Other Admin Committees

Admissions Committee

The Admissions Committee is mandated with managing Cultural Studies graduate student admissions.

  • The Admissions Committee selects incoming students for admission into the Cultural Studies Program.
  • Since Admissions decisions are confidential in nature, the details of the discussions of particular student files are not recorded.

Curriculum Committee

The Curriculum Committee is mandated with managing and reviewing CUST programs of study, including curriculum, academic processes (such as qualifying exams, etc.), and all courses, and for ensuring teaching positions are filled.

  • Reviewing and updating program requirements, as necessary, in consultation with the CUST community.
  • Generating appropriate calendar descriptions as needed.
  • Proposing new programs of study in response to needs or opportunities arising.
  • Periodically reviewing policies and guidelines concerning students’ progression through their program of study (e.g. exams, thesis proposal process, supervision), in liaison with the Research-Creation and CoBRA committees.
  • Ideally before the end of the fall term, in accordance with the CA, determining which courses will be offered and who will teach them, selecting from those interested. Recommendations are then forwarded to the Steering Committee for approval.
  • Facilitating communication among instructors of CUST courses.
  • In keeping with CUST’s overall commitment to EDII, ensuring concerns of equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigeneity are represented in CUST course offerings.

Communication and Recruitment Committee

The mandate of the CUST Communication and Recruitment Committee is to advertise and promote the CUST program in order to attract PhD and MA applicants. The committee provides mentorship and advice to prospective students, and engages in targeted recruitment activities at the program, university and community levels that seek to generate interest in and facilitate engagement with the CUST program. The Committee creates and maintains content in all media related to recruitment and corresponds with prospective students and affiliated faculty

  • Creating and maintaining content in all media, to advertise and promote the program
  •  Acting as mentors to students interested in the program, and advising incoming students
  • Communicating with students interested with the program as needed
  • Being aware of the areas of expertise and interest of all CUST faculty, since directing students to supervisors is crucial to the health of the program
  • Encouraging and soliciting student participation on the committee
  • Taking part in recruitment activities organized at the university level (e.g. recruitment webinars, university-wide recruitment activities, etc.)
  • Organizing CUST recruitment events for prospective students and acting as ambassadors for the program within Queen’s and beyond
  • Liaising with other organizations and units within Queen’s responsible for recruitment
  • Making a regular report to the Steering Committee as part of the section of the meeting devoted to reports from Committees.

Cultural Studies Unit REB (Ethics)

The CUST Unit REB is charged by the Queen’s University General Research Ethics Board (GREB) with providing initial research ethics review for Cultural Studies research that involves human participants in accordance with GREB Policy – “Unit REB Policies & Procedures”.

  • The bulk of this work is carried out electronically, using the Queen’s Human Ethics Application e-System (TRAQ). The CUST Unit REB meets on an as-needed basis to deal with non-routine applications or questions of general policy.
  • Offering a yearly training session that covers basic principles of ethical research conduct, as well as the “nuts and bolts” of the application process.
  • Raising the profile and understanding of research ethics issues and procedures among members of the CUST community.
  • When the need arises, the UREB will educate GREB and lobby for changes that will better reflect research practices in the unit.
  • Presenting a regular report to Steering, via the chair of the Unit REB committee or delegate.
  • Ensuring that appropriate expertise is available for reviewing applications, by maintaining and mentoring a pool of faculty and students who have done the training for ethics review.