Excerpt from BUFA CA (2019-2023 – updated October 2019)

ARTICLE 24: BRANDON UNIVERSITY RESEARCH COMMITTEE

24.1

All Brandon University-based research funds as well as General Research grants from NSERC/SSHRC earmarked for the support of research at Brandon University, with the exception of new externally generated funds targeted for specific research projects and/or research infrastructure enhancement, shall be administered by a Research Committee composed of:

• two (2) Members and one (1) alternate elected by and from each of the Faculties of Arts, Science, Education, Health Studies, and Music;
• one (1) Member and one alternate elected by and from among Members in Student Services and the Library;
• one (1) Dean/Director or Member and one (1) alternate appointed by the President;
• the Dean of Graduate Studies; and
• the Vice-President, or designate, who shall serve as

Faculty Members on an appointment of less than three (3) years are ineligible to serve on BURC. Members and alternates shall be elected for a three (3) year term (faculties are encouraged to avoid appointing both of their Members in the same year). In the event of a member of the Committee being on leave for six (6) months or more, they shall resign from the Committee and shall be replaced by the alternate, and a new alternate shall be elected. The relevant alternate shall serve as the replacement for a committee member who, by reason of other commitments, cannot attend a meeting or meetings, and shall assume the full rights of the member for the duration of the replacement period. If in the Committee’s judgement, the work of the Committee is suffering from a lack of participation, the Committee shall be empowered to remove members who have missed more than two (2) consecutive meetings and request a replacement from the area concerned.

24.2

The Committee shall establish its own procedures, and develop criteria for the administration of the funds which are just and equitable and consistent with the objective of nurturing and stimulating research and scholarship at Brandon University. These guidelines shall become a public document available to all applicants for Brandon University Research Committee (BURC) funding.

24.3

The BURC shall maintain records and deposit, in the Vice-President’s Office, copies of all proceedings, statements and correspondence related to the Committee’s policies and the awarding of grants. The Employer shall maintain records of the provenance of all BURC funds. This material will be made available to BUFA and published on the University website within three (3) months of the awards adjudication.

24.4

The Committee, or its designate, shall review the amount of salary which a Member wishes to be recorded as a research grant while on sabbatical or special leave. Any such amount is subject to assessment by Revenue Canada. The Committee is not responsible in any way for the results of such assessment or any discrepancy between the amounts approved by the Committee and the amounts which may be approved by Revenue Canada.

24.5

Applicants whose applications are rejected by the BURC shall have recourse to an appeals procedure. Notice of an appeal must be submitted to the Chair of the BURC no later than one (1) month after the applicant is notified of the decision. Within one (1) week of receiving notice of appeal, the Chair shall strike an Appeals Committee. Members of the Appeals Committee should be selected in light of research experience and expertise. The Committee will consist of:

• one Member appointed by BUFA;
• one appointment by the President; and
• a Chair chosen by the two (2) appointed

If the Member appointed by BUFA, the member appointed by the President, or the Chair selected by the other two members, or any combination thereof, is subsequently unable to serve, then those members of the Appeals Committee that have already been chosen shall remain in place. The member(s) unable to serve shall be replaced by the same process as the appointment of the original member(s).

The Appeals Committee shall establish its own procedures taking into account the provisions of this Article and the published policies and procedures for grant applications of the Research Committee. Should the appeal be upheld, the appellant will either be given first priority for funding at the next competition or other appropriate remedies identified by the Appeals Committee.

The decision of the Appeals Committee shall be final and binding on all Parties. The Appeals Committee shall communicate its decision and its reasons in writing to the appellant and the Chair of the BURC within one (1) month of hearing the appeal.

24.6

The Parties agree that Brandon University will pay an annual sum into the BURC fund, in addition to the funds allocated under the current formula, as follows: $20,000 in year one (1) of the Agreement; $30,000 in year two (2) of the Agreement; $40,000 in year three (3) of the Agreement; and $50,000 in year four (4) of the Agreement.