1. Management of Student Progress
23 November 2016
Management of Student Progress
Garry T Allison
22 May 2017

2. Overview of the Research Degree Process
Enrolment
Application for Candidacy
Application for Admission
Research Integrity Unit
Proficient English Language Assessment - support
Ethics Clearance
YES NO
Research and Writing of Thesis
Annual Progress Reports
International Sponsored Students Reports
Submission of Thesis for Examination
Graduation

3. Setting expectations
Opportunities for progress review
Student-supervisor relationships
Planning for success
When things go wrong
International student issues
What happens next

4. Setting expectations:
Set expectations early
Milestones
Goals – short/medium/long term
Meetings – how often? Who attends?
Take notes at meetings
Support
What support will student need – training/language
Budget for consumables/travel

5. Essential Facilities for HDR Students
Essential Facilities (scroll down to heading) include:
Supervisory Time Allocation
Consumables/Fieldwork ($1,400 low cost; $2,000; high cost per year for 4 years)
Conference Attendance (one-off $2,500)
Access to On-campus Accommodation
Computer Access
After-hours Access
Library Support

6. Scholarships for HDR Students
Extensions of up to six months may be available where research delays are beyond a student’s control (refer Conditions of Award)
New RTP Scholarship Policy and Procedures
RTP Fee Offset Scholarship
RTP Stipend Scholarship
RTP Allowance Scholarship

7. Progress Reviews Review progress informally at regular meetings
Monitor progress against candidacy
More formal meetings 3 or 4 times per year with all supervisors
Identify issues that require attention by the supervisor and student
Highlight future matters of concern – research, institutional, personal and sponsorship

8. Progress Reports Annual Progress Reports
Online information:
Completion between 14 Feb and 31 March annually (six weeks)
Higher Degree by Research Review Board
International Sponsored Students Report
Online information:
Completion only by AusAID and DIKTI scholarship holders, between
1-30 September annually (four weeks)
Head of Enrolling Area Review

9. Changes During Candidature
Thesis Committee Members
Chair
Supervisor
Co-Supervisor
Associate Supervisor
Allocate percentage supervision contribution
Supervisor Leave Arrangements
Variation to Candidacy Details
Thesis title
Thesis Committee
Nomination of Examiners
Ethics

10. Develop rapport and positive student-supervisor relationship
Good relationships
Develop rapport and positive student-supervisor relationship
Cultural sensitivity
Remember – life happens
Workloads
Leave
Personal issues

11. Planning:
Essential for timely completion of thesis
Major milestones
Budgets
Access to facilities
Form of the thesis
Conference and Publication
Plan B

12. Student-supervisor issues
When things go wrong:
Lack of progress
Personal issues – family, financial
Difficulties with data collection
Student unable to grasp “research”
Student-supervisor issues
Personality clash
Disagreement over direction, publications
Writing
Plagiarism, language skills

13. International students
Additional coursework
Start date
Plagiarism awareness
Isolation
Fees/sponsorship deadlines
International Sponsored Students Unit

14. International Student Tuition Fees
Who pays when sponsorship ends?
Important to develop candidacy that is achievable within sponsorship available
Important to set research milestones and monitor progress in conjunction with sponsorship
Information available from
Fee Centre website and International student fees

15. Scenario 1
Plagiarism:
Your student is approaching the submission of their Application for Candidacy. Their progress to date has been a little slow, but they have presented you with what seems to be a good quality proposal. As a matter of course you run the proposal past the co-supervisor for a second opinion of the quality. Your colleague’s response takes you by surprise: they recognised passages from a journal article by an overseas academic whom they have worked closely with in the past. You look into this matter further and find that a few passages in the proposal are copied word-for-word from other sources without acknowledgement.
How do you proceed?

16. Scenario 2 Cultural expectations:
You are supervising an international student. They have a good academic record from their previous studies in their home country. However, in preparing their candidacy application it becomes apparent that their previous studies have not included independent research in the way we understand it. You seem to have to give the student very close direction, and they do not take their own initiative. The work that is produced does not show the level of insight or intellectual sophistication required at the PhD level. You are aware that the student can be terminated but are reluctant to do this as the student may face social and financial implications in their home country.
How might you approach this?

