Category: ASPA Updates

2024-2025 ASPA Tuition Reimbursement Fund is now open

It is that time of year again! Immediate family of ASPA members who are registered students at the University of Saskatchewan can apply for consideration under the Tuition Reimbursement Fund (TRF). See the following for more information on eligibility and how to apply.

Who is Eligible for the ASPA TRF?

The Eligibility Criteria (according to §12.12.1 of the Collective Agreement) states the following:

  • The TRF is open to students who are immediate family members (spouses, partners, and children) of Association members.
  • In order to be eligible, applicants must have successfully completed one or more University of Saskatchewan courses that qualify for credit toward a degree or diploma program.
  • If an Association member resigns, retires, become deceased or ceases to be an Association member, dependents may apply for a tuition reimbursement for the academic year that encompasses the day the Association member ceases to be a member of Association.

ASPA members with family members graduating in 2024 can still receive the award for work done in the 2024-2025 academic year, even if they are not taking any further courses at USask.

Credit units completed after the end of this academic year (after the end of April 2025) will not be counted for this application, although they will be counted as part of the 2025-2026 application, as per the agreement between ASPA and the University that this award is based on. For example, 3rd year medical students who complete their credit units after April 2025 will not receive the full amount for the 2024-2025 academic term, but will be able to receive it the following year (even though they started their studies during the 2024-2025 academic year).

For more information about the TRF and student eligibility, visit: 2025-2026 ASPA Tuition Reimbursement Fund

When Does the ASPA TRF Application Close?

The closing date for applications is April 30th, 2025.

How Does My Family Member Apply for the ASPA TRF?

Note that the application can only be accessed and submitted by students on their own PAWs account. ASPA members do not apply on their behalf, and ASPA Staff do not have the authorization to access the Scholarships and Bursaries PAWs channel.

Step-by-step guide to accessing the ASPA TRF:

  1. Student log into their PAWs account and select the Scholarships and Bursaries channel.
  2. Click on the green “Start a new Application” button.
  3. The page will have 3 drop down menus.
    For “Award Year” choose “2024-2025”.
    For “Award Category” choose “ASPA/USFA Tuition Reimbursement Awards”.
    For “Application” choose “ASPA Tuition Reimbursement Fund Application”.
  4. The page will ask you to confirm your application. Click the “Confirm” button.
  5. Fill out the form and submit your application.

Once the student has successfully submitted their application, the ASPA member will be notified by email and asked to confirm their direct relationship with the student.

Have Additional Questions?

For questions about the status of your application, please contact Student Finance and Awards. Student Finance and Awards reviews the applications and the university distributes the funds to successful applicants.

Recap: ASPA Winter Social 2025

It was great to see everyone out on February 20th for the 2025 ASPA Winter Social!

The event provided ASPA members an opportunity to forget the frigid cold and enjoy the warmth of good company, catch up with some familiar faces, and even meet new acquaintances. A big thank you to Culinary Services and Marquis Hall staff who supplied a nice variety of lunch treats, including soup, sandwiches, salads, and for those with a sweet tooth, some delicious desserts brightened the afternoon! 25 members also took home a door prize (Co-op gift card), and we hope all those lucky folks have been able to redeem and enjoy their win.   

Thank you to all who joined us! It was a wonderful way to wind down the winter season and look forward to the promise of some warmer weather.  

See a few images from the event below:

In solidarity, 
Your ASPA Executive Committee 

Join the ASPA Executive! Call for Nominations!

Please consider putting your name forward to join the ASPA Executive. Completed Nominations are due on Friday, March 14, 2025, at Noon

ASPA Annual General Meeting

The 2025 ASPA Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held mid-April (details to be determined).

At the AGM, five (5) ASPA Executive positions will need to be filled by election or acclamation.

We are now actively seeking ASPA members who want to join the ASPA Executive.

What is the ASPA Executive?

The ASPA Executive consists of twelve (12) ASPA members who volunteer their time to benefit our Association. The roles of the Executive include determining the strategic direction of ASPA, and to help implement it through participation on ASPA committees. The ASPA Executive is supported by two ASPA employees, who provide operational and strategic support to the ASPA Executive.

Why You Should Join

By joining the ASPA Executive, you can…

· Provide input into the strategic direction of ASPA.

· Learn more about what goes on behind the scenes on our campus beyond your own department/unit.

· Expand your professional network.

· Gain new skills in areas of your interest.

· Receive access to the ASPA Matching Grant to support you in your professional development activities (up to $1,100 annually), on top of your APEF.

