Program to release college researchers from their teaching duties

1. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The program has the following objectives:

• enable college researchers to contribute to the technological, economic, social and cultural development of Québec society;
• support collaborations between university and college professors on research projects, programs and topics;
• foster the emergence and consolidation of research activities in colleges;
• help college researchers initiate their students to research;
• enable college researchers to contribute to regional development in collaboration with local stakeholders.

2. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Refer to the  CGR (“Definitions” Section, p. 5) for the definition of college researcher

3. APPLICATIONS

The college researcher must apply for a teaching release and statutory supplement in conjunction with a “parent” funding application submitted to one of the following programs:

• Concerted Actions program
• Research-creation support program
• Strategic clusters program
• Research team support program
• Research Infrastructure Support for University-Affiliated Centres and Institutions program

E-FORMS

Before applying, the applicant must create a user account on the Fonds website, if this has not already been done. Individuals who already have a personal identification number (PIN) have direct access to a FRQnet account and must update their profile in the E-portfolio.

COMMON CANADIAN CV

• The Fonds uses the Common Canadian CV  and requires a .PDF file of detailed contributions to be attached in your E-Portfolio.
• Refer to Preparing a CV for the Fonds  and Detailed contributions attachment to the Canadian Common CV  in the program Toolbox. Updates to contact information can be made directly in the FRQnet E-Portfolio.

DO NOT FORGET TO SUBMIT THE COMPLETED APPLICATION.

At any time, applicants may verify in their E-portfolio that their application has been successfully transmitted. The application file in “My forms” must be flagged as “Submitted to the Fonds” no later than the competition closing date and time. This indicates that the application has been received by the Fonds.

An incomplete application that does not contain the information necessary to establish eligibility or which cannot be evaluated will be deemed invalid by the Fonds. No document that is not required will be submitted to the evaluation committee. Elements missing from the application will not be requested. No document received after the deadline for application will be considered and applications cannot be updated.

4. APPLICATION ASSESSMENT

Applications for release from teaching duties and statutory supplements are assessed along with the applications for funding submitted to one of the aforementioned programs. As indicated in Section 4 of the CGR, evaluation committee members will consider the applications based on program-specific criteria, indicators and weightings. The committee submits its recommendations to the Board of Directors of the FRQSC, which then makes funding decisions in accordance with the ranking determined by the committee. The awarding of funding and the commitment to continue funding in subsequent years are subject to decisions made by the Board of Directors of the Fonds according to strategic priorities and the annual budgetary appropriations voted by the Québec National Assembly. If need be, the Board of Directors may review and modify or terminate funding without notice. A release from teaching duties or statutory supplement is awarded only for “parent” applications that have obtained a grant, and on the condition that the committee has deemed these expenses to be appropriate.

All funding decisions of the boards of directors are final and cannot be appealed.

5. ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS

The results will be announced in accordance with the conditions described in Section 5 of the CGR.

6. DESCRIPTION AND NATURE OF FUNDING

The program has two funding components:

1) Release from teaching duties

The release from teaching duties will be paid to the college to cover the actual cost ⁽¹⁾ of the college researcher’s salary. A release application may not exceed 50% of the researcher’s work load and represents a maximum amount of $40,000 per year. A college researcher may hold multiple concurrent grants under different programs that release him/her from his/her teaching duties. In all cases, the teaching load reductions must not exceed 50% of the college researcher’s work load. There is no limit to the number of college researchers on a funding application, and all researchers involved in a project may apply for a release from teaching duties.

⁽¹⁾ the actual cost corresponds to the salary amount of the release granted to the college researcher and not the replacement cost.

2) Statutory supplement

Each statutory supplement has a value of $7,000/year. Only one statutory supplement may be granted for each college researcher on a funding application. There is no limit to the number of statutory supplements that a college researcher may hold concurrently. However, only one statutory supplement will be granted to each college researcher on an application. The statutory supplement is exclusively intended for college researchers to cover research activities that are not funded by the college. Expense eligibility is based on program-specific budgetary items. The salaries of research personnel, postdoctoral trainees, research professionals, research technicians and administrative staff, travel expenses, research material and supplies, telecommunications fees, computer supplies, the purchase of databases, production, editing and reproduction fees, premise and equipment rental fees, translation fees and the purchase of equipment all constitute eligible expenses. For more details regarding these expenses, see Section 8 of the CGR.

7. GRANT PERIOD

The release is granted on a yearly basis for the grant period, providing that the college researcher continues to meet the eligibility criteria, as stated in Section 6.4 of the CGR.

8. EFFECTIVE DATE

These rules apply to the 2019-2020 fiscal year.