Salaries/Benefits
The attached pages provide information on salaries and economic benefits and links to further resources. Should the information linked here not answer your questions, please do contact us directly.
BC College Pension Plan
As of 2021, SFU Faculty members belong to the BC College Pension Plan (BCCPP), a jointly-trusteed, defined-benefit pension plan that provides retirement benefits according to a formula based on years of service.
The BCCPP is one of BC’s largest pension plans, providing retirement security for some 35,000 people working at 24 institutions in the post-secondary sector. The plan is governed by a Board of trustees comprised of union representatives, employer representatives, and government appointees.
Members automatically contribute to the BCCPP with each paycheck, with employer contributions slightly above the roughly 10% paid by members. The benefit paid on retirement is approximately 2% per year of service, though this may be reduced if members retire earlier than age 65. That is, a member who retires at or over 65 years of age after 35 years of service will receive an annual pension approximating 70% of their salary (benefit based on the average of one’s best five years). A member who retires at or over 65 years of age with 25 years service will receive an annual pension benefit approximating 50% of their salary. Retirements below age 65 are possible, but benefits are reduced in recognition of the longer-anticipated draw on benefits.
The BCCPP includes provisions of benefits for spouses, and an optional medical benefits plan that is available to members.
The above is only a general description of the plans terms; for details please see the BCCPP website, which includes both general information and a secure link to review details of one’s own anticipated pension benefits.
SFU Pension Plan
Prior to July 2021, SFUFAS members belonged to SFU’s Academic Staff Pension Plan. This was a defined-contribution plan – that is, rather than providing a pre-determined benefit upon returning, each member’s pension was based on the amount s/he paid into the plan over the course of her/ his career.
Members who made contributions prior to enrollment in the BCCPP may still be members of the Academic Staff Pension Plan, which continues to exist to manage the funds of its members.
For information on the Academic Staff Pension plan, including a list of the trustees should you wish to contact them, please see: http://www.sfu.ca/human-resources/faculty/pensions.html
For a summary and a link to the full text of the plan, please see: http://www.sfu.ca/human-resources/faculty/pensions/academic-staff-pension-plan-summary.html
Canada Pension Plan
The Canada Pension Plan is a government plan into which all Canadian workers pay. Information on CPP is available here.
SFU’s Professional Development Reimbursement benefit provides long-term members and most limited term appointments with $1910 in PDR that may be claimed to cover expenses related to the purchase of books or periodicals; memberships in learned societies and professional organizations; the purchase of employment-related equipment; travel expenses for study leaves or conferences and other expenses related to teaching, scholarship or related academic activities. To be eligible for reimbursement, expenses must meet the criteria established by the University, and claims must be submitted with supporting documentation according to the policies and practices of the university.
Each year, a member may request reimbursement for costs up to the amount in her/ his PDR bank, which includes that year’s entitlement plus any unused amounts from previous years to a maximum of four years in total.
Members can find their current professional development reimbursement balance, review ineligible expenses, download claims forms, and clarify the necessary requirements for submission of claims here.
SFUFA members have access to a range of benefits, from medical and dental to professional development funds and a (non-bargained) mortgage assistance program. In most cases, the specific details of coverage are not included in the Collective Agreement, so members will have to look in other places to find out what exactly is provided. The following is non-exhaustive, but provides access to information on the most commonly-sought benefits.
Medical coverage (Blue Cross)
Dental benefits (Blue Cross)
Long Term Disability (Manulife)
Employee and Family Assistance Plan (Homewood)
Upon retirement, SFUFA members continue to have access to medical and dental benefits through two different, optional plans.
An SFU group plan is available through SFU, and the BC College Pension Plan also maintains an extended health and dental plan for members. The two plans provide for different specific benefits, so members are encouraged to review both to determine which is most suitable for their particular needs.
Enhanced Early Retirement
SFU’s Enhanced Early Retirement (EER) program provides incentives to members to retire earlier than age 65. Not a bargained benefit, the EER is governed by University Policy and acceptance of applications is subject to employer discretion. The policy is reproduced below for the consideration of interested members.
Date July 1, 1997
Number A 21.06
General
The enhanced early retirement program is intended to provide an opportunity for Simon Fraser University Faculty Association bargaining unit members to retire early, contingent upon approval by the University.
- All SFUFA bargaining unit members 55 years of age or older may apply to the Chair1or Dean for enhanced early retirement.
- Applications are subject to the approval of the Dean, the Vice- President, Academic, the President and the Board of Governors after consultation with the Department.University approval will be granted only to those applications which are deemed to be in the best interests of the University. This approval may require that a position not be re-authorized for a period of time.
- The early retirement enhancement for bargaining unit members retiring under this Policy at least five years prior to normal date of retirement shall be a minimum of 14 months salary2This enhancement shall be reduced by 20% per year3for each year less than five years prior to normal date of retirement, as follows:
- retirement 4 years prior to normal date of retirement receives 80% of enhancement
- retirement 3 years prior to normal date of retirement receives 60% of enhancement
- retirement 2 years prior to normal date of retirement receives 40% of enhancement
- retirement 1 year prior to normal date of retirement receives 20% of enhancement
- The manner of the payment of the enhancement must be mutually agreeable to the University and the bargaining unit member. It may be in the form of a lump sum payment or a number of payments. Enhancement amounts may, within limits prescribed by Revenue Canada, be transferred to the Academic Pension Plan Voluntary Contribution Account or to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan or equivalent. Any amount not so transferred will normally be paid as regular income.
- Bargaining unit members considering early retirement should discuss Academic Pension Plan retirement income options and other benefit plans with the Pension Plan administrator.Eligible bargaining unit members are urged to seek independent tax, financial or related advice in order that the consequences of the retirement decision are adequately assessed.
- Retirees under this policy who were hired prior to September 1, 2001 shall be entitled to participate in the Retirees Benefits Plan. (see Appendix 1)
1 Director of a School, Division Head or University Librarian/Archivist.
2 Academic salary as of retirement date plus cash in lieu of the individual’s benefits.
3 The enhancement for retirements fewer than 5 years prior to normal date of retirement shall be prorated for parts of years prior to the normal date of retirement.
A 21.06
APPENDIX I
Benefits for Retirees
| Medical Services Plan | Yes | Employee will be reimbursed 50% of their medical premiums on a yearly basis. |
| Extended Health Care Plan (including vision and hearing) | Yes | Retiree with 10 years service or more pays 50%, otherwise Employee pays 100%. |
| Dental Plan (70/50) | Yes | Retiree with 10 years service or more pays 50%, otherwise Employee pays 100%. |
| Optional Life Insurance | Yes | Employee pays 100%. |
| Tuition waiver for family | Yes | |
| Homeowners Insurance | Yes | Employee pays 100% |
| Gym membership | Yes | SFU pays 100% |
Academic Resources
Aside from the rules and regulations that govern the work of faculty, librarians and other academic staff, a number of resources are available to assist members and provide support and guidance in the ever-evolving world of university teaching and research.
These pages provide links to resources that might be of use to members professionally – research services, teaching tools, tenure and promotion guides, and other materials that are of direct professional relevance.
Each year, SFUFA partners with Faculty Relations to conduct workshops on Renewal, Promotion and Tenure for members who are preparing for review.
Sessions for research faculty are held each Spring, and for teaching faculty each Fall.
The latest materials used in those presentations are available here:
Research Faculty – Renewal, Tenure and Promotion 2016
Teaching Appointments – Teaching Appointments Workshop 2012
SFUFA’s current RTP Advisor is Jeff McGuirk – [email protected] 778-782-3158
CAUT has prepared a Sample Teaching Dossier (PDF) which may be of assistance to members preparing files for review, promotion or tenure.
Resources to support teaching and learning are available to members who seek general support, information on new ideas or approaches, teaching technology resources and workshops or consulting for professional development in teaching.
The following is a good place to start: SFU’s Center for Educational Excellence (CEE). http://www.sfu.ca/cee.html, which assists individuals and units in any number of teaching and learning related matters.
The CAUT has also produced a guide to Teaching Dossiers which may be useful for members preparing for promotion or biennial review.
Research at SFU is generally governed by the Office of the Vice President Research and International whose website provides extensive information on the policies in effect, supports available, and administrative protocols.
The following items are of particular note, and members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this information and contact the Association should any issues arise.
Intellectual Property
Collective Agreement provisions related to intellectual property are in Article 18 of the Agreement.
For the general policy on intellectual property, please see the policy linked here.
For information on copyright, which generally applies to text and other scholarly products defined as a literary or creative work, see here.
For the terms governing inventions and products that may require patent or be commercialized, see the Patent Policy.
Scholarly Integrity and Misconduct
Scholarly integrity or misconduct complaints do arise. And they arise for a wide number of reasons and as a result of a wide range of actions, both intentional and unintentional. A scholarly misconduct complaint is a serious matter, and while the vast majority are dismissed or determined to result from miscommunication or inaccurate information, complaints should always be taken seriously, as the consequences can impact one’s reputation and career.
Collective Agreement terms related to scholarly integrity are in Article 17 of the Agreement, found here. SFU’s scholarly integrity policy can be found here; should you have any questions about the interpretation of either document, or become involved in a scholarly misconduct inquiry in any way, please contact the Association for assistance.
Research Grants
There are any number of sources for research support which are available to faculty members, both external to the University and provided or administered by SFU.
