Contract Instructor Professional Development Fund

Article 20 of the Collective Agreement between Carleton University and CUPE 4600 – Unit 2 provides for a Professional Development Fund for Contract Instructors. For 2014-15 there is a total of $90,000 “to support teaching-related professional development activities, and for the purpose of offsetting the cost of such books and material required for the performance of an employee’s teaching duties and responsibilities which are otherwise not provided to the employee. Any unused funds shall be carried over and added to the next year’s fund.”

Examples of teaching-related professional development activities include travel, accommodation and registration fees for academic conferences, and professional dues, and examples of books and materials needed to perform your teaching duties include the purchase of a computer, required software, and any other related items. Original receipts must be supplied in all instances. If your travel to a conference is by air, you must additionally provide your boarding passes in order to obtain reimbursement.

The process entails reimbursement for expenses that meet the criteria for the Fund. A contract instructor fills out the form and gives an explanation how the expense is related to their teaching. Once they get the Chair of their department to sign the application, it is sent to CUPE 4600. Do NOT send in the receipts with your application form.

The Joint Committee for the Administration of the Agreement (JCAA) has set the maximum a single contract instructor can receive in an academic year is $800. The Academic year is defined as September of one calendar year to the end of August in the next calendar year (September 2014 – August 2015). It has also established the rule that if a contract instructor receives more than $400 in one academic year, their application for the next year is deferred until the August of the next academic year to allow first-time applicants better access to the fund. The reason is that there is only $90,000 to be distributed among a potential of 650-odd applicants every year.

A subcommittee of the JCAA meets every two months to review the applications. Once they are approved, CUPE 4600 will mail, to the address that is on your contract with Carleton, the approved application form along with a letter informing you to send the form and the original receipts to the Finance Department for reimbursement. The reimbursement will then be deposited into your bank account, in the same manner as your pay.

For further information call 613-520-7482 or email cupe4600@carleton.ca.