We wish to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land

Learn more

2024 - Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics. Privacy Policy

Dunlap InstituteAbout U of T Astronomy & AstrophysicsInternalPolicies & Forms

Policies & Forms

Financial Matters

1. Colloquium Subsidy Policy

Lunch Subsidy

Including the speaker, up to $80 for 4 or fewer people; $100 for 5 or more people.

Dinner Subsidy

The new scheme will require at least 3 and no more than 7 students.

  • Speaker: $100 (which includes wine or other)
  • Students; $32/each

So, if 5 students, then the total is $260.

Application of the Subsidy

The meals of the colloquium speaker is paid for in full and whatever is left is available for the meals of the other attendees.  If this doesn’t cover the total bill then the rest of the people at the meal divide the residual cost and thus co-pay.  This is a subsidy program, not a carte blanche; a corollary, based on some history, is that for large parties attendees (other than speaker) should expect to incur some amount of co-payment.

These guidelines apply to the use of Departmental funds and require receipts for reimbursement. Where appropriate, hosting faculty members might top up the meal expenses using their research grants or UTFA (Professional Expense Reimbursement Allowance) funds.

Accounting

The host submits the completed Expense Report Form with original receipts and names of participants to the Financial Officer for reimbursement.

2. Health Insurance Outside Canada

In accordance with the University of Toronto Policy for Safety in Field Research, it is the responsibility of departments to inform their faculty, staff and graduate students that they should arrange for health insurance coverage while away from Canada on departmental or observatory business. This is necessary even if you have OHIP coverage, since this does not cover all costs of hospitalization or outpatient clinics in foreign countries. The University of Toronto does not generally cover the cost of this insurance, and such coverage cannot be paid from NSERC grants.

The purpose of this notice is to inform each faculty/staff member and graduate student of their responsibility for obtaining such coverage before travelling in connection with their university employment. In some instances, coverage may already be provided if you have extended health care associated with programs such as Blue Cross. If you do not already have appropriate coverage, you should obtain travel insurance on a trip-by-trip basis. In this case the department/observatory will refund the cost of travel insurance to non-academic staff as part of their trip expenses, provided the trip is for departmental/observatory business.

You are required to sign the form, available in the main office at DA, acknowledging that you have received this notice and accept the responsibility for obtaining appropriate medical insurance for such trips.

3. U of T Human Resources Section for Health Claims

These forms can be found on the U of T Human Resources Page or you can download them here.

Extended Health Care Claim (General Form)
Dental Claim Form
Vision Care Claim Form

4. Travel and Other Reimbursable Expenses

The University of Toronto will reimburse out-of-pocket, university business travel and related expenses that are legitimate, reasonable and appropriate for the business activity undertaken, and that meet the terms and conditions imposed by the funding source used to pay for them. The guiding principle is that the individual should neither gain nor lose personal funds as a result of travel assignments. Original receipts from suppliers must support all expense reimbursement claim items, except for per diem claims where applicable. Where original receipts are not available due to shared funding arrangements, a copy of the reimbursement cheque from the other funding source should accompany the request for reimbursement from the University. The mode of travel considered reasonable is that which provides adequate standards of comfort, convenience, safety and efficiency, and is the most economical option under the circumstances. All expense claims should be submitted for reimbursement on a timely basis, and it would be unreasonable to expect reimbursement after more than one year after the related expenses have been incurred.

Reimbursement of eligible costs can be requested as soon as these costs have been incurred, via an expense reimbursement form. In some circumstances (for example, absence of credit card), accountable advances are available. Use of this payment option should be limited as it is the least economical method of payment for the University. Please contact the DADDAA Department Manager (alena.wasney@utoronto.ca) or the Dunlap Institute Business and Financial Manager (alice.chow@utoronto.ca) if you would like to request an advance.

https://finance.utoronto.ca/policies/gtfm/travel-and-other-reimbursable-expenses/travel-and-other-reimbursable-expenses-policies-and-guidelines/

5. Other Forms

Student Publication Fund

David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics & Dunlap Institute Student Publication Fund

The goal of the David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (DADDAA) & Dunlap Institute Student Publication Fund is to encourage astronomy graduate students at the University of Toronto (U of T) to publish papers in academic journals. The fund will pay up to the full publication charges in cases where a U of T astronomy graduate student is the first author on a refereed publication. Where a graduate student is a co-author, the fund will pay up to the student’s pro-rated share (half if two authors, a third if three, etc.).

