Indigenous and BPoC Knowledge Connection Fund

The Knowledge Connection Fund supports Indigenous, Black and People of Colour faculty and librarians (members) who require additional time to undertake assigned or approved work that is in support of University Initiatives in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization, Indigenization, or anti-oppression.

The Fund was established by the University of Victoria and the University of Victoria Faculty Association as part of the 2022-2025 Collective Agreement and has a dedicated allocation of $500,000.

Guidelines

Indigenous and BPoC members may request a maximum course release of 1.5 units per year from the fund.

In certain circumstances in which a member determines that a course release is not feasible, the member may request to have an amount equivalent to the cost of the course release deposited in their research account. In these cases, the application must demonstrate that the funds will be used to hire support that will provide time to the member equivalent to that of a course release. A budget outlining how the funds will be used must accompany the application to the fund.

Eligibility and criteria

Applications to this fund must demonstrate the following:

• The work to be undertaken is not part of Normal Workload.
• The work is not already supported by an Alternate Workload arrangement or course release.
• The work was assigned or approved by the Chair* or Associate Dean Indigenous.
• There is evidence demonstrating that the time required to undertake the work is approximately equivalent to the time required to teach a 1.5 unit course. In cases where multiple initiatives contribute to the equivalency, they can be combined.

*includes director of school or dean in the case of non-departmentalized faculties

In cases of a course release requested for work already completed or in progress, applicants must briefly explain how the time provided through a course release (or support as described above) will support work related to their Academic and Professional Responsibilities that they were unable to complete given time commitments associated with work that meets the criteria outlined above.

Application process

• Applications to the fund will be accepted on an on-going basis. The committee will meet to assess applications and make determinations on their eligibility to the fund once at the beginning of each term, starting January 2024 and until all available funds have been expended.
• Applications must be submitted directly to the chair of the Committee (deputyprovost@uvic.ca).
• Members are required to submit their applications to their Chair and Dean for comment before submitting to the Committee and these comments must be included as part of the application package. Comments should confirm feasibility of the proposed timing of the course release.
• The application must indicate in which term the course release is to be taken. If the application is for support for other activities as outlined in the criteria above, the application shall include a draft budget.

Apply now

Please submit your completed application form to the chair of the Committee: deputyprovost@uvic.ca.