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SSHRC adjudication committees disapprove of proposals that overly rely on students' labour. SSHRC has specific expectations for , which require proposals including students to demonstrate a rich educational experience within a reasonable budget.

Rich 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Training Experiences

For a rich research training experience, leverage resources beyond the PI. The Faculty of Graduate Studies and 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Offices provide professional development that meet SSHRC's expectations.

The 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Ethics Office offers essential ethics training courses for SSHRC-oriented graduate students.

is a program that offers funding and internship opportunities for graduate students and Post-Doctoral Fellows through community-research partnerships. Contact Eric Loo at the U of A for more information.

Consider involving undergraduate students in research through the Undergraduate 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Initiative (URI) and post opportunities on the 

Offer your RAs access to these writing support programs for Effective 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Training:

• Writing Across the Curriculum (WaC): Workshops and support for Instructors, Departments, and Students.
• Writing Services: Free writing support for 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ instructors and staff.
• Community Service-Learning (CSL): Promotes community-engaged learning through reciprocal relationships.

Budgeting

When budgeting for graduate students in your proposal, follow these guidelines to avoid 'padded' budgets:

1. Consider budgeting for graduate students in one of four ways at the 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ:

   • Academically-Related Employment (ARE): Paid as casual support staff on an hourly basis.
   • Graduate 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Assistants (GRA): Full or part-time positions.
   • Graduate 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Assistant Fellowship: Fellowship-based funding.
   • Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA): Teaching assistant positions.

2. Remuneration for graduate students depends on collective bargaining agreements between the university and the Graduate Students Union. It varies based on position type (hourly, monthly, or by term) and experience level (step and range). Full-time graduate students typically have a limit of 12 hours per week and 8 hours per day.

For more details, refer to these documents:

• Graduate Student Assistantship (GSA) Collective Agreement Information Sheet for Graduate Students
• Key Messages for Graduate Students (Graduate Student Assistantship (GSA) Appointments)

To enhance your proposal and meet SSHRC's requirements, consider the following:

1. Student Involvement:
   • SSHRC discourages excessive reliance on student labor. Ensure your proposal demonstrates effective student research training with a focus on a rich educational experience within a reasonable budget.
   • Utilize resources such as the Faculty of Graduate Studies and 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Offices' professional development options to enhance research training.
   • Include ethics training courses offered by the 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Ethics Office for SSHRC-oriented graduate students.
   • Leverage the Mitacs program to secure funding and internships through community-research partnerships.
2. Undergraduate Engagement: Consider involving undergraduate students through the Undergraduate 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Initiative, providing them with research opportunities.
3. Writing Support Programs: Offer access to writing support programs like Writing Across the Curriculum (WaC) and Writing Services to ensure effective research training.
4. Community Engagement: Explore community-engaged learning opportunities through Community Service-Learning (CSL).
5. Budgeting:
   • Avoid 'padded' budgets and any perception of funding an entire graduate program with a single grant.
   • Budget for graduate students using options such as Academically-Related Employment (ARE), Graduate 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Assistants (GRA), Graduate 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Assistant Fellowships, or Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA).
   • Familiarize yourself with the remuneration details outlined in collective agreements and relevant resources provided by the 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ.

By following these recommendations, you can strengthen your proposal and align it with SSHRC's expectations.

Key information resources

• Faculty of Graduate Studies
• Graduate Students' Association
• Graduate Students' Association Collective Agreement
• Hourly casual / support staff salary scales
• Graduate student monthly salary plus award scales
• Career and Placement Services (CAPs) provides career and job supports and resources for staff, students, and faculty, and allows you to recruit casual RAs.