Reimbursement of Educational Costs

Responsibility: Associate Vice-President, Financial Services 
Authorization: Board of Governors
Approval Date: Jun 28, 2001

The University of Saskatchewan encourages employees to enrich their employment through degree and certificate programs, through professional and specific skill-related courses, and other means of professional development. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance regarding the reimbursement of educational costs.

The University of Saskatchewan uses specific guidelines to determine whether reimbursement of educational costs is appropriate and whether these reimbursements will be considered a taxable benefit to the employee. There are three broad categories of educational costs and specific requirements that apply to each:

• Specific Employment Related Training - Subject to availability of funds, the University of Saskatchewan will reimburse tuition and related mandatory fees for courses leading to a degree, diploma or certificate in a field related to the employee's current or potential future responsibilities at the University of Saskatchewan. No taxable benefit will result.
  
  
• General Employment Related Training - The University may reimburse other employment related courses if relevance to employment is evident. Examples of such courses would include stress management, employment equity, first aid. No taxable benefit will result.
  
  
• Personal Interest Training - The University will not reimburse personal interest training that is not related to the employee's duties.

Claims for reimbursement of educational costs may be made from the following sources, dependant upon the employee's bargaining unit affiliation and entitlements:

• Accountable Professional Expense Fund (APEF).
• Deans' and Senior Administrators' Professional Expense Fund (DSAPEF).
• ASPA Professional Development Fund.
• ASPA Collective Agreement (Tuition Waiver).
• CUPE 1975 Educational Fund.
• Faculty Association Collective Agreement (Tuition Waiver).
• Department Budget - approval of the Dean or Department Head must be obtained prior to registering for the course.

Each source of reimbursement has specific requirements regarding authorization and reimbursable expenditures.