Guidelines for video PhD oral examinations

The use of the video conferencing system will apply only to PhD oral examinations. Use is for the express purpose of connecting an External Examiner at a distant site to the location of the oral examination at the University of Victoria.

At the point that each supervisory committee member has read the thesis/dissertation and has agreed that it is examinable, the following procedures should take place:

• All members of the supervisory committee and the student should be advised of this method of conducting the oral examination.
• The student and committee will decide on a date for the oral that is convenient for everyone. This date must be far enough in advance to allow time for the submission of the request for oral examination form to the Dean's office a minimum of 30 working days before the examination. If there are extenuating circumstances that may result in not being able to meet this requirement, prior written permission will be required from the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.
• Book the video room - Complete the videoconference request form for internal clients to book the video conferencing room. You must supply the technical contact name, phone number and email address at the External Examiner's site, as well as for the External Examiner. Get more information about the video conferencing room on the audio visual media services page.
• The supervisor must recommend an appropriate External Examiner to the Dean. They must be available to participate in the oral examination on the specified date and time. It is the supervisor's responsibility to confirm the External Examiner's site's capacity for participating in the CUSee Me videoconference.
• The request for oral examination form must be completed and signed by each member of the supervisory committee. Committee members who are away may fax a signature or send an email stating they agree the thesis/dissertation is examinable and they are available for the specified date and time. The form must include the name, full mailing address, telephone number, email address and technical contact information for the proposed External Examiner.
• The request for oral examination form must be accompanied by the External Examiner's updated CV from a recognized published disciplinary source for approval by the Dean and a PDF copy of the dissertation burned on a CD or DVD. Graduate Studies will email a copy to the External Examiner and will email another copy to the chair when one has been identified.
• At the time that the request for oral examination form and the dissertation are submitted to the Dean's Office, PhD candidates must sign a PhD Declaration form. If the candidate is out of town, it is expected that they will come and sign the form prior to the date of the oral examination.
• An oral examination announcement must be prepared in the student's academic unit. It should be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies ten working days before the examination. The Dean's Office will post the oral announcement on the Faculty of Graduate Studies' website here.
• It is the responsibility of the student's supervisor to contact the External Examiner at least 24 hours before the examination to confirm the time of the connection.
• The student's supervisory committee, the student and the chair of the examination should arrive at the videoconferencing room at least 15 minutes before the oral examination is to begin, to arrange the necessary equipment and to test the quality of the connection with the External Examiner.
• It is the responsibility of the academic supervisor to ensure the External Examiner receives the Thesis/Dissertation Approval form for signature. This document is then submitted to Graduate Admissions and Records Office as part of the student's final submissions. Please contact the Graduate Admissions and Records Office for further information regarding this document or what is required for final submissions.

Expenses associated with video oral examinations

• For PhD oral exams with the External Examiner participating by video conferencing from a distant site, the Faculty of Graduate Studies will cover the cost of the participation by the External Examiner only. The costs associated with connecting any absent committee members is expected to be paid for by the academic unit.