Change in the re-allocation exercise for small institutions
A change has been made to the Canada Research Chairs Program’s re-allocation exercise to better support smaller institutions. In the future, whenever the average funding of an institution with active Chairs falls below the $100,000 eligibility threshold, the institution will be notified but will not immediately lose its eligibility. Refer to the Method Used to Allocate Regular Chairs for details.
Changes to the Emerging Negative Decision and New Negative Decisions processes
The Emerging Negative Decision (END) process and pilot New Negative Decision (NND) process have been merged into a single process called the Deferred Recommendation Process. The documentation requirements and timelines remain the same.
Background
The END process had been a core component of peer review for renewal nominations since the inception of the program. Renewal nominations that were not recommended for support by the Interdisciplinary Adjudication Committee (IAC) were automatically entered into the END process. Institutions were sent a summary of IAC’s concerns and a copy of all the external reviewers’ reports. The institutions could then respond to the concerns by providing a one-page letter clearly outlining the institution’s support for the proposed research program, and a two-page report addressing IAC’s concerns.
The NND pilot process for new nominations was first introduced for the April 2017-1 cycle. The intent of the process was to reduce the number of unfilled Chairs, increase the number of recruits and reduce delays in awarding Chairs, thereby helping institutions reach their equity and diversity targets more quickly. This process worked much the same as the END process, except that institutions had an opportunity to respond to the concerns raised directly through the process rather than waiting until the next cycle to resubmit the nomination. Responses to the NND and END processes were adjudicated simultaneously via teleconference.
Reporting on the $20,000 stipend
For chairholders receiving the $20,000 research stipend in fiscal year 2018-19, institutions will be sent pre-populated Statement of Account (SOA) forms as MS Word documents. The deadline for submitting these forms has been extended to July 31 for the stipend reporting only.
Institutions must email the completed forms to information@chairs-chaires.gc.ca. Institutions must complete the SOAs for their Chair funds via the Financial Data Submission and Reconciliation System by the extended deadline of July 15.
Changes to forms
Nomination forms
With the addition of the $20,000 research stipend for new first-term Tier 2 Chairs, the budget page of the nomination form will be adjusted shortly to allow institutions to request the stipend for their new Tier 2 Chair nominations. Institutions must indicate how program funds will be used according to the line items indicated on the form. The stipend cannot be used towards the chairholder’s salary.
CV forms
Information about self-identification requirements and a link to the self-identification page is now available on page nine of the CV forms. All applicants must complete and submit the program's self-identification form when applying for funding; however, nominees may choose not to self-identify by selecting the option, “I prefer not to answer” for some or all of the questions. Although self-identifying is encouraged, choosing not to will have no consequences on the application.
Changes to document submissions
Institutions must now submit by email the attestation forms and job postings for each of its nominations as individual PDFs (rather than paper copies). Institutions must send everything in one email by the deadline. The program will not accept nominations that do not include evidence of an openly advertized process. Please see the Summary of nomination process for more information.
Paid maternity and parental leave for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers
In conjunction with the three federal research funding agencies, the Canada Research Chairs Program and Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program are extending paid parental leave for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to a maximum duration of 12 months.
If you have questions about any of this update, please direct them to your university contact.