.

Three graduate students earn Governor General's Gold Medal: The Governor General's awards are considered the highest honour earned by exemplary Canadian scholars throughout every level of academia. Three graduates from 91��ɫ received this year’s Governor General's Gold Medals: Lawrence Garcia, Kathleen Dogantzis and Aaron Tucker. Through their commitment to innovation through their research, the winners are contributing to the advancement of SDG goals.

Ramesh Venkatesa Perumal becomes 91��ɫ’s first School of Nursing doctoral graduate: A sessional assistant professor in the Faculty of Health became in February of 2023, when he successfully defended his dissertation, “Impact of Social Support and mentoring on the career advancement of internationally educated nurses.” He began his doctoral work in September 2018 and was one among several others positioned to be the inaugural doctoral candidate of the new PhD in Nursing program.

91��ɫ Postdoctoral Fellow is Holland Bloorview’s first EMBARK (Empowering Black Academics, Researchers and Knowledge Creators) scientist: Recognized for his exceptional contributions to pediatric health care, 91��ɫ postdoctoral Fellow De-Lawrence Lamptey has been named Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s inaugural EMBARK scientist. The first program of its kind in Canada, EMBARK fills an important gap in amplifying diverse Black voices in disability research.

The FGS community have come together this year to make a difference on compelling issues of our times. 91��ɫ’s contribution to the SDG challenge was at the forefront of a number of these initiatives from creating funding opportunities for students to attend university (SDG 1: No Poverty; SDG 4: Quality Education) to updating admission applications (SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities) to securing grants that foster innovation in our community (SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). Thank you to all the staff, faculty and students who made 2023 a memorable one.

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Intellectual Property and Graduate Education

vinish — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 13:38:49 +0000

The Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) recognizes the mission of the university to pursue, preserve, and disseminate knowledge and seeks to conduct research in a fair, open, and morally responsible manner. The university, and by default FGS, encourages creativity that is strengthened through the formative relationships graduate students have with graduate faculty. FGS seeks to foster the development of knowledge and to facilitate its translation and mobilization towards the betterment of society. For the Faculty, the development of knowledge is a process enacted in relationship: led by students and academically supported by graduate faculty and programs. Knowledge development and intellectual property are related, especially for works done by graduate students for their own degree purposes or when in an employment capacity on campus. These regulations therefore relate to all work done by a graduate student.

Central Tenets

With the university’s desire to test the boundaries and structures of knowledge and cultivate the critical intellect of graduate students, these regulations seek to provide guidance to graduate students, faculty and programs. They are steadfastly based on two central tenets: (1) in general, intellectual property rights are granted to the creator; and (2) graduate education is contingent upon the intentional contributions of supervisors and supervisory committees towards the student’s intellectual development and research/scholarly/creative outputs.

Overview

Intellectual property rights are granted by society to producers of novel or original work through research, scholarly, and/or creative ventures. While varied standards and practices can and do differ across disciplines, graduate students and faculty are responsible for upholding the general principles of intellectual property, in line with the university’s commitment to the creation and dissemination of knowledge. The ways in which these principles are enacted, including exceptions, must also ensure the university fulfills its obligations to associated partners and granting agency requirements.
Positive, respectful, professional, and productive working relationships are paramount to the success of graduate students and their advisors/supervisors. Grounded on collaboration and academic guidance/excellence, the sharing of ideas is central to support an environment in which such a professional/academic working relationship between graduate students and their supervisors/supervisory committee can flourish. This collaboration further aligns with the supervisor’s principal task of assisting students to develop both their area of scholarship and their own selves as scholars. Indeed, such contributions are an understood component of the relationships upon which graduate students excel and are established so as to help students realize their research, scholarly, and/or creative milestones and potential – in line with the outlined tenets.

In graduate education, intellectual property is a dual responsibility. Graduate students and their supervisor/supervisory committee members are expected to behave in an ethically appropriate manner beyond their immediate graduate student/supervisory relationship, to encompass intellectual property rights and responsibilities, dissemination of research, scholarly, and/or creative works, and in making decisions on authorship and publication/dissemination of joint works. No individual agreement between a faculty member and a graduate student will impose unreasonable or unusual conditions on a student. To that end, parties are encouraged to agree in writing to matters concerning IP at the onset of the relationship through the Intellectual Property Awareness Checklist, and the Intellectual Property Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Graduate Students and Graduate Supervisors. Parties are also encouraged to consult Article 23 – Patents and Copyright in the 91��ɫ Faculty Association (YUFA) Collective Agreement.

