ELEFANT Agreement
The IMS initiated a Student–Supervisor Principles for Transparency Agreement as a program requirement for all students who started their program in January 2024 and beyond.
What is Student-Supervisor Principles for Transparency Agreement?
IMS student leaders from Let’s Talk Grad Wellness, in collaboration with IMS leadership, created the agreement, also known as “ELEFANT”: Environment, Limits, Employment, Funding, Academics, Non-academics and Thesis. It was developed to support students in establishing transparent expectations, facilitating the communication of goals and challenges, and assisting in fostering positive and effective student-supervisor relationships.
What is required of students and supervisors?
- Sit down and complete the ELEFANT agreement together.
- Keep a copy of the completed form. It does not need to be submitted to IMS.
- Re-visit the agreement annually together and update as needed.
FAQs
For questions not answered here, please connect with Sarah Topa.
Why was this agreement created?
The ELEFANT agreement was created to establish expectations between students and supervisors and in turn, foster the development of a positive and effective student-supervisor relationship.
Is it mandatory?
For students who started in January 2024 and beyond, completing the ELEFANT agreement form is mandatory. This is a new project and we encourage all feedback
When should it be completed?
Ideally within a few months of the student starting the program. The sooner these expectations are discussed and set, the better.
Do students need to submit their completed form to the IMS?
As of now, the IMS will not be keeping copies of this document. We ask that both the student and supervisor keep a copy for their records and continue to revisit it annually throughout the student's degree.
What if I don't feel comfortable discussing some of these things with my student or supervisor?
Please reach out to the IMS Graduate Coordinators. They can help with degree navigation and planning for the future.
You can also connect with the Centre for Graduate Mentorship and Supervision (CGMS) housed in the School of Graduate Studies. They are a tri-campus service that works with graduate students and faculty to support successful graduate mentorship and supervisory relationships, by facilitating interpersonal skill-building and informal conflict resolution.