Graduate supervision is meaningful—and complex. Supervisors regularly navigate evolving expectations, communication challenges, and difficult conversations, often without a clear place to pause or seek support. Common Ground is a confidential consultation service for graduate supervisors, delivered by the Workplace Restoration team within the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion (CHREI) in partnership with the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS). It provides early, neutral, and non‑evaluative support to help supervisors address challenges before they escalate.
What Is Common Ground?
Common Ground is a short‑term, confidential consultation service designed to support graduate supervisors in thinking through challenging situations, preparing for conversations, and restoring clarity and communication in supervisory relationships. It is not a complaints process or investigation and does not create a formal personnel or student record.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Support Is Available?
• One‑on‑one confidential consultations
• Practical tools and conversation strategies
• Facilitated conversations when communication has become strained
When Might Common Ground Be Helpful?
You do not need to wait for a serious conflict.
Supervisors often reach out when they notice repeated miscommunication, growing frustration, unclear expectations, avoidance of difficult conversations, or when they want a neutral sounding board to think something through.
When Common Ground May Not Be the Right Place
Common Ground focuses on early, relational support. It may not be appropriate when situations involve serious misconduct, immediate safety concerns, or formal academic or administrative decisions.
In these cases, staff will help clarify appropriate pathways and next steps.
Confidentiality
Common Ground is confidential and non‑evaluative. Information is not shared with departments, faculties, or Human Resources. Limits to confidentiality related to safety or serious policy concerns are explained at the outset.
Who Delivers the Service
Common Ground consultations are delivered by the Workplace Restoration team within the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion (CHREI). Advisors on the Workplace Restoration team bring experience in:
- navigating complex workplace and academic conflict
- facilitating difficult and high‑stakes conversations
- restorative and trauma‑informed approaches
- supporting individuals and teams through tension, breakdown, and repair
The team works neutrally and non‑evaluatively, supporting supervisors to think through challenges, clarify options, and approach conversations thoughtfully and responsibly.
How Common Ground Can Help