IP considerations most relevant to graduate education centre on ownership, authorship, copyright, and patents, derived from Canadian law. The way laws addressing these areas operate in a university setting may differ from the way they operate in industry. Industries protect their intellectual property for motives of profit and competitive advantage. These motives are not entirely absent from the academy, but the university's overriding belief is that the public interest is best served by the widest and quickest possible dissemination of useful ideas and knowledge, consistent with the principles and ethics of good and open access scholarship. Intellectual property at 91��ɫ should be viewed primarily as a means to these ends.

Principles

Ownership

The Canadian Association for Graduate Studies’ (CAGS) defines Intellectual Property (IP) as “any form of knowledge or expression created partly or wholly with one's intellect and which can be legally protected. It is the product of the act of creation, such as an invention, a piece of writing, a painting, a design, a piece of music, etc. An invention is any product of the human intellect that is unique, novel, and unobvious to a person skilled in the field of invention.”¹

Ownership of intellectual property lies with the creator, unless otherwise stipulated through an appropriate agreement under exceptional circumstances. For graduate students conducting research, scholarly, and/or creative activities as part of degree requirements, ownership lies with the creator, i.e., the student. For graduate students conducting research, scholarly, and/or creative activities as part of an employment relationship with the university, ownership of intellectual property lies with the creator, except for works that are standard administrative or professional assigned tasks created in the course of the employment. In such scenarios, ownership lies with the university.

Authorship

Authorship can be credited only to those who make substantial intellectual contributions, in accordance with the particular discipline, to a piece of work. Accepting the addition of an author who has not made a significant intellectual contribution to the piece of work is not ethical for authors. Authors accept not only credit but also responsibility for their work and, in particular, for ensuring that the work conforms to appropriate standards of academic conduct.

Generally, the order of authors' names in a work should reflect the substance of their relative contributions to the work, with priority going to those who made the greatest or most significant contribution. Supervisors should discuss the issue of authorship, and what factors may determine the final order of authorship, normally before commencing the work. Where the major substance or data of a coauthored work is based on a portion of a graduate student's work, the student will normally be the first author.

Students are the sole authors of a Major Research Paper (MRP), thesis or dissertation conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. While the level of contributions from a faculty member will differ depending on disciplinary practices, such involvement aligns with the supervisor’s principal task – in line with the outlined tenets.

Academic publications must give full and proper acknowledgment to the contribution of other students or faculty, or others to their work, notwithstanding that such contribution may not warrant an attribution of authorship. Such contributions should be substantial, in accordance with the particular discipline, and may include items such as original ideas that led directly to the research work, or requested commentary that resulted in significant changes to the research.

Based on these principles, it would normally imply that:

The supervisor, or joint authors, should be prepared to offer a rationale in cases where the student is not listed as the first author.
Where the work has been written in an MRP, thesis, dissertation, or research paper before the research is published, the publication will normally cite the MRP, thesis, dissertation, or research paper on which it is based.
Providing financial support for a student's MRP, thesis, dissertation, or research paper is not, in itself, sufficient to warrant authorship.
Supplying minor editorial work for a student's MRP, thesis, dissertation, or research paper is not, in itself, sufficient to warrant co-authorship.
Co-authors or co-owners of the work need to concur in publishing or presenting the work. The inability of the author(s) to contact another co-author prior to publication or presentation should not prevent work from being publicly disseminated, provided they make reasonable efforts to contact all appropriate contributors to obtain prior agreement.

Copyright

Copyright is a legal framework that protects creators of literary and artistic works by establishing economic and moral rights that enable creators to control the publication and reproduction of their works, receive remuneration, and protect the integrity of their works. Copyright law does not protect ideas, facts, news, information, names, or symbols.

Copyright protection exists as soon as a work is created. In Canada, there is no requirement that the work be registered or that the word "copyright" or the symbol © appear on the work.

Specific to YUFA members, applicable entitlements are outlined in the YUFA Collective Agreement.

