Gen AI

Using generative AI at USask in graduate studies...There is not a one-size-fits-all set of rules that will meet the needs of programs and students due to disciplinary differences in research, the types of AI available, and the regulations by publishers.

Creating policies to govern a single, new, and rapidly evolving technology with poorly understood use cases can be problematic. All of USask's existing policies apply to the use of AI. If you are a student and use AI in a way that violates the course syllabus rules, you are violating institutional policies. 

Graduate programs are encouraged to have guidance available within their graduate program handbooks to help students navigate the use of Gen AI in their discipline.

While technologies like Chat GPT can be valuable as a supportive tool, remember that its use is inappropriate in some situations.

Copilot is the Generative AI tool for students, faculty and staff to use to conduct USask-related work. It offers similar functionality to ChatGPT, with two advantages when logged in:

  • search prompts and results are protected 
  • data and chat history will not be used to train future AI models
Students, talk with your supervisor and/or graduate chairs to understand any specific guidelines for your unit or department and make sure that you are compliant with your program’s guidelines.

Student Supervisor Agreement

All new students enrolled in thesis-based programs are required to complete a Student-Supervisor Agreement in collaboration with their supervisor. The agreement must be filled out within the first twelve months of the students’ program and will be treated as a non-course requirement. 

The Student Supervisor Agreement aims to create a structured framework for discussions between the supervisor and the graduate student, setting clear guidelines for their relationship. This agreement can be reviewed and updated at any point during the student’s graduate program to reflect changes in their relationship or the research project.

  • The completed document is an aid to planning and finishing the thesis project. It is not a legal document.
  • The supervisor and the student are free to add items to the form to tailor the template to their joint purposes.
  • The supervisor is responsible for supervising the graduate student's program.
    • They are the student’s primary contact at USask and should be familiar with the general policies and regulations of CGPS as well as the specific supplementary regulations of their academic unit.
    • The SSA template does not replace official USask statements of policy and procedure.
  • If the student or supervisor have any questions or concerns regarding the program or the SSA template, please contact your program's graduate chair, unit head, or the Associate Dean at CGPS.
  • The SSA template should be completed before the graduate student starts any research and no later than the submission of the first student progress report.  

Note: The 2020 version of the Student - Supervisor Agreement is currently under review. Please ensure you are using the most up-to-date version (rev 2020 under review) noted at the bottom of the document.

Tools

Our reputation lies in our strong commitment to provide world-class research opportunities characterized by learning environments that foster innovation, creativity and collaboration. Fundamental to our mission of supporting excellence in graduate education is the recognition that respectful and productive relationships between the student and supervisor is critical to the student’s academic success.

We encourage you to use the following resources as mentors, leaders and administrators of USask's graduate programming.

Handbooks

 

Facts & Figures

Annual Enrolment & Funding Report

The CGPS enrollment & funding report was compiled to share statistics on the many aspects of graduate programming at USask and is intended to become part of the annual reporting by CGPS. The intent behind this report is not to enable comparisons amongst and between programs. Rather, we hope this document will assist us in knowing ourselves better, generating questions, and fostering conversations about graduate programming and graduate students at USask. As such, feedback on the content of this report and suggestions for future reports are welcome and encouraged. 

Additional templates and tools can be found on CGPS' PAWS channel.