TLIF SoTL Stream

Funding

Applications for TLIF SoTL stream may include a budget up to a maximum of $3000 for SoTL projects/research and a maximum of $3000 for SoTL dissemination per award and are eligible to apply for funding a maximum of two times for the same innovation project.

Funds will support short-term projects for a maximum of one year from the beginning of the fiscal year (April) to the end (March). Any unused funds will not be carried over to the next fiscal year.

Funds may be used for the following purposes:

SoTL Projects/Research (Maximum $3000)

• Wages to hire student/research assistants
• Hiring copy editors for SoTL projects  
• Support persons with special expertise/skillsets
• Honoraria or other compensation for research participants
• Subscriptions to research software. These purchases require an assessment of information security and privacy and purchasing through procurement.

SoTL Dissemination (Maximum $3000)

• If the proponent is accepted to share the study findings of the concerned SoTL project, funding towards registration, travel and accommodation costs  

Funds may not be used towards:

• Compensation of KPU instructors or support staff
• Course or time releases
• Journal subscriptions
• Article processing charges (APCs)
• Professional memberships
• Operational funding after completing the SoTL stream projects

SoTL Stream Application Cycles

Research Ethics Applications

At the time of applying for the SoTL stream grant, the proponent must provide evidence that an ethics application to the KPU (Other relevant ethics boards, if applicable) REB has been submitted.  

• If the study does not require REB review, please provide a copy of the ethics exemption certificate.  
• If the project requires REB approval, please attach a copy of the REB certificate. If your study has not received REB approval as yet, please provide the REB application reference number.  
• If you have not submitted your REB application at the time of submitting the TLIF application, your application's adjudication will not start until you submit the REB application reference number.  
• TLIF grants will only be disbursed after your ethics application is approved.

Hiring Student Assistants or Casual Employees for SoTL Projects

Policy HR14 Employment/Students outlines the mandatory procedures for hiring Student Assistants.  This policy states that priority will be given to KPU students presently attending full time and students are prohibited from being hired to work in a department where they will be supervised by a relative or family member. Job descriptions developed under this policy must not include more than 25% of the principal duties of a bargaining unit position. Student Assistants are hired through Taleo, KPU’s Applicant Tracking System. For more information, please review the Guidelines for Hiring Casual Employees and Student Assistants.

There will be a new section on the ETF (Employee Transaction Form) where you can select the correct hourly rate.

Hiring Student Assistants  

Maximum Hours Per Week  

Student assistants can work a maximum of 7 hours per day and a total of 15 hours per week. When calculating wage costs and duration of employment, please consider this. 

Rate of Pay  

The rate of pay for Student Assistants is determined by Human Resources and approved by the President’s Group. Please see the below table for the established Pay Rates for Student Assistants:

The rate of pay listed in a Student Assistant’s offer letter will be the rate of pay they receive throughout the time duration covered by the offer letter, regardless of additional credits completed during this time.  No changes will be made to the active student employment record.  If a Student Assistant receives an extension, the rate of pay may be reviewed and reassessed for the term of the extension at that time, provided the student meets the eligibility requirements for a different rate of pay.    

In addition to the pay scale rate, student assistants are also required to be paid 4% vacation pay and 8% for EI & CPP.  

TLIF Student Assistant Pay Calculator (Click Here)

Use the TLIF Student Assistant Pay Calculator to determine the total cost of hiring a student assistant for a determined number of total hours. Information from this calculator should be used to budget for each student assistant’s wages in the budget. If you wish to hire more than one student assistant, add a separate budget line for each student assistant.  Departments are responsible for identifying the correct hourly rate and including it on the ETF.

TLIF Student Assistant Job Description (Click Here)

To facilitate timely hires, we have created a standard job description for TLIF student assistant: Review this description before you submit the application. If you need to revise this standard description, allow up to 6-weeks in your project timeline.

Rehiring Student Assistants  

If the proponent intends to extend the student assistant employee contract beyond the original duration, the TLIF administrator needs to be contacted at least 6-weeks before the contract end date. At the time of the rehire, the student assistant’s payrate needs to be recalculated. For example: James was hired as a Student Assistant on May 01st, 2022, for the summer and fall semesters. At the time of hire, James had completed less than 30 credits and was paid using scale 01. The proponent would like to provide James with a two-semester extension in Spring -Summer 2023.  At the time of the extension, James had now completed between 30-60 credits. When rehiring James, he will now be paid at the scale 02 pay rate plus 4% vacation and 8% for EI & CPP.  

