General Description
Policy Summary:
Trinity University provides reduced and tuition-free educational benefits to full-time benefit-eligible faculty and staff, their spouse and dependent children. There are two types of educational benefits: tuition remission and tuition exchange. Tuition remission covers tuition at Trinity University. Course, lab and activity fees as well as room and board are the responsibility of the student.
Purpose:
This policy aims to explain the policies and procedures for Trinity's educational l benefits.
Scope:
This policy applies to all Trinity University full-time benefit eligible faculty and staff.
Exceptions:
No exceptions.
Policy Content
Eligibility
- All full-time benefit-eligible faculty and staff of Trinity University are eligible for tuition remission. This includes faculty and exempt and non-exempt staff members.
- Spouses of full-time or retired employees are eligible to enroll in one undergraduate course per semester for work toward an undergraduate degree, with tuition covered at 50% for up to 3 credit hours. Spouses can take graduate courses for work toward a graduate degree, and tuition is covered at 3 credit hours per semester at 50% of the overall graduate program flat rate per credit hour for tuition only. Tuition remission for graduate coursework may be taxable.
- Dependent children of full-time employees are eligible for tuition remission for coursework toward a degree under the following conditions:
- Undergraduate degrees :
- 50% tuition remission after the employee completes two years of service;
- 100% tuition remission after the employee completes four years of service.
- Graduate degrees:
- 50% tuition remission after the employee completes two years of service. This benefit applies only to their first graduate degree and for tuition only. This could be taxable .
- Tuition remission is available only if the dependent child is admitted to the University through the regular admission process and maintains satisfactory academic progress.
- The dependent child must be a legal dependent of the employee, as defined by the IRS.
Tuition remission for spouses and dependent children of full-time employees and of retired or deceased full-time employees is granted only for work toward an undergraduate or graduate degree. The only exception to this policy is that full-time employees’ spouses or dependent children who have received a baccalaureate or master’s degree but are required to complete certain undergraduate courses for the purpose of achieving teaching certification in the State of Texas may take those undergraduate courses as a special student and receive tuition remission under the conditions stated above.
The Study Abroad program is not eligible for tuition remission.
All full-time employees at Trinity University may enroll in one undergraduate or graduate course each semester.
To utilize tuition remission, the employee must complete an application form, available on the Trinity University Office of Human Resources website or below. . The application and supporting materials must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to registration. The tuition remission will be made before the registration for the course.
If the employee wishes to take a course and have the course appear on an official transcript, they must also go through the regular admission and registration process.
All employees must pay any fees, including, but not limited to, student activity fees, any course-associated fees, field trip fees, etc.
Employees can take graduate courses, and tuition is paid at 3 credit hours per semester at 50% of the overall graduate program flat rate per credit hour for tuition only.
To utilize tuition remission, the employee must complete an application form, available on the Trinity University Office of Human Resources website or below. . The application and supporting materials must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to registration. The tuition remission will be made before the registration for the course.
If the employee wishes to take a course and have the course appear on an official transcript, they must also go through the regular admission and registration process.
All employees must pay any fees, including, but not limited to, student activity fees, any course-associated fees, field trip fees, etc.
Employees can take graduate courses, and tuition is paid at 3 credit hours per semester at 50% of the overall graduate program flat rate per credit hour for tuition only.
Graduate tuition remission will be granted to dependent children of full-time employees, while doing satisfactory work toward their first graduate degree, on the following basis: after the employee completes two years of employment, their dependent children are eligible for tuition remission of 50%. Graduate coursework could be taxable. All benefits cease upon the resignation or termination of the employee.
Dependent children of former full-time employees who retired or died while actively employed at age 55 or later and had 10 or more years of service, or at age 65 or later and had 5 or more years of service, will be granted 50% tuition remission.
Spouses of full-time active or retired employees are eligible for tuition only and are paid at 3 credit hours per semester at 50% of the overall graduate program flat rate per credit hour. Graduate coursework could be taxable. The waiting period varies between the full-time, retired, and deceased employees. (See the Tuition Remission and Tuition Exchange Policy Chart, attached). Tuition only is covered.
