Nominations: Graduate Service

Simon Fraser University presents the Dean of Graduate Studies Award for Excellence in Service annually to a member of the Simon Fraser University staff who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to graduate education at SFU.

Nominate a faculty member for:

Supervision Award →
Leadership Award →

Nominate a staff member for:

Service Award →

Eligibility

The award is open to all members of the administrative and support staff in Graduate Studies, as well as administrative staff in academic departments who are involved in the support of graduate studies.

Criteria

  • Dedication to the department/program/office in the service of graduate students, its clientele and the public in a way that contributes to the University community
  • Service beyond the call of duty
  • Demonstrated commitment to bettering the lives and/or experiences of graduate students
  • Significant achievement

Process

Nominations should include a completed online nomination form and nomination letters from the Graduate Program Chair and graduate students. The nomination form includes the following questions:

  • What are the exceptional aspects of the service in graduate studies provided by the nominee? (200 words max.)
  • What are the ways in which the nominee demonstrates commitment to graduate students? (200 words max.)
  • What is the impact of the nominee's service on students? (200 words max.)

The nominator is encouraged to answer each question using specific examples where possible.

Required documents:

  • Nomination form
  • One-page supporting letter from Graduate Program Chair or from Department Chair or Dean (only in cases where one of these has not completed the nomination form)
  • Abbreviated résumé outlining nominee's record related to graduate students
  • Up to three (3) letters of support from current or former graduate students. Letters may be written adn signed by more that one student

Email correspondence may be sent to nominee's graduate caucus requesting an evaluation of the nominee's history of service to graduate students.

The committee adjudicates the awards based on the above criteria.

Re-nomination

Nominations from the previous year will be considered only if they meet all of the conditions of the initial nomination and an updated nomination package.

The package must include:

  • a current nomination for submitted by the nominator; new letters of support from the Graduate Program Chair and Department Chair or Dean
  • up to one new letter or document of support from graduate students
  • an updated CV provided by the nominaee. This can serve as approval by the nominee for this nomination.

Prizes

Each award consists of:

  • a letter of acknowledgement
  • an inscription of the recipients's name on a permanent plaque housed in the Thesis Defence Room
  • a trophy inscribed with the recipient's name and award

Recipients will be presented with their award at a graduate awards ceremony.

Nominate a staff member

For 2024: Nominations are due May 1, 2024

Submit the online nomination form along with all of the other required documents as pdf's.  

Nominations for this award may come from current or former students, staff, colleagues, or administrators.

About submitting:

  • You, as the primary nominator, can save the survey at anytime and come back later to complete it before the survey closes on May 1, 2024 (11:59 pm) using the same computer you used to start the nomination.
  • Please note, you will need to request the nominee's abbreviated CV outlining their record related to graduate student supervision from the nominee prior to submitting the completed nomination.
  • You will also need to upload the one-page supporting letters from the supporting nominators to complete the nomination or re-nomination form. You might want to request these prior to starting the nomination.