Eligibility

  • An applicant must normally be a graduate student primarily supervised by a full member of the graduate faculty in DADDAA at U of T at the time of the paper being submitted.
  • The paper must be in an approved refereed journal, and the supervisor must approve (for style and content) the paper prior to its submission.
  • In the case of papers arising from theses but published after the student has left the department, each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and such requests must be made and approved before the paper is submitted. Note that:

    • The paper or papers need to be submitted within approximately one year of the student’s completion of the requirements for the degree.
    • The (former) supervisor agrees that the papers are mainly based on the thesis.
    • One of the author’s affiliations shown on the paper must be DADDAA (plus Dunlap Institute or CITA if appropriate).
  • Applications from postdoctoral fellows who do not have an annual research allowance, SURP students, undergraduate students, or other students in astronomy will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Such requests must be made and approved before the paper is submitted. In the event of any shortage of funds, astronomy graduate students will take precedence.

Value

The value can be up to the full cost of the paper, although contributions from other sources are encouraged. Open access fees or data charges will be considered on a case by case basis.

Payment Process

  1. For estimated charges below CA$2,000: please contact the Graduate Administrator Margaret Meaney (meaney@utoronto.ca). This is necessary in order that the department can keep track of the work being done by its members.
  2. For estimated charges equal or above CA$2,000, please contact the Graduate Administrator Margaret Meaney for advance approval prior to the paper being submitted.
  3. For all other students and Postdoctoral fellows, please contact the DADDAA Manager Alena Wasney or the Dunlap Institute Manager Alice Chow for advance approval prior to the paper being submitted.

Questions

If you have any questions, please email Margaret Meaney (margaret.meaney@utoronto.ca).

TA Hiring Policy

  • Traditionally, the hiring of teaching assistants and campus observers is the responsibility of the Associate Chair.
  • For the purpose of this hiring policy, the term “teaching assistant” will also cover and include “campus observer”.
  • This document has been updated to reflect the hiring policy as of the latest CUPE 3902 Unit 1 Collective Agreement (2021-2023).

Job Posting

Teaching assistant positions are first offered to those owed a subsequent appointment. Notification of intention to take up a subsequent appointment is typically sent by April. Once these offers have been made, remaining positions are offered (including for those recently accepted into M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs in astronomy and not yet arrived on campus). Secondary postings are often made in November for unfilled winter-term positions and in March/April for unfilled summer-term positions. These postings include the name of each course where positions are expected to be available, the expected enrolment, the instructor, and an estimate of the number of positions in each course. It should be understood that announcements of vacancies are tentative and subject to final course determinations, enrolments, and budgets. All positions available are listed on the TA portal’s posting board (https://taships.iit.artsci.utoronto.ca/ast/postings); official postings are on the HR posting board: https://unit1.hrandequity.utoronto.ca/ The department will usually post notice on its website that new postings are available. This includes Emergency Postings.

Application Procedure

Application is made through the Astronomy and Astrophysics TA portal, unless otherwise noted in the posting: https://taships.iit.artsci.utoronto.ca/ast/login

This form asks for a priority list of desired positions.

Notice of Appointment

Applicants will informally be notified of their offer through the TA portal. They will also be sent the DDAH through the portal. On accepting the offer in the portal, the department will then send the official letter of offer to be signed and returned to the department.

Hiring Criteria

Preference in hiring is given to astronomy graduate students. Only when there are an insufficient number of astronomy graduate students to fill available positions will people outside the department be hired. These may include fourth year undergraduates or even people who are not students if they have the appropriate experience and background. Hiring criteria will be listed clearly in all job postings, and it will include a notice whether preference in hiring will be made for those who have teaching experience, or for those who need teaching experience. A list of duties that the role will include will also be included in the posting. The final appointments are made by the Associate Chair in consultation with course instructors.

Subsequent Appointments

Ph.D. candidates are entitled to five appointments in the years following the initial appointment (meaning, six total appointments), and afterwards, a guarantee of 70 hours of appointments during the academic year. These subsequent positions will involve a number of hours at least equal to that allocated to the greater of the first two appointments, and at least 70 hours in the third-and-following appointments if the first two appointments were at least 35 hours. Notification to take up a subsequent appointment will be distributed to eligible students by the end of April, and the department generally notifies of which course(s) were assigned by the end of summer.

Similarly, Master’s students who are eligible to receive the SGS II rate of pay (third or later year of a Master’s program) are entitled to receive one subsequent appointment following the initial appointment. The length, timing, and nature of the second appointment are determined in the same way as for Ph.D. students.

