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Updates

Updates to the GAP within the last few years are listed below. For questions about the derivation of any GAP documents or changes made more than a year ago, review the archive page or contact the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) at vpge@stanford.edu.

In July 2021, the following GAP documents were updated:

  • GAP 3.1 Registration, Enrollment, and Academic Progress (to provide guidance, transparency, and clarity for students, faculty, and staff regarding physical presence on campus. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on graduate education had illuminated areas of ambiguity in this university policy. This was approved by the Faculty Senate on June 24, 2021; see SenD#7982.)
  • GAP 3.2 Residency Policy for Graduate Students (to delegate decision making to faculty and staff in degree programs who have the expertise to determine whether prior academic work should be accepted for transfer. The update also allows online courses to be transferred, which is critical after the pandemic forced courses online. This was approved by the Faculty Senate on June 24, 2021; see SenD#7982.)
  • GAP 4.6 Doctoral Degrees, Candidacy (to reaffirm that doctoral students are expected to complete degree program qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy by the end of their second year in the program. This update also affirms local decision-making authority for extensions of the pre-candidacy period and provides more transparency for students by incorporating guidance that was provided by the Committee on Graduate Studies in 2012. This was approved by the Faculty Senate on June 24, 2021; see SenD#7982.)
  • GAP 4.7 Doctoral Degrees, University Oral Examinations & Committees (to reaffirm that in-person oral examinations and dissertation defenses are the norm per university policy. The update also allows more flexibility and delegates decision-making authority to the degree programs. This was approved by the Faculty Senate on June 24, 2021; see SenD#7982.)
  • GAP 4.8 Doctoral Degrees, Dissertations & Dissertation Reading Committees (to confirm the streamlined electronic dissertation approval process that was implemented due to COVID-19. This was approved by the Faculty Senate on June 24, 2021; see SenD#7982.)

Temporary 2020-21 Policy Changes in Response to COVID-19:

In August 2020, the following GAP documents were updated:

  • GAP 7.3 Assistantships (section 7.3.10 Unpaid Teaching Experience for Fully Funded Students to clarify procedures and conditions for mentored teaching experiences )

In October 2019, the following GAP documents were updated:

In August 2019, the following GAP documents were updated:

In July 2019, the following GAP documents were updated:

In April 2019, the following GAP documents were updated:

  • GAP 3.3 General Requirements, Progress, and Milestones (to add a new section, GAP 3.4 Faculty Directors of Graduate Studies, with new policy requiring departments and programs to designate a faculty director of graduate studies approved by the Faculty Senate; see SenD#7658) 

In March 2019, the following GAP documents were updated:

In December 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

In November 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

In October 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

In September 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

  • GAP 5.8 Exchange Programs (Policy and Implementation: to align language and update link to new IvyPlus Exchange Scholar Program Application and to note renewal of IvyPlus Exchange Scholar Program approval by participating universities )

In August 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

In July 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

In June 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

  • GAP 5.7 Conferral of Degrees (to align with clarifications to Bulletin language about graduation expectations)

In April 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

  • GAP 2.1 Admitting Graduate Students to Matriculated Study (Policy & Implementation; to remove University requirement for GRE general scores, as approved by Faculty Senate on April 12, 2018 (SenD#7841))
  • GAP 3.3 Academic Advising (to add requirement that departments establish advising expectations and to reaffirm the role of Academic Council faculty as principal dissertation advisors, as approved by Faculty Senate on April 12, 2018 (SenD#7842 and SenD#7843 ))
  • GAP 3.3 Academic Advising (to clarify language to be more consistent and reorder sections to be more rational, as per Committee on Graduate Policy discussions)
  • GAP 4.8 Doctoral Degrees, Dissertations & Dissertation Reading Committees (to align with changes to GAP 3.3 affirming role of AC faculty to serve as principal dissertation advisors, as approved by Faculty Senate on April 12, 2018)

In March 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

In January 2018, the following GAP documents were updated:

In August 2017, the following GAP documents were updated:

In September, 2016, the following GAP documents were updated:

In February, 2016, the following GAP documents were updated:

In January, 2016, the following GAP documents were updated:

In October, 2015, the following GAP documents were updated: