Approved Administrative Committee 1259.1
AWARDS AND ASSISTANTSHIPS
- ENDOWMENT FUNDS
- UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE
- SCHOLARSHIPS, PRIZES AND BURSARIES
- UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL
- FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS
- GRADUATE LEVEL
INTRODUCTION
The University of Ottawa offers a variety of scholarships, bursaries, prizes, loans, assistantships and other forms of financial support to its students.
This policy excludes government supported financial aid programs (loans and bursaries).
- The Financial Aid and Awards Service and the School of Graduate Studies and Research are responsible for the overall administration of financial support programs. The faculties, schools and departments, the Admissions Office, Financial Services and the Alumni and Development Office have different responsibilities in the administration of these programs: Alumni and Development is responsible for collecting and depositing money in the appropriate trust funds; the faculties, schools and departments are responsible for recommending or selecting award recipients, although this selection may sometimes be made by the donor, or by the donor in conjunction with the University; Financial Services is responsible for the financial management and the investment of the funds.
- The programs are financed by money from external donors or from the University's. In the first case, money may be donated to the University and deposited in a trust fund for later use, or may be donated for awarding as the need arises. Money in the trust accounts is deposited into non-expendable or expendable accounts. According to Policy 111 on the preservation of capital, an endowment fund is one from which only the interest earned through the investment of the capital may be used to support the program. In an expendable account, all money received may be used to support the program, unless otherwise indicated in the terms of reference.
- ENDOWMENT FUNDS
UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE
The following are the responsibilities of the Financial Aid and Awards Service (undergraduate level and financial need) and the School of Graduate Studies and Research (graduate level).
A.1. Open and maintain a centralized file containing all original documents or the master copy of all documents pertaining to the programs. The file must also contain a copy of all documents resulting in the establishment of an endowment fund (in particular, the Board of Governors' approval of the creation of the fund, as well as the terms of reference of the award).
A.2. Inform the faculties, schools and departments of both the availability and administrative procedures of the funds.
A.3. Select the recipients based on the recommendations of the faculties, schools and departments, unless otherwise indicated in the terms of reference.
A.4. Authorize the payment of the scholarship, prize or bursary by means of an electronic transfer to Financial Services requesting either a credit to the student's account or the issuing of a cheque. Only the Awards Offer form (undergraduate), the Scholarship Acceptance form (graduate) or the Request for Payment (prizes) can be accepted when payment is authorized by the University.
A.5. Publish and distribute publicity regarding the awards, in co-operation with the faculties, schools and departments.
A.6. Open and control the interest accounts for the endowment funds under their jurisdiction and ensure, by means of a monthly statement, that the financial transactions are made in the proper accounts.
The following are the responsibilities of the faculties, schools and departments, the Alumni and Development Office and Financial Services.
Faculties, schools and departments
A.7. Inform the Alumni and Development Office as well as the appropriate awards office of the possible creation of an endowment fund.
A.8. Send the recommendation or selection of recipients to the appropriate awards office.
A.9. Send all requests for payment, offers or acceptances concerning a scholarship, bursary or prize to the appropriate awards office.
Alumni and Development Office
A.10. Establish a draft of the eligibility criteria and administrative procedures, in co-operation with the donor and the faculties, schools and departments.
A.11. Have this draft approved by the appropriate awards office; also, prepare and send the request for creation of the fund to the Board of Governors for its approval.
A.12. Collect and deposit money in the endowment funds.
A.13. Issue official income-tax receipts.
A.14. Encourage the faculties, schools and departments to establish and maintain good relationships with the donors (stewardship program).
Financial Services
A.15. Invest the capital in the endowment funds, calculate and distribute the interest, and send this information to the appropriate awards office.
A.16. Insure that all accounts for the endowment funds belong exclusively to the cost centre of the appropriate awards office.
A.17. Ensure that only documents duly authorized by the appropriate awards office are accepted to make a financial transaction.
- SCHOLARSHIPS, PRIZES AND BURSARIES
UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL
The Financial Aid and Awards Service has the overall responsibility for the administration of undergraduate scholarships and prizes and for all bursaries.
B.1. Open and maintain a complete file containing all the original documents or the master copy of all documents pertaining to the programs.
B.2. Distribute the scholarships funded by the operating budget of the University of Ottawa according to the rules and standards in effect.
B.3. Inform the faculties, schools and departments of both the availability and administrative procedures of the awards.
B.4. Verify the eligibility of the candidates recommended by the faculties, schools and departments.
B.5. Maintain a data bank of external agencies that offer undergraduate awards.
B.6. Distribute publicity and application forms.
B.7. As a liaison office with the external agencies, perform administrative functions needed for the submission of applications and for the verification of recipients' eligibility.
B.8. In co-operation with the Alumni and Development Office, collect funds as necessary for awards whose funding is only sent to the University once the recipient has been selected.
B.9. Authorize payment of the award by means of an electronic transfer to Financial Services requesting either a credit to the student's account or the issuing of a cheque. Only the Awards Offer form can be used when payment is authorized by the University.
B.10. Renew the awards as necessary.
B.11. Open and control all accounts for awards programs under their jurisdiction and ensure, by means of a monthly statement, that the financial transactions are made in the proper accounts.
The following are the responsibilities of faculties, schools and departments, the Alumni and Development Office, Financial Services, the Admissions Office and the student.
Faculties, schools and departments
B.12. Send all documentation concerning new awards to the Undergraduate Awards Office.
B.13. Send the recommendation or selection of recipients to the Undergraduate Awards Office.
B.14. Send all requests for payment and offers of award to the Undergraduate Awards Office.
B.15. Send a copy of all pertinent deposit slips and journal entries to the Undergraduate Awards Office and to the Alumni and Development Office.
Alumni and Development Office
B.16. Draft the terms of reference and administrative procedures in co-operation with the donor.
B.17. Have this draft approved by the Undergraduate Awards Office.
B.18. In co-operation with the Undergraduate Awards Office, collect funds as necessary for awards whose funding is only sent to the University once the recipient has been selected.
B.19. Deposit the money into the appropriate account and send a copy of the deposit to the Undergraduate Awards Office.
B.20. Issue official income-tax receipts.
Financial Services
B.21. Ensure that all accounts for the awards programs belong exclusively to the cost centre of the Undergraduate Awards Office.
B.22. Ensure that only forms duly authorized by the Financial Aid and Awards Service are accepted to issue a cheque or to credit the account of a student.
Admissions Office
B.23. Send the admission scholarship offer to eligible undergraduate students.
Students
B.24. Inform the Undergraduate Awards Office if they become ineligible for an award (change in status of registration or citizenship).
- FINANCIAL SUPPORT
GRADUATE LEVEL
The School of Graduate Studies and Research has the overall responsibility for the financial support programs offered to graduate students and for all research scholarships.
C.1.Internal Awards
- Verify the candidate's eligibility.
- Award the scholarships funded by the University's operating budget according to the rules and standards in effect.
- Inform the academic unit and the candidate of the decision.
- Maintain a complete file on the candidate.
- Carry out the necessary financial transactions.
- Renew the scholarships as necessary.
- Ensure that all standards and policies are observed.
C.2.External Awards
- Maintain a data bank of agencies offering scholarships at the graduate level.
- Distribute publicity and application forms.
- As liaison office with the external agencies, perform administrative functions needed for the submission of applications and for the verification of recipients' eligibility.
- Distribute competition results to the academic units.
C.3.Differential Tuition Fee Waivers
- Verify the candidate's eligibility.
- Award the waivers according to the policies and standards in effect.
- Inform the academic unit and the candidate of the decision.
- Maintain a complete file on the candidate.
- Renew the waivers as necessary.
- Ensure that all policies and standards are observed.
C.4.Research and Teaching Assistantships
- Recommend the annual pay rates for research and teaching assistantships, inform the academic units of these rates, and ensure that all standards and policies governing the remuneration of graduate students are observed.
The following are the responsibilities of the faculties, schools and departments, Financial Services and the student.
Faculties, schools and departments
- Establish an academic file, select the candidates according to the standards and procedures established by the SGSR and the external agencies.
- Recommend the candidates to the SGSR or the external agencies by the appropriate deadline.
Financial Services
- Ensure that all accounts for the awards programs belong exclusively to the cost centre of the SGSR.
- Ensure that all documents used for financial transactions have been signed or initialled by duly authorized personnel of the SGSR.
Students
- Inform the School of Graduate Studies and Research if they become ineligible for the award (change in status of registration or citizenship).
- ENDOWMENT FUNDS
DEFINITIONS
Prize
An award such as a certificate, a medal or a sum of money (large or small) recognizing academic excellence.
Scholarship
Monetary award given in recognition of academic excellence and usually requiring that the recipient pursue full-time or part-time studies.
Bursary
Non-refundable financial aid designed to help students pursue full-fime or part-time studies.
EXCEPTION
There can be no exception to this policy without the written consent of the Director of Financial Aid and Awards Service (Undergraduate) or of the Vice-Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research (Graduate).
Published January 19, 1994
(Office of the Vice-President, Research andOffice of the Vice-President, External Relations)