Patents

Patent law covers inventions in the physical world for industrial application that are new, useful and non-obvious. The inventor has to apply for a patent, preferably before the invention is published in a research paper or is made publicly available in its physical form; otherwise, the public disclosure will bar a patent being granted in most countries.

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Additionally, specific to YUFA members, applicable entitlements are outlined in the YUFA Collective Agreement.

Research with Indigenous Peoples, Knowledges, and Cultural Expressions

Graduate students interested in working with Indigenous Peoples and communities must be cognizant of several intellectual property considerations.

Graduate students are responsible for ensuring that appropriate agreements with Indigenous Peoples & communities addressing intellectual property have been established prior to the start of any research. Further, it is the responsibility of the graduate student to ensure that Indigenous participants and communities are made aware of their rights to IP. Data related to First Nations, Inuit, or Métis communities whose traditional and ancestral territories are in Canada must be managed in accordance with data management principles developed and approved by those communities, and on the basis of free, prior and informed consent. This includes, but is not limited to, considerations of Indigenous data sovereignty, as well as data collection, ownership, protection, use, and sharing.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies is committed to upholding the . Article 31.1 is instructive in that it states:

Indigenous Peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions. (United Nations (General Assembly), 2007, art. 31.1) ²

For all research involving Indigenous Peoples and communities, all intellectual property, i.e., cultural knowledge, data and information is deemed to be owned collectively by the Indigenous community, as a group, and should not be otherwise commercialized or reproduced without their consent. With said communal ownership comes corollary rights to:

Control how information about them is collected, used, disclosed and destroyed;
Have access to information and data about themselves and their community regardless of where it is held;
Manage and make decisions regarding who can access their information; and
The stewardship of data through possession i.e., the mechanism to assert and protect ownership and control, putting data within their jurisdiction and control.

In respect of Indigenous Peoples’ sovereign right to self-determination in general, and regarding all research involving/concerning Indigenous Peoples, engagement with Indigenous Peoples for the purposes of graduate education and inquiry shall be: (i) guided by the requests of the given community and (ii) guided by principles such as those found in guidelines relevant to First Nation, Inuit or Métis Peoples. As an overarching guide, the are instructive.

For research with First Nations Peoples, the principles found in ® (Ownership, Control, Access and Possession) should guide the approach to IP. In so doing, it ensures that Indigenous Peoples “make decisions regarding what research will be done, for what purpose information or data will be used, where the information will be physically stored and who will have access.” ³
For research with Métis Peoples, principles of should be followed, with a particular emphasis on reciprocity, community involvement and on the requirement to “determine if there are any existing practices or protocols in a given community and should respect community practices and protocols (if they exist). These practices and protocols can be very different from community to community and even from individual to individual along a wide-ranging contemporary to traditional continuum.” (Métis Centre at NAHO, pp. 3) ⁴
For research with Inuit Peoples, the principles found in the National Inuit Strategy on Research are particularly instructive in their direction to ensure Inuit access, ownership, and control over data and information gathered on Inuit population, wildlife and environment. Ensuring ownership of Inuit data by Inuit-appointed entities, utilization of Inuktut in data platforms and information, and striving for Inuit-led data are three key objectives aiming to maximize benefits and minimize harms (ITK, 2018, pp. 34) ⁵

The Indigenous Research Ethics Board at 91��ɫ shall govern all research done involving Indigenous Peoples and knowledges, cultural heritage and traditional cultural expressions. Graduate students must avail themselves of the procedures governing research with Indigenous Peoples, including working in good relations with Indigenous communities, ensuring and establishing a community engagement plan and securing initial and ongoing consent related to all matters concerning intellectual property, ownership, control, access and possession.

With the increase in conversations regarding open access and data, it is important for graduate students to understand that a greater emphasis on data sharing may create tensions for Indigenous People’s right to greater control over the application and use of Indigenous data as it relates to their knowledge, cultural expressions, and lands. With that, the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance (2018) seek to ensure Indigenous People’s rights “to create value from Indigenous data in ways that are grounded in Indigenous worldviews” …. and that “advance Indigenous innovation and self-determination.” (GIDA, 2018) ⁶

Given these principles, it is possible that at the end of a graduate student’s project a community may withdraw their consent to use and/or publish their data, potentially impacting the use of such data and/or creative outputs in a student’s thesis, dissertation or other works. Initial and ongoing communication and working in good relations with Indigenous communities is therefore a crucial necessity.

