by: Sally Gunz, FAUW President

Thanks to all faculty who passed on the student messages re: voting for the federal election.

We hear that the voting initiative was very successful. At UW, just under 5,000 students voted during the special ballot days (October 5-8). Across Canada there were more than 70,000.

Given how many students would otherwise have been effectively disenfranchised because they were away from their home riding, this is was an important and successful initiative. We trust this will convince Elections Canada to continue this for future elections.

by: Sally Gunz, FAUW President

For many years, you may have been advised that you could not claim the cost of academic regalia on your professional expense allowance. We have good news. As of this claim year (2015-16), you can include this on your claim, assuming that you bought it from this fiscal year on (sorry, nothing retroactive in this position).

Now in reaching this monumental position, the University does want you to understand that if Canada Revenue Agency doesn’t agree with the University’s position and decides that this is in fact a taxable benefit, you will be on your own for any taxes/interest.

Dare I suggest, if that were to happen, perhaps you could tip the CRA off to all the faculty from all the other universities in Canada who have been able to include these expenses from time immemorial? No, that would be snitching. We don’t do that here of course!