PSUFA Benefits

PSUFA administers three benefits funds for part-time faculty: the Adjunct Financial Assistance Fund, the Faculty Education Fund, and the Professional Development Fund. Benefits are available to any worker represented by our union by application throughout the year. Send any questions or inquiries to: benefits [at] psufa.org.

You do not have to be a dues-paying member of PSUFA to receive any of these benefits, but members’ dues and active membership support the time and resources necessary to bargain for and administer these funds. If you are not a signed member of PSUFA, you can sign up here.

Become a Member

Adjunct Financial Assistance Fund (AFAF)

The Adjunct Financial Assistance Fund (AFAF) is a $325,000 annual fund meant to support members of the bargaining unit who experience financial hardship or who have qualifying caregiving expenses. The AFAF is not intended to serve as routine wage replacement. This fund is disbursed through payroll and is taxed as income. You may want to consider this when determining the amount of funding to apply for.

Adjuncts are eligible to receive funds for unanticipated financial hardship that includes but is not limited to the following circumstances or events: sudden loss of income; housing insecurity; family crisis or urgent need; unanticipated or catastrophic losses. Adjuncts are also eligible to receive funds to provide financial support for ongoing caregiving responsibilities that occasionally or unexpectedly conflict with their PSU work demands or that result in additional financial expenses when engaging in activities such as University-supported travel or professional development. Adjuncts are not eligible to use this fund for reimbursement of health insurance premiums or direct reimbursement of health care expenses.

Eligibility: Applicants must be working in the bargaining unit (meaning they are adjunct instructional or research faculty represented by PSUFA) during the term for which they are applying or in the previous term. Adjuncts may receive AFAF funding twice per fiscal year.

To apply, complete the Adjunct Financial Assistance Fund form and please observe the following deadlines 

  • December 1 for Fall term

  • March 1 for Winter term

  • May 1 for Spring term

  • July 1 for Summer term (*Summer ‘26 form will be available after June 15)

Faculty Education Fund (FEF)

The Faculty Education Fund offsets the cost of tuition for adjuncts who wish to enroll in for-credit courses at PSU courses. Non-credit courses at PSU (such as certificate courses) are not covered by the Faculty Education Fund. 

For the remainder of the 2025-2026 academic year, successful applicants to the fund will continue to pay $31 per credit hour. 

As per the 2025-2029 CBA, the FEF will have $55,000 to distribute each academic year. For academic year 2026-2027, the costs to adjuncts will rise to $45 per credit hour. Starting in academic year 2027-2028, the system is going to change such that PSU will provide a tuition remission for each course approved for a Faculty Education Fund award to result in a charge that is equivalent to 30 percent of the resident undergraduate tuition. The remission award for adjunct faculty will also cover mandatory fees.

If you are teaching 8 credits or more in a given quarter, you are eligible to receive the Tuition Discount available to full-time faculty during that quarter. Find more information here: https://www.pdx.edu/human-resources/tuition-discount.

Eligibility:

Applicants must be working in the bargaining unit (meaning they are adjunct instructional or research faculty represented by PSUFA) during the academic year preceding or during the year in which the course is taken. Adjunct faculty will register for any Portland State University course(s) in accordance with the University’s registration schedule and procedure. Courses must be for credit.

To apply, complete the Faculty Education Fund Application, and please observe the following deadlines and apply for the term in which you wish to take a course. 

  • September 1 for Fall term courses

  • December 1 for Winter term courses

  • March 1 for Spring term courses

  • June 1 for Summer term courses

Applications are reviewed by a committee of PSUFA members as to eligibility and amount/number of credit hours. Starting in 2026-2027, PSUFA will be sending the approved applications to the PSU Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) for more review and award processing. Due to limited resources, applicants are asked to limit the number of courses for which they are requesting support, so we are able to equitably distribute the benefit funds. Awards can typically fund two to four (2–4) graduate credits per applicant per term.

If you have any questions, please contact benefits [at] psufa.org. 

Professional Development (PD) Fund

The Professional Development (PD) Fund is a $100,000 annual fund meant to support enhancement of adjunct faculty pedagogical skills, discipline knowledge, or expertise as it relates to their instructional or research responsibilities at Portland State University. It provides grants of up to $2,000 per year to part-time faculty members to cover the cost of professional development opportunities. Examples of eligible professional development activity include but are not limited to: 

1. Expenses related to academic and professional conferences, symposia, workshops, exhibitions, and other events related to the fields of study

2. Expenses associated with conducting primary research

3. Professional organization fees or fees for professional licensure or certification

4. Expendable and consumable supplies to support research, writing, and/or other creative work

5. Subscriptions and/or books

6. Submission fees for articles, exhibitions, or the display of creative work

7. Expenses related to relevant training and continuing education opportunities

*Requests for software, computers or computer-related equipment are not eligible for the PD and should be made through the adjunct faculty’s department. 

*Any physical property purchased using the PDF will remain the property of PSU.

PD funds may not be used for expenses and costs related to pursuing for-credit degree programs nor may it be used for activities that contribute to an adjunct’s personal gain. Usage must comply with the University’s Code of Ethics for public employees.

Eligibility: Applicants must be working in the bargaining unit (meaning they are adjunct instructional or research faculty represented by PSUFA) during the academic year in which they apply. 

To apply:

For Professional Development Fund Guidelines and Restrictions, please refer to Article 13 in 2025-2029 CBA.

Complete the Professional Development Fund Application, and please observe the deadlines below and apply for the period during which your professional development activity will take place.  

Complete and attach this budget form (fill-able PDF) to your application.

(Optional) Attach any supplementary documentation of your proposed activity that will help evaluate your application such as receipts and websites and/or other documentation associated with the professional development activity. 

Deadlines:

The “activity period” for which applicants can request funding is two terms: the current one of the application cycle, and the following one (see below). For instance, the September 1st due date would be for funded activities that occur October through the following March. This will help applicants plan for activities related to their professional development including expenses such as travel, conference fees, etc.

  • September 1 for Fall and Winter Term activities (October-March)

  • December 1 for Winter and Spring Term activities (January-June)

  • March 1 for Spring and Summer Term activities (April-September)

  • June 1 for Summer Term activities (July-September)

The time periods overlap to allow more opportunities for applicants to plan their PD activities. We recommend applying to the earliest cycle for your proposed activity. Applications are reviewed by a committee of PSUFA members, which then sends approved applications to the PSU Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) for more review and award processing. Decisions on awards are typically disseminated via email by OAA within a month of your application deadline.

Disbursement of Funds for Recipients of Professional Development Grants: Funds are dispensed from OAA to the applicant’s department for reimbursed expenses. Awardees will need to purchase/accrue these expenses and be reimbursed. Applicants need to be careful to not make any purchases they cannot afford in the event that their application is not funded or if there is a delay in reimbursement by PSU.

If you have any questions, please contact benefits [at] psufa.org.