· Receive funds to access union-related professional development training.

· Sit on Joint Committee’s with the employer (such as Position Review Appeals, Merit Audit Review, Jurisdictional Review (New Positions), Pensions, and others.

· Have monthly free lunches with the executive team.

· Make a difference and give something to the university community.

Who Can Join

· Executive positions are open to any ASPA member, regardless of their years of employment at the U of S, employment status, work area, or campus (Saskatoon, Regina, or Prince Albert)

What Participation Involves

· Typically, ASPA Executive members serve three-year terms, but there are circumstances where shorter terms are in effect (such as one-year or two-year terms)

· These terms are separate from the President, Vice-Presidents, and Treasurer terms, which are each one-year commitments.

· The Executive meets once per month, in person and Zoom; Executive meetings require about 2.5 hours of time commitment (typically 2nd Thursday in the PM). Lunch is provided for in-person attendees.

· Executive members can optionally participate on ASPA committee(s) of their interest.

· Typically, Executive members contribute their ASPA volunteer time during regular work-time hours. Our Collective Agreement describes the ability of ASPA members to contribute time for ASPA business (Article 5.4), without the need for ASPA Executive members to compensate their volunteer time through working extra hours.

· There are additional professional development benefits and opportunities when volunteering on the ASPA Executive; join the team!

How to Join

If you are interested in joining the ASPA Executive, you need to be nominated, as shown on the Nomination Form. Please plan to submit a completed Nomination Form to the ASPA email aspa@aspasask.ca by noon on Friday, March 14, 2024, so that your name can be added to the list before the AGM.

Brianna Groot, the current chair of the ASPA Nominating Committee, will answer any questions and help ensure all nominations are complete and submitted before the date above.

If you have questions, suggestions, or concerns about the nomination process, please contact ASPA at aspa@aspasask.ca or 306-966-2471.

If you have additional questions about the Executive duties or commitment, please contact the ASPA Nominating Committee members, in confidence:

Arun Sharma: arun.sharma@usask.ca

Brianna Groot: brianna.groot@usask.ca

ASPA Executive Nomination Form 2025Download

You’re Invited! ASPA Winter Social 2025

Banner with event information and a snowflake background, it reads: ASPA Winter Social, February 20, 2025, 11:30-2:00 in the Garry Room (Marquis Hall).

Please join us at the ASPA Winter Social 2025! 

This event will take place on Thursday, February 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., in the Garry Room (Marquis Hall). Enjoy a soup, salad, and sandwich buffet with vegetarian options, mingle with fellow ASPA members, meet the ASPA Executive, and (maybe) win some prizes!

This event is free for ASPA members to attend although spots are limited. Please follow the link below to indicate you will be attending by reserving a spot. Reservations will be available until Feb. 13th (or until available spots run out).

Reserve a Spot


(In the event that you would like to attend but all spots are spoken for, please contact us at aspa@aspasask.ca. If a reasonable number of members are still interested in attending, we may be able to plan for additional capacity.)

Benefits Reminder 2024

The end of 2024 calendar year is approaching and with it some of your benefits. These benefits are “use it or lose it”, reset in January, and do NOT stack year-to-year.

These benefits include:

Medical Claims: Your allotment for various medical claims through SunLife. These renew on January 1st of the new year and any unclaimed amounts cannot be carried over to the next calendar year. This includes paramedical benefits, like massage therapy, counselling, and chiropractor (note that vision care is a bit different, and renews on the second year following a claim). For more information about your SunLife Plan follow this link to your SunLife Plan.

Flexible Spending Program: For your Flexible Spending Program benefits (i.e., the Health Spending Account or Personal Spending Account). The annual amount of $900 carries forward for 1 calendar year. If you have any amounts left from 2023 you need to use them by December 31, 2024. If unspent, this amount cannot be carried over and used towards eligible future purchases (although you can still submit claims after January 1st). This benefit can be used on a wide variety of expenses, including online music subscriptions, traditional medicine, transit passes, pet care, and even RRSP/TFSA contributions! For more information follow this link to the flexible spending spending program information.

Remember also that your choice of allocation for the Flexible Spending Program needs to be made before the end of the year. This will allow you to select to place money either towards the Health Spending Account (HAS, non-taxable) or the Personal Spending Account (PSA, taxable). More information can be found at how to allocate flexible spending program funds.

Personal/Family Days: ASPA members are entitled to three (3) Personal/Family Days per calendar year. These are for emergent, personal or family situations, and do not roll over from one calendar year to the next. Your Personal Days reset to three (3) on January 1st, 2025 and do not stack. See Section 20.9 in the ASPA Collective Agreement.