If the student assistant contract has expired, and if the proponent wishes to use their services beyond the contract period, the expired contract cannot be extended. The proponent will need to rehire the student assistant through a new competitive hiring process as long as they continue to meet the definition of a student assistant. If they no longer meet the definition of a student assistant, consider hiring as a casual employee through a new competitive hiring process (see below for more information).

Hiring Casual Employees  

Why Hire Casual Employees

Proponents are encouraged to hire student assistants for SoTL projects. Every attempt must be made to seek the possibility of hiring a student assistant for SoTL projects. However, there may be instances where the proponent may need the expertise of an experienced research assistant beyond the skills set of a student, or faced with a situation where a former student assistant has now developed the required skill sets and who is familiar with your project have graduated and is no longer a student at KPU. In such instances, you can hire a casual contract employee as a research assistant. The proponent is required to make a valid case before requesting to hire a casual contract employee.  

Maximum Hours Per Week  

Casual contract employees can work up to 40 hours a week and shall be entitled to overtime if they are asked to work more than 8 hours in a day, or should they exceed more than a total of 40 hours in a week. When calculating wage costs and duration of employment, please consider this.  

Rate of Pay  

When hiring casual contract employees, the proponents must follow KPU policies and procedures. Casual contract employees can be paid a higher wage outside the 3 scales available for student assistants commensurate with their expertise, experience, and qualifications. In addition to their hourly rate, also budget for 4% vacation pay & 8% for EI & CPP.  

Note: The pay rate must not exceed KPU’s current salary grids. Please consult with the TLIF administrator and your Human Resources Business Partner regarding casual pay rates.

TLIF Casual Contract Employee/Research Assistant Pay Calculator (Click Here)

Use the Casual Contract Employee Pay Calculator to determine the total cost of hiring a casual employee for a determined number of total hours. Information from this calculator should be used to budget for each casual employee’s wages in the budget. If you wish to hire more than one casual contract employee, add a separate budget line for each contract employee.

TLIF Research Assistant Job Description (Click Here)

Casual contract employees are hired as research assistants. To facilitate timely hires, we have created a standard job description for TLIF research assistant: Review this description before you submit the application. If you need to revise this standard description, allow up to 6 weeks in your project timeline.

Rehiring Casual Contract Employees  

If the proponent intends to extend a casual contract employee beyond the original duration, the TLIF administrator needs to be contacted at least 6-weeks before the contract end date. The current contract may be extended beyond the identified end date, as long as the extension is received prior to the end date. If the casual employee contract has expired, and if the proponent wishes to use their services beyond the contract period, the casual contract employee may be re-hired into the same role, if they previously went through the open competition process for that position, within thirty (30) calendar days of the expired contact end date. After this time, the proponent will need to rehire a casual employee through a new competitive hiring process.  

Submit Your Application

Before you begin filling out the application form, inform the Dean of your faculty that they will be contacted by the TLIF adjudication team to endorse your application. All parts of your application will be shared with the Dean of your faculty.

The TLIF SoTL stream grant application form requires that you think about and plan your proposed project before you apply. You also need to submit your ethics application before you apply for the TLIF grant. So please plan accordingly. If you need assistance with the TLIF application form, please contact tlif@kpu.ca.  If you are new to SoTL and want guidance to develop your study the TL Commons and the Office of Research Services are happy to assist.

• Download the TLIF SoTL STREAM APPLICATION FORM
• Email the application to tlif@kpu.ca on or before the application cycle deadline.

File submission instructions  

• File naming convention: LAST NAME/ First Name -TLIF SoTL STREAM-YY/MM/DD. [If there are multiple co-applicants, add only the principal applicants name]
• Please submit one file ONLY in PDF format.  

Adjudication

Applications to the TLIF SoTL stream will be adjudicated within four weeks, in order to support the rapid implementation of teaching and learning innovation. TLIF applications are adjudicated by our team of Education Consultants, Teaching & Learning Strategists, the Director of Learning Technology and Educational Development, the Associate Vice President of Teaching and Learning, as well as any Subject Matter Experts.

Adjudication Criteria

Successful TLIF SoTL stream applications will have a:  

1. Description of the significance of the project and a clear connection to advancing teaching practices at KPU Academic Plan and foreseeable positive impact within the KPU community
2. Clear description of the research design & study, how participants are managed, details pertaining to technology and software use, the use & dissemination of anticipated results  
3. Information pertaining to research ethics approval
4. If hiring student assistants, information pertaining to the student hires 
5. Realistic budget with justification for each item and relevant quotes for software subscriptions/platforms, IT-related technology/devices, and other equipment, materials, and resources
6. Outline of a realistic timeline for the project
7. Deans' endorsement of the project
8. Declaration by the proponent