Policy on Release Time Stipends
Under certain circumstances the Faculty may grant a release time stipend so that a professor may accomplish administrative and research duties.
All releases are subject to approval by the Dean in relation to the duties carried out by the member of the Faculty.
The Dean may consider granting a time stipend for the following:
- the functions of Dean, Vice-Dean, Faculty Secretary and Program Director;
- theses supervision (M.A. and Ph.D.) upon theses submission (these release time stipends are already part of a policy dated June 2003: please consult the section below entitled: Specific Considerations for Thesis Supervision, Interim Reports and Directed Reading Courses);
- Directed Reading Courses (these release time stipends are already part of a policy dated June 2003: please consult the section below entitled: Specific Considerations for Theses Supervision, Interim Reports and Directed Reading Courses);
- time release stipends allocated and obtained for principal investigators on research projects funded by SSHRC, NSERC, CHRI or CFI:
- for a release time stipend for one three (3) credit course per university year for a total funding of less than $150,000;
- for two release time stipends for one three (3) credit course per university year for an annual funding of more than $100,000.
- one release time stipend of a three (3) credit course per university year for the carrying out of an externally funded large-scale project (as principal investigator), and an amount of $10,000 payable to the Faculty to bear the costs of the release time stipend;
- one release time stipend of one course in the first year of teaching for new professors (fitting the Faculty’s definition) hired in positions leading to tenure;
- one release time stipend of a three (3) credit course per university year for obtaining a University of Ottawa or Canada research chair and an amount of $10,000 payable to the Faculty to bear the costs of the release time stipend.
A Release Time Stipend will not be allotted for:
- a research project whose funding or contract is obtained and managed by another faculty at the University of Ottawa or another university;
- an administrative function for an external agency (journal editor, association chair, etc.). However, the external agency may bear the costs of a release time stipend for a three (3) credit course per university year by paying the Faculty an amount of $10,000.
Other Considerations
We must remember that professors can benefit from the Collective Agreement articles that allow them to request a workload reduction.
No lump sum payment will be made in the place of course equivalency, even if a professor has accumulated more credits than he/she will ever be able to use during his/her university career.
Number of possible release time stipends
A professor is not allowed more than one course reduction (one three (3) credit course) per academic year, except in the following circumstances:
- administrative functions related to a position at the Dean's Office or as a director;
- time release stipends allocated and obtained for lead researchers on research projects funded by SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR or CFI for an annual funding of more than $100,000. (A professor may then benefit from a maximum of two release time stipends for one three (3) credit course per university year);
- the combination of both a University of Ottawa or Canada research chair and principal investigator status for research projects funded by SSHRC, CIHR or NSERC (A professor may then benefit from a maximum of two release time stipends for one three (3) credit course per university year).
Specific Considerations for Theses or Interim Report supervising and for Directed Readings
A professor will receive the equivalent of three (3) course credits for a Ph.D. thesis completed (i.e., officially accepted by the jury) within five (5) years of the student’s initial registration in the program, two (2) course credits for an M.A. thesis completed within three (3) years of the initial student’s registration, and one (1) credit for an interim report. In the case of co-direction, professors will equally share the accumulated credits.
Directed readings can only be given if they are formally requested by the Vice-Dean (Programs). A professor who accepts the responsibility of supervising a directed reading could receive the equivalent of one (1) course credit, depending on his or her workload and on the following conditions:
1) a directed reading is worth one (1) credit independently of the number of students registered;
2) a professor will receive no more than one (1) credit for directed readings per academic year;
3) the directed reading will be granted in order to permit the student to complete her/his coursework in a timely manner.
In assigning teaching loads for the following year, only the credits accumulated as of December 31 of the current year will be taken into account. Requests must be received prior to workload assignments.
This policy does not include cross-appointments. An agreement must be reached between the Deans of each faculty.
The present policy could be revised if the Faculty must do so because of financial constraints or other considerations.