The Unit 3 Fund is for members who incur expenses related to (1) their attendance at an academic or pedagogical conference and/or (2) their teaching.

For the 2023-2024 round of the Unit 3 Fund, any Unit 3 member who is employed between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024 and meets the following criteria is eligible to apply:

(a) you are a Union member in good standing;

(b) you have secured either 34 hours of work (if paid on an hourly basis) or at least 0.17 FCE (if employed as a Sessional Lecturer) in the bargaining unit; and

(c) you have incurred expenses related to academic or pedagogical conference attendance and/or expenses related to teaching.

What is an eligible expense?

(1) For a conference expense to be eligible, the conference must take place during the eligible claim period (September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024). Eligible expenses include: registration fees (even if paid prior to the eligible claim period); travel costs (airfare, train, or car; if travelling by car, cost will be calculated at the CUPE 3902 reimbursement rate of 57/kilometer to a maximum of 500KM); flight cancellation insurance; transit between residence and hotel/airport/train station; and standard hotel costs (basic accommodation). 

PLEASE NOTE: meals are not an eligible expense.

(2) For a professional expense to be eligible, the related professional activity must take place during the eligible claim period (September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024). 

Eligible expenses include: 

(a) membership fees for professional and/or learned societies related to the member’s discipline (even if paid prior to the eligible claim period);

(b) subscriptions to professional and/or learned journals (even if paid prior to the eligible claim period);

(c) books, materials, equipment and services directly related to research or teaching;

(d) computer hardware, tablets, smartphones, and software and supplies used in performance of academic duties that are not considered ‘required’ to do the job and thus the responsibility of the Employer; expenses incurred in the preparation and completion of scholarly manuscripts (self-publication efforts are excluded) and page or reprint charges;

(e) office supplies related to the performance of teaching and research duties that are not covered by the C.A. and thus the responsibility of the Employer; and

(f) fees incurred for professional development;

(g)expenses related to teaching commute (transit/parking). 

PLEASE NOTE the following are not eligible expenses: decorative items for home office, internet, and data charges.

How much money will I get?

The Unit 3 Fund has been allocated $180,000 per year. Individual disbursements will depend on the number of applicants and the overall need.

When will I get my money?

Applications for this fund will be open between September 1 to September 30. Applications will be processed and disbursed, according to the following schedule. The opening of the fund will be announced in the CUPE 3902 e-newsletter.

Starting in the academic year 2023- 2024, funds will only be disbursed once a year by the end of November 2024. A single, annual disbursement:

        1. Ensures access to all applicants.
        2. Ensures fairness of disbursements
        3. Ensures that disbursement of fund amounts follow the Collective Agreement and pre-empts overspending that could result in some members not receiving the full eligibility amount, depending on when they apply.
        4. Ensures the fund can cover all applicants, which can only happen at the point of the Local receiving all applications at the same time (i.e., at the end of the academic year).

 

How do I apply?

 The application form will be available online and accessible through the Member Portal only between September 1 and September 30. To find the form, log into the Member portal. 

A complete application for the Unit 3 Fund will include: (a) the 2023-24 Unit 3 Fund Application Form, and (b) supporting documentation—this documentation should include receipts/invoices for the expense.

You will receive an immediate confirmation email for the application you submit.

PLEASE NOTE: if you do not receive a confirmation email, you did not successfully submit the application.

If you do not have (a) a membership card (i.e., you do not have a CUPE number, found on the left-hand side of the Portal home page), fill out a Membership Application Form (found on the ‘Forms’ tab). 

PLEASE NOTE: processing membership applications can take up to one hour. Failure to fill out a membership application in a timely way is not grounds for submitting a late application. If you experience any issues during the application process, please see the for answers to commonly asked questions.

The application will be available between September 1 and September 30, 2024.