Community Consultation: Postdoctoral Fellows Policy (R50.03) Review
The following message is sent on behalf of鈥疍ugan O鈥橬eil, Vice-President, Research and Innovation.
Dear University Community,
Postdoctoral fellows are valued and key contributors to SFU鈥檚 research community. Activities undertaken by this key group are outlined in Postdoctoral Fellows Policy R50.03, established in 2000 and last updated in 2019. This policy is currently undergoing its regularly mandated review. As part of the review process, we are proposing minor amendments to R50.03 to align with current practices and streamline administrative processes.
Proposed changes include:
- Improving organizational effectiveness by delegating authority to the Associate Vice-President, Research (AVPR) for approving exceptions. With this change, both the VPRI and AVPR will hold approval authority;
- Deletion of section 5.1.3b (needing an exception approved for appointments with a term of more than one year and less than 5 years) to align with current practices;
- Clarifying the role of postdoctoral fellows in supervision (other than senior supervision) of graduate students and assisting with the supervision of undergraduate projects; and
- Some editorial changes including an update to the new policy format.
We invite you to review the proposed policy amendments. Please submit your feedback to postdoc@sfu.ca by January 9, 2026.
R 50.03 Policy included here (PDF)
We appreciate your involvement as we work together to support a safe, respectful, and inclusive community at SFU.
Input provided is collected under the authority of the , , and SFU Policy on University Policies and Procedures (B 10.00). This information is collected for the purpose of engaging鈥痠n community consultation, which may result in recommended changes to a policy. If you have any queries about the collection of this information, please contact privacy@sfu.ca