Policy 56 Review
About
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is undertaking its cyclical review of Senate Policy 56: Publication of SRC Results. Policy 56 was approved on May 7, 2019. Since that time, the university has undergone various updates in its Senate SRC activity-related policies and accompanying materials, including the establishment of an institutional intellectual property (IP) policy (Senate Policy 171: Scholarly, Research and Creative Activity (SRC) Intellectual Property) and an update to the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation’s (OVPRI) (PDF file) Statement on Scholarly, Research and Creative Partnerships. Policy 56 updates are anticipated to align with these institutional documents as well as any regulatory updates as relevant.
This cyclical review was previously scheduled to launch in 2024. At the April 8, 2024 Senate SRC Activity Committee (SRCAC) meeting, an update from Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation (AVPRI) Naomi Adelson to the committee outlined the recommendation – in consultation with SRC Leaders – to delay the review until October 2025. This delay would allow the Policy 56 review to align with the cyclical review of Policy 171and to ensure any updates to Policy 56 are informed by TMU’s Open Access guidelines and the renewed federal Open Access Policy (external link) when it becomes available.
Principles to Guide the Policy Review
In line with TMU’s mission, vision and values, the review of Policy 56 will be guided by the following principles:
- Inclusion: The review will involve a wide array of stakeholders and provide the opportunity for diverse perspectives to be included in the conversation.
- Transparency: Regular reports will be provided to the Senate SRCAC and the SRC Representatives Group, and communication of best practices will be employed throughout the review.
- Integrity: TMU is committed to promoting research that is conducted according to the highest ethical standards.
Important Links
Roles and Responsibility
The review of Policy 56 will be led by the OVPRI and will be chaired by the AVPRI. The Vice-President, Research and Innovation (VPRI) will be responsible for the review of the policy and any subsequent recommendations that will be brought to the SRC Leaders Group, the SRCAC and, ultimately, Senate for approval.
The policy review process will be guided by a Review Committee comprising the SRC Leaders from each faculty, the Yeates School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and TMU Libraries. The Review Committee will provide advice and input and perform a challenge function in reviewing the policy framework and its key provisions. The Review Committee will draft and recommend an updated policy, if required, to the VPRI.
Review Committee
- Naomi Adelson, Chair, Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
- Miranda Campbell, The Creative School
- Christopher Gore, Faculty of Arts
- Sari Graben, Lincoln Alexander School of Law
- Lei Jin, Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries
- Michael Kolios, Faculty of Science
- Jennifer Martin, Faculty of Community Services
- Stephen Waldman, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science
- Nancy Walton, Yeates School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
- Hong Yu, Ted Rogers School of Management
Community Consultation
The TMU community is invited to read the (PDF file) revised draft version of Policy 56 and contribute feedback via scheduled online and in-person town hall consultations. These town halls will also include Policy 171. We encourage community members to review the set questions below, submit their own questions or comments in advance via the appropriate registration form and attend any of the following scheduled sessions:
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Online
Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: In person at YDI-1134, 11th Floor, 1 Dundas Street West
Date: Tuesday, May 27, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET
Location: Online
Town Hall Format
The town hall format will be as follows:
- The revised draft versions of Policy 171 and Policy 56 will be introduced.
- Background information will be provided on the work done to date.
- Next steps will be outlined.
- Q-and-A session.
Community participation and feedback will help us ensure the policy is fit for purpose and clear in its objectives. Please note that the town halls will be recorded for note-taking purposes only.
Town Hall Questions:
- Is the policy clear to you?
- Proposed changes include updating the “student theses” section to ‘“trainee publications” to encompass a broader range of student outputs, such as major research papers. Are the changes clear enough?
- Are the publication delay timelines and processes clearly explained in the policy?
- Does the policy clearly address the communication and notification requirements between supervisors and students regarding potential publication delays?
If you are unable to attend any of the town halls, you may address the town hall questions and provide any further comments via the (google form) TMU Community Consultation Feedback Form: Policy 56 (external link) by end of day on Monday, June 1, 2026.
Contact
Please email Victoria Paterson at victoria.paterson@torontomu.ca with any questions.