The rules governing subsequent appointments are, of course, subject to the student’s continued registration in the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto.

Hours of Work

A regular load is one that requires an average of five hours per week for a total of 140 hours of work per academic session (i.e., two terms). This would normally consist of a position in two half courses. Work loads equivalent to those of a regular position may be compressed into a shorter time period in accordance with the needs of the department. Graduate students beyond their second year of study may carry a greater load than normal in a given year provided that positions are available. Students may also request to take a TA position of 35 hours, particularly if they are receiving extra stipendiary funds. 35hrs is the minimum work in a year to receive full CUPE 3902 union health and dental benefits. These positions should only be taken by applicants who have achieved candidacy.

Description of Duties and Allocation of Hours (DDAH)

Each teaching assistant position in the department has a formal job description attached to it. This has been completed by the instructor or supervisor normally responsible for the position. This DDAH is provided to a new employee soon after being offered the appointment and, in signing it, that person is acknowledging the duties and hours described therein.

All duties are included in the required number of hours for each appointment. These duties may include some or all of the following: teaching assistant training sessions, preparation for classes, invigilating exams and term tests, preparation of written or audio-visual materials, attending lectures, teaching, demonstrating telescopes and other equipment, leading discussions and supervising laboratories, rating students work, holding office hours, consulting with students, writing and grading tests, examinations and lab reports, grading essays and term papers, setting up experiments or equipment, administering observing schedules, maintaining equipment, conducting field trips to DDO, and conferring with the supervisor or professor in charge.

It is the responsibility of the supervisor to specify in appropriate detail the way the assigned duties are to be performed and to ensure that the total hours of work as set out in the job description are not exceeded.

Students will have an initial meeting with their instructor, included in their paid hours and listed in the DDAH, to discuss the duties and hours contained in it. They also have time for a midyear review (which may either be in the middle of the calendar term, or at the mid-point of the work done). If a TA feels that they will be over their hours as outlined in the DDAH, they should bring this up to their supervisor as soon as possible. It is best practice that TAs record their actual hours worked.

Short Term Leave

If it becomes necessary for a teaching assistant to be away from the department (for a telescope observing run, for example) and be unable to fulfill his or her regular responsibilities, then the assistant must arrange to exchange, substitute, or postpone duties. Approval for such leaves, exchanges, or substitutions should be requested as far in advance as possible from the appropriate job supervisor.

Key Policy

Key Request Form Download

Key Requests Form

Building and Room Keys

Keys are available from the front office with proper authorization and payment of deposit.

Authorization

Keys are issued to students only at the request of their supervising faculty.
Faculty must send an email stating the name of the student, and the rooms for which keys are needed.

Key Deposits

There is a $25 deposit for each key. The deposit can be paid by cash or cheque. You will be given a receipt. Please hold on to it, as you will need it to claim the deposit refund.

The deposit will be refunded via cheque and will be mailed to the mailing address on file with the front office. Note that updating ROSI or the payroll office does not update the file at the front office.

Things You Should Know

  • Your keys are your responsibility. Do not lend them to anyone.
  • *If a key is lost it must be reported.*
  • The keys should be returned at the end of the term (after exams).

After Hours Safety

DO NOT prop doors open. DO NOT let people you do not know into the building. RELOCK hallway doors – double check the door handle to make sure the hallway door is relocked once you have gained entry. You can relock the door by turning your key in the opposite direction. If you notice suspicious activity, call campus police at 416-978-2222 or 911. In case of emergency, the emergency yellow boxes installed on the wall right next to Cody Hall and one on the wall next to the men’s washroom in the basement are connected to the campus police direct.

Long-distance Calls, Printing, etc.

In these very difficult budgetary times it is essential that we keep track of all costs. Long-distance calls have proved to be a bane in this regard. There are three categories of such calls: (i) those made for research purposes which are charged to supervisors’ operating grants, (ii) those made for administrative purposes, charged to the department, and (iii) personal calls. Please cooperate by filling in the appropriate forms located next to telephones or available in the department office whenever you make a long-distance call.

There are three similar categories for photocopying. Assignments of codes for the photocopier and fax machines are done by the Administrative Assistants. Personal photocopying is charged at 9¢ a copy.

The department has a FAX machine at AB. The number is 416-946-7287. Request forms for the transmission of FAX messages are kept at on-site.

All Forms