University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association (USFA) Scholarship Fund

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Purpose: To recognize academic achievement of qualified students who are members of the immediate family of Regular and Non-Voluntary members of the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association. Immediate family is defined as spouse or partner; sons, daughters or children for whom USFA members have served as legal guardians.
Source and Amount of Funding: Annual contribution made by the University of Saskatchewan, subject to negotiation between the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association. The scholarship fund is $250,000 per annum effective July 1, 2004.
Tenability: Awards will be funded from annual University contributions in accordance with a provision in the Collective Agreement between the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association. Any unexpended funds from a particular year will be carried forward for use the following year. In the event that the USFA Scholarship Fund provision is no longer part of the Collective Agreement between the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association, the remainder of the fund will be awarded according to these Terms of Reference and Guidelines.
Fund Management Committee: The Joint Benefits Committee, as described in Collective Agreement between the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association; or an equal number of designated representatives as may be agreed to between the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association and the University of Saskatchewan.
Award Committee: The Scholarship & Awards Committee of University Council
Number and Value of Awards: The number and value of awards will be dependent on the financial resources available and the number of applications. Specific procedures relating to the determination of number and value will be detailed in the Guidelines, as approved by the Fund Management Committee.
Program and Course Designations and Eligibility Restrictions: Open to students who are immediate family members of Regular or Non-Voluntary USFA members. In order to be eligible, applicants must have successfully completed one or more University of Saskatchewan courses that qualify for credit towards a degree program. Guidelines, as approved by the Fund Management Committee, will further establish membership and dependent eligibility criteria. If it is unclear whether or not an applicant is an eligible dependent the Fund Management Committee will have authority to make eligibility determinations as requested by the Award Committee, in keeping with the purpose of the Fund.
Selection Criteria: Based on academic achievement, as defined in the Guidelines approved by the Fund Management Committee.

University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association (USFA) Scholarship Fund

GUIDELINES

Establishment of Relationship:

 Both the USFA member and the applicant will sign a declaration as to the nature of their relationship, and the Human Resources Division of the University of Saskatchewan will provide confirmation of the member's status.
Commencement and Cessation of USFA Membership: Eligible dependants of USFA members, whose USFA membership commences after September 2004, may only apply for tuition reimbursement for courses which begin after the USFA membership commences. If a USFA member resigns, retires, becomes deceased, or ceases to be a USFA member, dependents may apply for a scholarship for the academic year which encompasses the day the USFA member ceases to be a member of USFA.
Selection Criteria: Scholarships will be provided to all eligible undergraduate applicants that have successfully completed (received a mark of 50% or greater) one or more University of Saskatchewan courses, and have a sessional weighted average of at least 65%, as determined by the Award Committee. Scholarships will be provided to all eligible graduate students who have successfully completed (received a mark of 60% or greater) one or more University of Saskatchewan courses, and have a sessional weighted average of at least 75%, as determined by the Award Committee.
Number and Value of Awards:

The number and value of awards will depend on the financial resources available, the number of credit units, or assigned credit units, taken by applicants and the number of applications. In order to determine the number and value of awards several steps need to be taken:

  1. The total number of credit units successfully completed by eligible undergraduate applicants is calculated. Eligible graduate students are assessed either 30 credit units or 15 credit units of enrolment, to coincide with their full-time or part-time student status, respectively. The two credit unit values are added to produce a total credit unit number.
  2. The financial resources available are then divided by the total number of credit units to determine the award value per credit unit.
  3. Applicants will receive a total award value based on the number of credit units successfully completed (or the assigned credit unit enrolment for graduate students) multiplied by the award value per credit unit, to a maximum annual award equal to the tuition cost for 30 credit units (Category One) of undergraduate courses.
  4. This maximum is applicable to both undergraduate and graduate students, but graduate students may not receive an award value larger than their assessed tuition for the terms of the award year, in which they were a student.
  5. Each individual recipient will be limited to a total lifetime maximum of monies received from this Fund. The maximum will be equal to the tuition cost for 120 credit units (Category One) of undergraduate courses, for the year in which the applicant will reach the maximum.
Application Process:

The Student Financial Assistance & Awards office will be responsible for the creation and production of an application specific to the USFA Scholarship Fund. This application will be available in March of each year, and the application deadline will be April 30. Applicants will apply for a scholarship for classes completed during the most previous academic year, which is defined from May 1 of the preceding year to the April 30 application deadline.

The application will include:

  1. a declaration regarding the relationship between the applicant and USFA member;
  2. a waiver signed by the applicant releasing access to their academic records and fee statements;
  3. a waiver from the USFA member allowing the Award Committee to verify their membership in USFA.Student Financial Assistance & Awards will ensure that information regarding this scholarship fund is available in all appropriate award publications and USFA will ensure that information regarding the scholarship is communicated to members of USFA. The

Student Financial Assistance & Awards office will collect and process the applications, in order to determine eligibility of applicants and the number and value of awards to be selected. The Student Financial Assistance & Awards office will be responsible for notifying successful applicants, and will arrange for the scholarships to be paid to the recipients.

Taxation: The University of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association interpret the CCRA Income Tax Act such that students will be assessed the scholarship amount as scholarship income, and the faculty member will not have the scholarship amount considered employment income. The CCRA could challenge this position, and it will be the responsibility of USFA to communicate this potential risk to their members.