PSU-AAUP Assistance Fund
The purpose of the assistance fund is to provide financial support for AAUP Members who are experiencing financial hardship. “Financial hardship” may include but is not limited to circumstances such as sudden loss of income; housing insecurity; family crisis; urgent need; unanticipated or catastrophic losses, or loss of wages from work stoppage (strike). This fund will provide no more than $500 to members who request the funds and to the extent that funds are available.
Members are eligible to apply and receive support twice an academic year and receive no more than $500 in one academic year. Multiple applications from the same member can not be for the same hardship in one year.
AAUP Assistance Fund Application
Please note: We have reached our maximum number of applicants for this academic year. The application form will open during our next call for applications for AY 24-25 on September 1st, 2024. Please reach out to us with any inquiries at aaup@psuaaup.net.
PSU Assistance Fund Policy
Adopted July 16, 2020
Revision Adopted December 20, 2021
Revision Adopted April 4, 2023
Purpose:
To establish the PSU-Assistance Fund to provide financial support to PSU-AAUP members in need.
Applicability:
This policy applies to PSU-AAUP Members
Eligibility:
PSU-AAUP dues-paying members who earn the 110% of the median salary of PSU-AAUP members or below are eligible for assistance. Eligibility for support may be modified by the Executive Council.
Policy:
Natural disaster, personal tragedy, and financial hardship can happen unexpectedly. To support PSU-AAUP members in a time of need, PSU-AAUP has established the Assistance Fund where members and the community can donate into this fund. Members can make donations to the fund and members in need can apply for assistance and relief.
The goal of the fund is to provide financial support for eligible AAUP Members who are experiencing financial hardship. “Financial hardship” may include but is not limited to circumstances such as sudden loss of income; housing insecurity; family crisis; urgent need; unanticipated or catastrophic losses, or loss of wages from work stoppage (strike). This fund will provide no more than $500, per academic year, to up to ten (10) dues-paying members who request the funds and to the extent that funds are available.
When a member expresses financial hardship as the reason for discontinuing their membership, and their membership application falls under the annual cancellation policy as outlined in association Bylaw 15, then the assistance fund can be activated, for that member only, by a vote of the EC. This will be regardless of the member’s salary, in the balance of their annual dues, not to exceed $500.00. The member will need to submit an assistance fund application, and the application is subject to the process outlined in this policy. The member must continue to pay dues at least until the cancellation period, in order to be eligible for the assistance fund. The member is not eligible to receive the specific assistance outlined if they apply during the months of July and August.
An Assistance Fund Committee will consist of AAUP members (one AP, NTT and TT) selected by the EC (in accordance with Association Policy 7). This committee will receive and approve applications based on completeness, to verify the application is not a duplicate, verify applicant is eligible based on salary, and to verify the application is from a dues-paying PSU-AAUP member. The committee will send a list of approved names and addresses to PSU-AAUP’s Administrative Director so a check can be distributed to the members approved for assistance funds. All applications and information are kept in strict confidence.
Application Process:
Members fill out an online application to help ensure all funds are distributed efficiently and equitably. This application will be located on the PSU-AAUP website. When funds are available, that availability will be announced in Member News. The application seeks personal information such as name payable to, mailing address, email address and amount requested. The application is sent to the PSU-AAUP Administrative Director to be processed by the Assistance Fund Committee.
Members are eligible to apply and receive support twice an academic year if funds are available. Members may receive no more than $500 in one academic year. Multiple applications from the same member cannot be for the same hardship in one year. Should the total amount of requested support exceed the amount of money available, either through Executive Council allocation from general funds or from solicited donations, the Assistance Fund committee will prorate the individual member award amount based on the funds available so that all members requesting support can receive funding. Checks will be issued to the members in order of the lowest annual salary to the highest annual salary.
Management of the Assistance Fund:
The Administrative Director (or Treasurer/President in the event the Administrative Director is not able to do so) will write the check for the member(s) requesting the funds. The committee/treasurer will ensure funds are being spent in compliance with the intent and the account not being overspent. The administrative functions for this fund such as marketing and customer service is interwoven with the existing AAUP administration office and other subcommittees.
In July 2020, the initial one-time funding of $30,000 will be provided by PSU-AAUP reserve funds as voted on June 18, 2020 by the Executive Council. The source of funding will vary over time, based on funding needs. This may be ongoing funding from members as direct donations, through payroll deductions, fundraising, or funding from PSU-AAUP Reserve funds by a vote of the Executive Council.
Donations to the PSU-AAUP Assistance Fund:
Donations to the PSU-AAUP Assistance Fund will be made through a charity or donation platform, or similar provider, approved by the Executive Council The PSU-AAUP Administrative Director will establish and maintain the approved donation platform account, and will arrange for disbursements from the account to the PSU-AAUP Assistance Fund. The disbursements to the Assistance Fund will be made after any donation platform account fees and donation fees, if any. Donations to the established donation platform account will be occasionally solicited by the Association in a “call for donations” in Member News.
Disbursements of funds donated will be made consistent with the policy above.
Revisions:
July 16, 2020 - Original
November 5, 2020 - Removed Required quarterly cycle; limited eligibility to 110% of median annual salary rate for PSU-AAUP members; established prorate process for approvals that exceeded the monetary allotment by the Executive Council; established order of payment, lowest paid members first; created a process to solicit donations to the Assistance Fund to increase the amount available for disbursement.
December 20, 2021 - Added third paragraph under Policy. Establishing additional guidelines when a member expresses financial hardship as the reason for discontinuing their membership.
April 04, 2023 - Added “dues-paying” to Eligibility to specify dues-paying members can only apply. Updated Policy section so ten members per year can apply for funds. Added balance restrictions under Policy in the case of discontinuing membership. Removed instances of Executive Director and replaced with Administrative Director to help manage and distribute funds. Updated Donation section to non-specified donation platforms. Removed the two-week donation period limit.