To assist faculty in assessing eligibility for a GCR and the process to request a GCR, please review the applicable clause, the Frequently Asked Questions, and the process outlined below.

Excerpt from the Collective agreement between UPEI and the UPEI Faculty Association Bargaining Unit #1 (expires June 30, 2026):

H1.5.3 As of date of signing, Faculty Members who hold, as principal investigator or co-principal investigator, one or more external, peer-reviewed research operating grants of $20,000 per year or more shall receive one (1) course release (3 contact hours) per grant to be used only when insufficient supervision credits under H1.4.2(d) exist to provide a release. Releases must be used during the period of the grant and only one such release may be used in any academic year. Faculty Members subject to H1.5.1 are eligible for a release under this section.

Are you eligible for Grant Course Release (GCR)?

Funding Amount?

• $20,000 per year or more OR
• At least one year of the multi-year grant is >$20,000

Period of grant?

• The active period of the grant and the auto-extension year (if applicable) are all valid time frames for requesting GCR.

Principal investigator or co-principal investigator?

• Principal Investigator (PI) is eligible: The role responsible for coordinating the financial and administrative aspects of the grant/award, as well as leading the intellectual direction of the proposed activities. May also be referred to as nominated principal applicant, principal applicant or director.
• Co-Principal Investigator is eligible: The Co-PI shares responsibility with the nominated Principal Investigator for the direction of the proposed activities. May also be referred to as co-principal applicant or co-director. Note that many programs do not allow for co-principal investigator status.
  • Only individuals listed on the grant application with the above or equivalent roles will be eligible for H1.5.3. Individuals in other roles (e.g., co-applicant, collaborator, co-supervisor) are not eligible.

Operating?

• Financial support for an individual or group (or a research centre or institute) to research a particular subject area or field is eligible. Although the research area may be defined, there are usually no conditions about the research directions. (as per the Office of Research Services, Research @ UPEI Start-Up Guide.
• Funding directed to research equipment, e.g. CFI funding or NSERC RTI, is not eligible.

Funder?

The funder must be an organization external to UPEI.

Peer-reviewed?

• Grants must be peer-reviewed. Peer review may be conducted by a panel of experts set up by the agency, by external reviewers, or by some combination of both methods. Current grants approved with peer-review criteria:
  • All Tri-Agency Grants
  • Mitacs Grants
  • PEI Climate Challenge Fund
  • Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
  • If not on the list, the onus is on the PI/co-PI to submit confirmation of peer review

Meet all the requirements?

• Consult with your Chair and/or Dean as early as possible. While an eligible course release is guaranteed in the Collective Agreement (H1.5.3), the exact course/semester (teaching assignment) will be determined by them in consultation with you (H1.2).
• Submit an event in the UPEI Researcher Portal (ROMEO) under your eligible grant using the Grant Course Release form, indicating the course, the semester and the year of requested release.
  • If applicable, submit the funder details describing the peer-review process
• The Chair and/or Dean will confirm if there is a current teaching release for H.1.4.2d.
• The Chair and/or Dean will need to approve this request in ROMEO.

Process for Office of Research Service (ORS):

1.  PI submits the Grant Course Release event form in the UPEI Researcher Portal, under the grant that they are requesting release for

   1.1  PI obtains Chair and Dean approval, as applicable, via ROMEO.

2.  ORS receives requests and reviews to ensure it meets the criteria defined in UPEIFA CA H1.5.3.
3.  Once eligibility is confirmed, ORS will route it to AVPR for approval that funding will be provided.
4.  AVPR to route decision to ORS.

5.  ORS notifies the PI, Chair, and Dean of the decision.

   5.1  If ineligible, ORS will provide details to the PI, Chair and Dean.

   5.2  If eligible, ORS notifies Administrative Assistant to the AVPR who will receive requests for payment when needed: SAR and/or Sessional Contract Form, and/or PTF will need the account number and AVPR approval once submitted by unit requesting a sessional stipend or other backfill such as a TA.

6.  ORS will update the grant file on ROMEO with the course release.

Process for Chairs/Deans: 

1.  Approve event form: The Dean (and Chair, if appropriate) approves the request based on evaluating supervision credits (H.1.4.2d) and teaching assignments for the unit (H1.2). However, note that the course release is meant to be given while holding the grant. Deans, Chairs and PIs/Co-PIs are encouraged to have discussions and make plans that best support the researchers and suit the teaching needs of the unit.

2.  Request money for teaching release: 

   2.1  Typically, this is expected to be a sessional stipend to hire a backfill. Sessional hiring is covered under G1.2-1.5. 

          2.1.1  The unit may use the approval notification from ORS as evidence of funding when submitting a SAR to advertise (if necessary, G1.3d, G1.4c). The Dean submits the Sessional/Faculty Overload Contract Information Form to Administrative Assistant to the AVPR to add the payment information. 

   2.2  Some PIs/Co-PIs may request course release in the form of release from other contact hours e.g. labs or tutorials (H1.42b,c). Deans submit a request for these funds to the AVPR via a PTF for payroll to Administrative Assistant to the AVPR.