Dispute Resolution

Disputes may arise even among individuals of good will, for example, out of conflicting understandings of fact, or interpretations of the law, relevant university regulations or collective agreements, of which may include the YUFA Collective Agreement, or individual agreements. The primary role of the Faculty of Graduate Studies is to provide general directives and principles governing the graduate student/supervisory relationship, to educate and inform parties about their rights and appropriate behaviour, and to assist parties in resolving disputes. Any disputes that may implicate YUFA members will be subject to appropriate procedures outlined in the YUFA Collective Agreement.

The following steps should be taken when a dispute arises that cannot be resolved through informal discussions:

Parties should initiate a complaint in writing to the Graduate Program Director (GPD) outlining the issue(s). In most cases, the GPD will arrange a meeting with relevant individuals to discuss the substance of the dispute, the possibility of negotiating an agreement at the program level, and to determine the necessity of approaching the Faculty of Graduate Studies for assistance.
During this process it must be acknowledged that students and faculty generally stand in a relation of unequal power, and thus ensure that any agreement reached is consistent with the general principles of Faculty regulations on intellectual property and graduate education.
For complex cases, or when discussion at the program level could not resolve the issue(s) amicably, the GPD will contact the Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies and the appropriate Associate Dean Graduate in the anchor Faculty.
The Dean, in consultation with the GPD and Associate Dean Graduate, may attempt to find a mutually acceptable solution with the parties. Depending on the nature of the dispute, support from relevant offices at the university may be sought to inform discussions.
If an impasse continues, the Dean will arrange for adjudication, forming a panel of necessary experts in the subject matter at the university.
The Dean will render a decision based on the proceedings and assessments of the panel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) have been developed to assist community members navigating individual situations or complexities concerning intellectual property and graduate education.

¹ Canadian Association for Graduate Studies. (2005). A Guide to Intellectual Property for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars. Ottawa, ON.
² United Nations (General Assembly). (2007). Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
³ First Nations Information Governance Centre. (n.d.). The First Nations Principles of OCAP®. .
⁴Métis Centre @ NAHO. (2018). Principles of Ethical Métis Research. .
⁵Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. (2018). National Inuit Strategy on Research. .
⁶ Global Indigenous Data Alliance. (2018). The Care Principles for Indigenous Data Governance. .

Resources

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Current Students

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This portion of our website contains information to support your graduate experience, from initial registration to funding and development opportunities to graduation.

FGS Forms

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The following is a collection of all FGS forms for our graduate community.

Academic Affairs

Resources for GPDs & GPAs

New Course Proposal Form
Course Change Proposal Form
Change to Program/Graduate Diploma Academic Requirements Proposal Form

Intellectual Property Awareness Checklist (.pdf)
Intellectual Property Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Graduate Students and Graduate Supervisors (.pdf)

Faculty Teaching Award

Conflict of Interest Disclosure with Respect to Graduate Student Education

Graduate Admissions

Advancing Master's to PhD (.pdf)
Internal Application to Graduate Studies—Program Outreach (.pdf) —must be referred by graduate program

For Program use only:

OVGS application form (.pdf)
Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Withdrawal Form (.pdf)

Canadian University Graduate Transfer Agreement (CUGTA) Request Form (.pdf)

Student Affairs

Degree Information (.pdf)
Diploma Information (.pdf)
Collaborative Specialization Information (.pdf)

Course Transaction (.pdf)
Request to Take a Course in another Graduate Program at 91��ɫ (.pdf)
Request for a Graduate student to Enroll in an Undergraduate Course (.pdf)
Request for an Undergraduate Student to Enroll in a Graduate Course (.pdf)

Program Withdrawal (.pdf)
Request to Take a Course in Another Graduate Program at 91��ɫ (.pdf)

Graduate Academic Petitions Portal
Academic Petition Form–Diploma Students (.pdf)
Retroactive/Manual Academic Petition Form (.pdf)
Attending Physicians Statement (.pdf)
For Program use only:
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Appeal Form (.pdf)

Graduate Program Change Request (.pdf)