17. Scenario 3
IP/Data:
You are supervising a PhD student who has a scholarship as part of a project funded by industry. The student has always been abrasive but has made good progress. Eventually your personal differences become insurmountable - two years into the PhD the student decides to change supervisors. However, the student does not have enough time left to change the focus of the project. They intend to keep the same research topic and use the data they have already collected under your direction. The data is related to your grant and was collected under funding provided by industry for your project.
Can the student do this?
How do you proceed?
What about publications?

18. Scenario 4 Student personal issues:
You are two and half years into the supervision of a PhD student. They have made good progress. You usually see them every two weeks but after the Christmas holiday period you have not been able to arrange another meeting. The student does not respond to s or answer phone calls. Eventually the student shows up unexpectedly and they appear to be acting a little strangely. Their attitude becomes negative and their behaviour seems erratic. The situation deteriorates to the point that you are convinced there is a mental health issue with the student, but you are not sure how to approach this, or if it is your place to do so. However, if the situation does not improve you do not see yourself being able to continue to work with the student, let alone see them to completion. How do you proceed?

19. Approaches to issues
Where should you go for advice in the first instance?
Do you know where to find the Rules and regulations regarding HDR enrolments?
What resources are available to you and the student?
Who can you ask for advice on the Rules in regards to HDR students?

20. When things go wrong:
Principle – issues are resolved at lowest level possible
Student ↔ Supervisor
Student ↔ Chair Thesis Committee
Student ↔ Head of Enrolling Area (Coordinator Graduate Research)
Student ↔ PVC
Student ↔ Associate DVC, Research Training
Complaints - supervision-related complaints dealt with via Complaints Policy and Complaints Procedure

21. Dealing with Plagiarism
Plagiarism Policy on policy website
Misconduct – Statute 10 Student Discipline
Report to HoEA
Ensure student is aware of plagiarism and how to avoid it
Compulsory Research Integrity Training
HDR Turnitin channel on Blackboard

22. Reviewing Student Status
Formal Review Boards after APR
Can change student status at any time (via your Faculty Graduate Studies Committee)

23. Review of Academic Status
Good Standing: candidates making satisfactory progress and likely to complete the research program
Conditional: candidates whose progress raises concerns as to their ability to complete the research program
Terminated: candidates whose progress is unsatisfactory and who are unable to complete the research program
Absent Without Leave (AWOL): candidates who have not submitted an APR by the due date and have not applied to the FGSC for Leave of Absence
Other alternatives: withdrawal, leave of absence

24. When to go on Conditional
The student will be informed, in writing, of the change of academic status and advised of the conditions imposed by the HDR Review Board. GRS will table relevant documentation at the appropriate FGSC meeting for noting.
Candidacy is more than one month overdue
Student is overtime: candidate has exceeded 2 years FTE for Masters/4 years FTE for Doctoral. Candidate placed on Conditional and allowed a further 6 months full time equivalent before formal extension requests required.
Candidacy is not approved
Failure to meet significant research milestones
AWOL: candidates who do not submit an APR or ISSR
S - specific, significant….
M - measurable, meaningful, motivational….
A - agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, action-oriented…..
R - realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented….
T - time-based, time-bound, timely, tangible, trackable….

25. Actions on Conditional
Discuss change of status with Thesis Committee
Discuss change of status with student
Determine measurable conditions
Inform student of what attainment of conditions will achieve – good standing or further conditional
Inform student of what failure to attain conditions will mean – cancellation of scholarship, termination etc
Formally advise student of change of status in writing
Copy change of status advice to Chair of Thesis Committee and GSO

26. Moving to termination Discuss change of status with student
Student formally advised by enrolling area/GSO of recommendation to terminate – student has 28 days to show cause
Show cause accepted, termination ceases
Show cause not accepted, termination proceeds
No response, termination proceeds
Termination proceeds, student formally advised of recommendation to terminate forwarded by FGSC to UGSC

27. Actions at Termination (cont’d)
Termination not approved by UGSC – FGSC resolves
Termination approved by UGSC, student formally advised of termination – student has 28 days to appeal process
Appeal received, appeal process
No response, termination is finalised
Appeal proceeds, ends with decision by Provost and student notified of final outcome

