The VCU Compact Between Graduate Students and their Thesis/Dissertation Advisors is an agreement that presents guiding principles intended to support the development of positive mentoring relationships between graduate students and their faculty advisors. A successful student-mentor relationship is a shared responsibility of the student, faculty mentor, graduate program, and institution. In the context of this document, advisor refers to a faculty member who guides a masters or doctoral student to completion of a thesis or dissertation.

This document offers a set of broad expectations that are meant to initiate discussions about the student-mentor relationship and should be part of regular and ongoing discussions between graduate students and their advisors. It is recommended that this compact is reviewed and signed upon the initial match of the student and advisor, is reviewed annually, and that the signed documents are collected by graduate programs.