Flipping for Solidarity at the All-Unions Pancake Breakfast 2024 

The All-Unions Pancake Breakfast on September 5th, 2024 was a great success, with nearly 600 USask workers from various unions across campus showing up to socialize, chat with Executive members, and enjoy some tasty pancakes and coffee!  

We also had nearly 200 people line up to sign the Petition to Make September 30th a Public (Stat) Holiday in Saskatchewan.

Thanks so much to all who joined us, to CUPE 1975 and USFA for their joint sponsorship, and to the hard-working folks in Culinary Services who helped us put this event on. It was a wonderful way to kick off another busy academic year! 

See a few images from the event below:

In solidarity, 
Your ASPA Executive Committee 

AGM Election Results!

ASPA is pleased to announce the winners of our annual Executive election!  

We are pleased to welcome Dawn Giesbrecht, Erica Li-Humen, Evan Potts, John Costa, Julie Maier, and LaVina Watts as our new 2024-2025 team. 

Thank you to all our members that took the time to vote in this year’s election. We received 710 votes in total (237 more votes than last year!). 

We would also like to thank all 23 members who let their names stand. We hope you will continue to show interest in supporting ASPA in the future. 

Be on the lookout for future posts announcing the new President, Vice Presidents, and Treasurer.  

2024 ASPA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

NOTICE OF MEETING

ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL ASSOCIATION (ASPA)

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Health Sciences Theatre 1130, E Wing

1:30 pm (Call to order)

Please note: Zoom polls may be used during the meeting. Some devices may need to be updated to view polls.

Click the links below to access documents related to the Annual General Meeting.

AGM Agenda 2024.04.17
AGM Minutes 2023.04.19
Executive Nominations 2024
election of officers 2024
ASPA Audited financials for fiscal year 2023-2024
ASPA Approved budget 2024-2025
ASPA Committee reports fiscal year 2023-2024
aspa executive list 2023-2024
ASPA Committee members list 2023-2024
ASPA President’s report

ASPA Wins Preliminary Hearing for the Judicial Review Regarding Work of the Bargaining Unit

On February 28, 2024, ASPA went before The Honorable Justice Crooks and successfully argued the application for judicial review was premature and therefore should be dismissed. ASPA has contacted the University to set up a meeting between the parties to discuss the possibilities for damages and your hopeful settlement on this issue. Once those discussions have occurred ASPA will be informing the membership to inform them of next steps.

ASPA respects the decision of The Honorable Justice Crooks and appreciates all those involved in fighting for our membership rights. This is another significant win for our membership. We respect those affected by this delayed process and we promise to do our best to keep all informed.

Lastly, I thank and appreciate all the effort but forward by the current Executive, Past-President, Lavina Watts, Past -Vice President Chris O’Grady, and the retired Memeber Services Officer Darcy Hiryn-Bird for all the hours put into making this a success for all.

“Our movement is of the working people, for the working people, by the working people.” – Samuel Gompers

In Solidarity,

Glenn Billingsley

Benefits Reminder

It’s time to think about your “use it or lose it!” benefits!

 With the end of the calendar year fast approaching, please don’t forget about the various benefits available to you that may be expiring soon. These include: 

  • Your allotment for various medical claims through SunLife. These renew on January 1st, and any unclaimed amounts cannot be carried over to the next calendar year. This includes paramedical benefits, like massage therapy, counselling, and chiropractor (note that vision care is a bit different, and renews on the second year following a claim). More info on your SunLife health plan. 
  • Your Flexible Spending Program benefits (i.e., the Health Spending Account or Personal Spending Account). The annual amount ($900) carries forward for 1 calendar year, meaning if you have any ammounts left from 2022 you need to use them by December 31, 2023, and If unspent cannot be used towards eligible purchases (although you can still submit claims after January 1st). The PSA amount can be used on a wide variety of expenses, including online music subscriptions, traditional medicines, transit passes, pet care, and even RRSP/TFSA contributions! More info on the Flexible Spending Program. 
  • Your three (3) Personal/Family days. These are for emergent, personal or family situations, and do not roll over from one year to the next. See Section 20.9 in the ASPA Collective Agreement. 

Remember also that your choice of allocation for the Flexible Spending Program needs to be made before the end of the year. This will allow you to select to place money either towards the Health Spending Account (HAS, non-taxable) or the Personal Spending Account (PSA, taxable). More info on allocating funds to your Flexible Spending account.