The major granting councils can be found online:
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) – formerly the Medical Research Council
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
- Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
- Canada Research Chairs Program
- Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE)
- Tri-Council(CIHR, NSERC AND SSHRC)
For overall support, the Office of Research Services is your starting point.
Grants facilitators, liaison officers and other supports are available, and can be accessed here.
Research at SFU is generally governed by the Office of the Vice President Research, whose website provides extensive information on the policies in effect, supports available, and administrative protocols.
The following items are of particular note, and members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this information and contact the Association should any issues arise.
Intellectual Property
Collective Agreement provisions related to intellectual property are in Article 18 of the Agreement.
For the general policy on intellectual property, please see the policy linked here.
For information on copyright, which generally applies to text and other scholarly products defined as a literary or creative work, see here.
For the terms governing inventions and products that may require patent or be commercialized, see the Patent Policy.
Scholarly Integrity and Misconduct
Scholarly integrity or misconduct complaints do arise. And they arise for a wide number of reasons and as a result of a wide range of actions, both intentional and unintentional. A scholarly misconduct complaint is a serious matter, and while the vast majority are dismissed or determined to result from miscommunication or inaccurate information, complaints should always be taken seriously, as the consequences can be serious to one’s reputation and career.
Collective Agreement terms related to scholarly intergrity are in Article 17 of the Agreement, found here. SFU’s scholarly integrity policy can be found here; should you have any questions about the interpretation of either document, or become involved in a scholarly misconduct inquiry in any way, please contact the Association for assistance.
Legal Decisions
The vast majority of cases taken on by the Association are resolved informally or through settlements that are often confidential. At times, however, issues do proceed to formal arbitration processes in which an independent third party makes a public ruling regarding a grievance or other dispute.
These public documents are available for members to review, and form part of Canadian case law for future reference. Where a non-confidential portion of an otherwise confidential settlement is shared, we will redact names of individuals, including the grievor, where the individual circumstance is not material to the public portion of the settlement.
Application for Interested Party Status by an SFU Adminstrator (decision April 2022):
In this preliminary matter, a former SFU Dean sought to obtain status at arbitration independent of SFU and involving her own legal counsel, arguing that the dispute in question put her individual reputation at risk. The Association argued that the actions and decisions at issue were actions and decisions of the Deanship and hence the University, and opposed the application. The arbitrator upheld the Association’s position.
Procedures following allegations of conflict of interest (decision June 2023). This “with prejudice” portion of larger and otherwise confidential settlement documents the steps the University is expected to take to respect fairness of process in the event that a conflict of interest is alleged against a member.
Teaching Faculty as Chairs (decision August 2023). This arbitration decision deals with an SFU practice of excluding Teaching Faculty from consideration for the role of Department Chair, including TPC Chair. The decision affirms that no such restriction exists.
This case dealt with the interpretation and application of Articles 35.41-35.46, which deal with processes and implications of hiring Term Lecturers for extended periods. This agreement regarding the interpretation of the Agreement was made as part of a larger settlement of the grievance. Link to the document.
This Fall 2024 arbitration hearing regarding teaching faculty found in favour of SFU. Following a previous successful arbitration award on behalf of a number of members (related to the Article 35 Interpretive Guide also provided in our legal resources), SFU re-hired a term Lecturer into a sessional role after determining an ongoing position was not needed.
The language of the Agreement prevents using temporary contracts in such circumstances where the courses offered are “the same or substantially similar”. The arbitrator found in this case that the courses in question did not meet that threshold, and therefore the use of a sessional appointment was allowed.
This arbitration deals extensively with one SFUFA member’s employment history and experience, and so we are posting this short summary rather than the decision itself.
Campus Services
Aside from negotiated benefits and the employment-related member services offered by SFUFA, the University and the SFU community offer a range resources and opportunities that may benefit members.
Maps of the three SFU campuses can be found here.
For information on parking availability and rates, please see SFU Parking.
The SFU Childcare Society offers care for infants and school-age children in a fully-licensed environment easily accessible for members working at the Burnaby campus. Though a private entity not officially managed by the University, the Society has a close relationship with SFU, and does offer some priority to faculty and staff. Please note that childcare spaces are limited, and substantial waiting lists are not uncommon.
Resources on maintaining a healthy work-life balance and dealing with particular pressures associated with care-giving, for children or elders, can be found here.
Housing is not offered by the University, but resources on short -term and long-term accommodations can be found on a web-page maintained by Faculty Relations.
New continuing employees may be eligible for mortgage interest assistance to the tune of $3000 per year for five years, under the terms of the Mortgage Interest Subsidy Policy.
Information related to campus safety and security is available here.
The University maintains a safewalk program 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Reports regarding campus safety or security can be made to Risk Services, and confidential reporting of sexual violence is available through the Sexual Violence Office.