Professional Development Allowance (PDA): What Does the Agreement Say?
A number of CUFA members have experienced issues using their PDA account and have seen their requests to buy equipment denied. There seems to be some form of interpretation by faculty budget officers on the cost and the nature of items eligible under the PDA.
To help settle the matter, below is the excerpt from the letter of agreement between CUFA and the Administration that you can present along with your request. It lists clearly what PDA covers:
“This allowance shall be made available for legitimate expenditures related to the performance of a member’s duties. Allowable expenses include professional memberships, books, journals, equipment and supplies, computer software and hardware, conference registration fees and related travel and accommodation, relevant to the member’s teaching or research activities.”