In addition to increased wages and great benefits, CUPE Local 3903 has procurred the creation of several funds, rebates, and minimal guarantees to aid its members through the often difficult financial times of graduate school. For contract faculty, professional and teaching development funds have also been negotiated to expand the scope of career options, while the procedures around temporary Leaves have been clarified to ensure flexibility around life and academic needs.

Below are the principle funding mechanisms worked out in the collective agreement. A full list of funds is available here.

Minimum Summer Guarantee (Please see the Letter of Agreement in the Unit 1 Collective Agreement (p.58) for more information).

The minimum guarantee is how we refer to the funding of all members in the priority pool (full-time PhD students who have held a TAship for two terms and are continuing as full-time students the following year) are entitled to. The minimum level of guaranteed summer funding is $4625 in 2006-07. If you do not reach this level of funding through scholarships or assistantships, some form of TA or GA will be made available to you at a rate of pay sufficient to reach this minimum guaranteed level of funding. If you do not receive your minimum guarantee, make sure to contact the union office. YOU NEED TO FILL OUT A BLANKET APPLICATION, FOUND IN THE UNION OFFICE, BEFORE JANUARY 31ST TO ENSURE YOUR ENTITLEMENT TO THE GUARANTEE.

Tuition Indexation
Tuition indexation is how we talk about our guaranteed rate of tuition at York University. After paying your tuition in the fall and spring, you will receive a 'tuition rebate' in the amount that tuition has increased since the inclusion of this language in the collective agreement. This provision was won by our union in collective bargaining, protected during the 78-Day strike, and improved during the last round of bargaining. In effect, this means that your rate of tuition is virtually 'frozen'.

• Visa students in Unit 1 will receive $715 per term in which they are registered and pay fees.
• All other members of Unit 1 will receive $590 for each term in which they are enrolled full-time
• Unit 3 members will receive: $440 in Fall 2006; $480 in Winter 2007; $560 Fall 2007; and $590 Winter 2008

The Faculty of Graduate Studies will make best efforts to post the monies to students accounts by Nov 1 (fall term); March 1 (winter) and July 1 (summer).

The collective agreement guarantees that any increases in the cost of tuition will be supplemented by a corresponding increase in the tuition rebate. It makes post-secondary schooling at York a more viable option and we want to make sure it remains so.

Bursaries
Unit 1 members can also apply for the Graduate Student Bursary Fund, which prioritizes visa students and single parents and is allocated on the basis of need. The 3903 Masters Bursary Fund, which is available to Unit 1 members in Masters programs as a form of summer funding allocated on the basis of need. Unit 3 members can also apply for the GA Bursary Fund, which serves to provide a. minimal degree of funding for the summer term and is paid out on April 30. The funds committee prioritizes visa students and single parents and allocates on the basis of need.

Research, Travel, Development Funds
Being a student can be expensive, and to do your work and research properly you may need some monetary help. Members can apply for apply for a number of funds that might help you pay for research costs, professional development costs, travel costs, tuition reimbursements, child care costs, etc. We have this money guaranteed by our collective agreement, so if you need help or seek funding, make sure to read your Collective Agreement, check out the contracts and forms sections of this web site, give us a call or come by the union office to find out more.

Leaves
You work hard and you might need some time off. There are a number of leaves that you might be interested in. They cover time needed for conferences, injuries or disabilities, jury duty, bereavement, care-giving, emergencies, sickness, transsexual transition, and pregnancy. Read your Collective Agreement, come by the office or give us a call to find out more.

Ways and Means Fund
Administered by a committee of the local, but won through Collective Bargaining and provided through the Collective Agreement, members can apply as needed, when an unexpected hardship arises. It is intended as a fund to cover financial needs not addressed by other collective agreement funds. A portion of this is to be made available through the Trans Transition Fund to offset costs of gender transition, the rest will be distributed according to following guidelines: available to members on a one-time only basis, distributed for exceptional or unforeseen financial difficulties only, maximum allotment $1000. Ways and Means forms can be picked up in the union office and are confidential.