28. Reasons for Termination (Rule 10 & 11)
The enrolment of a candidate may be terminated by the University Graduate Studies Committee, upon the recommendation of the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee, in any of the following circumstances:
where the candidate has failed to submit a thesis within prescribed time limits, including extensions of enrolment as approved by the University Graduate Studies Committee (see Section 4(c)(ii));
where the candidate has failed to submit an application for Candidacy within prescribed time limits, including extensions of time as approved by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee (see Section 6(c));

29. Reasons for Termination (cont’d)
where the progress of the candidate is deemed to be unsatisfactory by the Head of Enrolling Area or appropriate alternative (see Section 9(c));
where the candidate is Absent Without Leave for a period exceeding six months (see Section 10(b));
where the candidate has failed to otherwise comply with these Rules.

30. After Termination
If a student is not satisfied with the result or conduct of the University’s internal complaint handling and appeals process, they have the right to lodge a further appeal with the Western Australia Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman will normally only consider whether the University has followed its own policies and procedures and whether the handling of the case has been fair and reasonable. The Ombudsman does not make a new decision, however, as a result of an investigation the Ombudsman may recommend that the University reconsider the student’s case.

31. After Termination (cont’d)
If a student does not accept that termination of enrolment has occurred a standard response is preferred.
For example, in response to /s: Dear XXX, Thank you for your . Your enrolment at Curtin was terminated on 8 March The internal avenues of appeal have been exhausted and I regard this matter as closed. If you feel that we have not followed the appropriate process in terminating your enrolment, please contact the WA Ombudsman via Kind regards, XXX.

32. Extensions of Time Formal extensions of time
Candidacy – if necessary submit extension form prior to candidacy due date
Thesis – if necessary submit extension form prior to Expected Work Submission Date (EWS) date - 6 Months of overtime. Detail explicit conditions to be met.
Amendment and/or Re-submission of Thesis – beyond 12 months

33. Conflict Resolution Rules:
Section 15, Grievance Procedures, of Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research, or Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research (See heading ‘Rules’ under
Policies:
Complaints Procedures

34. Conflict Resolution (cont’d)
Contacts:
Conflict Resolution - Mel Henry, Manager, Conflict Resolution & Equity; or contact the Integrity and Standards Unit Telephone: (08)
The Curtin University Postgraduate Students Committee (formerly CUPSA) Telephone:
Student Assist Officers within the Curtin Student Guild Telephone:

35. Third Party Agreements
Intellectual Property – As a general rule the University does not claim ownership of Intellectual Property created by Students (sections 4.1 and 4.3 of the Ownership of Intellectual Property Policy)
Contracts – governs relationship with third parties eg IP and publications
Copyright – As a general rule students retain copyright on their thesis unless they agree otherwise in writing (section 4.2 of the Ownership of Intellectual Property Policy)
Confidentiality – University and third party

36. Student Sponsorship
Includes students sponsored by overseas agencies, industry, APA/CUPS, APAI, IPRS, CIPRS or enrolling areas
Student sponsorship by overseas agencies is managed through the International Sponsored Students Unit (ISSU) - International Office
Sponsorship with an external provider who pays tuition fees and/or stipend, etc. as negotiated in the agreement
Issues
Failure to meet scholarship conditions
Failure to make adequate progress in research
Expiry of scholarship – fees and living expenses
Students on LoA, AWOL – advise Scholarships Office

37. Student Sponsorship (cont’d)
Information for sponsored students available via the International Office website:
Information about Sponsorship available via the Fees Centre website:

39. GRS Website – important links
23 November 2016
GRS Website – important links
Begin with HDR Staff or Current Research Students
Register of Supervisors (includes links to Application form; Guidelines for Establishing the Supervisory Relationship; Guidelines for Supervisor Load Limits)
Guidelines for Research Students
Guidelines for Thesis Committee Members
Guidelines for Thesis by Publication (click and scroll to Thesis Examination /Thesis Production)
Guidelines for Creative Production Theses (under Thesis production)
Guidelines for the Editing of Research Theses by Professional Editors (under Thesis Editing)

40. 23 November 2016
GRS Website cont’d
Information Regarding Authorship and Joint Authorship for Higher Degree by Research Students and Their Supervisors
Research Integrity training