Term Sessional Lecturer Professional Development Fund

The purpose of the Term Sessional Lecturer Professional Development Fund is to provide financial support to Term Sessional Lecturers who choose to participate in any of a range of professional development activities in their discipline. Support will be given for participation in academic conferences, academic institutes, professional courses, workshops or seminars related to the scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education. Support for other activities related to the purpose of the fund will also be considered.

Eligibility requirements, eligible expenses and procedures for application and reimbursement are all laid out in the Term Sessional Lecturer Professional Development Fund Terms of Reference.

Funds are available on a first-come first-reviewed basis. Funds will be allocated as resources permit from the start of each fiscal year. There are three application calls per year i.e. application deadlines are February 28, June 15 and November 30.

General Guidelines:

Employment Eligibility

Applicants must currently hold a Term Sessional Lecturer appointment at UVic. Only Term Sessional Lecturers who are teaching at least one course in the semester in which they are applying for funding will be eligible. Please check with the CUPE office if you are unsure of your designation or eligibility.

Professional Development Eligibility

Academic conferences, academic institutes, and professional courses, workshops or seminars that address scholarship of learning and teaching in higher education are eligible. Support for other activities related to the purpose of the fund will also be considered, pending a rationale demonstrating a direct impact on student learning.

Funding is for professional development activities occurring within six (6) months before or six (6) months after the application is received.

Eligible Expenses

Only direct costs related to travel and attendance at the event are eligible.

  • Course or conference registration fees;
  • Professional organization membership fees associated with attendance at the event;
  • Travel (Note: travel to UVic is not eligible);
  • Accommodation at standard room rates;
  • Meals while attending the event up to UVic per diem rates (excluding alcohol); and,
  • Material costs associated with the event (e.g., creating a conference poster).

Ineligible Expenses

  • Travel to UVic or within Greater Victoria;
  • Tuition will not usually be covered (credit based courses are not eligible, however, non-credit based courses are considered); and,
  • Equipment Purchasing (including technology).

Criteria For Selection (used by the committee)

  1. Activity will have a direct positive impact on student learning at UVic. In their application the applicant must document how this is to be achieved (for example by establishing a direct connection between their teaching practice and the event to be attended);
  2. Application clearly indicates how activity will contribute to the applicant’s professional development;
  3. Application broadly fits into the concept of scholarship of teaching and learning or scholarly teaching in the discipline;
  4. Application must be complete; and,
  5. Invitations to present/perform or acceptance must be explicitly documented (for example through a letter of invitation or a copy of the event program). Documentation must be included in or attached to the application (not simply a link).

Application Procedure

  1. Complete the Term Sessional Lecturer Fund Application Form;
  2. Complete the Budget Template as part of the application process; and,
  3. While additional funding is not required in order to apply, you are encouraged to seek funding from other sources (e.g., your department or faculty). If you have done so, please include this in your statement.

Reimbursement Procedure

  1. Submit a Travel Expense Reimbursement form through Chrome River. Please choose in the drop down the account number on your funded email to submit your Chrome River reimbursement; and
  2. We will process your request for reimbursement once received.

Follow-up dissemination of findings

Successful applicants are encouraged to share their learnings with colleagues at the department or faculty level, or more broadly, as appropriate.