Undergraduate tuition remission will be granted to dependent children of full-time employees, while doing satisfactory work toward a baccalaureate degree, on the following basis: after the employee completes two years of employment, dependent children are eligible for 50% tuition remission, and after the employee completes four years of employment, their dependent children are eligible for 100% tuition remission. This includes tuition only. All benefits cease upon the resignation or termination of the employee.
Tuition remission is available only when the prospective student has gained admission to the University by the regular process. To be eligible, the employee's child must be a legal dependent of the employee. If in the process of earning a baccalaureate degree, the student ceases to be a dependent of the employee, tuition remission may be continued, providing there is no interruption of more than one semester in their progress toward a degree. The University reserves the right to request that the employee submit proof of the child’s dependency as it is defined by the IRS. To secure a scholarship, faculty and staff employees must complete an application form available on the Trinity University Human Resources website or below. A dependent child age 25 or older on or before the first day of a semester is not eligible for tuition remission unless they are claimed as a dependent on your IRS return. If so, you will be asked to add a copy of your current IRS return (only page that lists dependents by name) to the tuition remission application form. The form should be filed one month before the anticipated registration period. If the request is approved, Student Accounts will waive tuition only at the approved level (50% or 100%) to offset the tuition charges on the student account.
Employees’ spouses and dependent children who receive 100% tuition remission are ineligible to receive other types of institutional aid (scholarships and grants). Institutional aid previously offered will be removed upon approval of the tuition remission benefit.
Tuition remission is available only when the prospective student has gained admission to the University by the regular process. To be eligible, the employee's child must be a legal dependent of the employee. If in the process of earning a baccalaureate degree, the student ceases to be a dependent of the employee, tuition remission may be continued, providing there is no interruption of more than one semester in their progress toward a degree. The University reserves the right to request that the employee submit proof of the child’s dependency as it is defined by the IRS. To secure a scholarship, faculty and staff employees must complete an application form available on the Trinity University Human Resources website or below. A dependent child age 25 or older on or before the first day of a semester is not eligible for tuition remission unless they are claimed as a dependent on your IRS return. If so, you will be asked to add a copy of your current IRS return (only page that lists dependents by name) to the tuition remission application form. The form should be filed one month before the anticipated registration period. If the request is approved, Student Accounts will waive tuition only at the approved level (50% or 100%) to offset the tuition charges on the student account.
Employees’ spouses and dependent children who receive 100% tuition remission are ineligible to receive other types of institutional aid (scholarships and grants). Institutional aid previously offered will be removed upon approval of the tuition remission benefit.
Dependent children of full-time employees who retired or died while actively employed at age 55 or later and had 10 or more years of service or at age 65 or later and had 5 or more years of service, will be granted 100% tuition remission while making satisfactory progress toward a degree. The tuition remission covers tuition only.
Spouses of full-time active, retired , or deceased employees areeligible for full tuition remission for one undergraduate course per semester. The waiting period varies between the full-time, retired, and deceased employees. (See the Tuition Remission and Tuition Exchange Policy Chart, attached). The tuition remission covers tuition only.
This is for full-time faculty and staff dependent children only. Full-time employees must complete four years of employment before they can receive tuition exchange benefits for their dependent children. Tuition Exchange applies to Trinity approved Exchange Partner programs. Trinity University currently offers tuition exchange benefits through established agreements with the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS), Tuition Exchanges, Inc. (TEI) and Rice University. Information concerning tuition exchange is available in Financial Aid.
The program through the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) requires a payment by the family of the dependent student of $2,000 per year during the period of time in which the dependent student participates in the program. Trinity University pays an additional $2,000 per year to the Associated Colleges of the South for each Trinity University dependent participating in the program. Participating ACS institutions are: Centenary College of Louisiana, Centre College, Furman University, Hendrix College, Millsaps College, Morehouse College, Rhodes College, Rollins College, Trinity University, University of Richmond, and University of the South.
The program through the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) requires a payment by the family of the dependent student of $2,000 per year during the period of time in which the dependent student participates in the program. Trinity University pays an additional $2,000 per year to the Associated Colleges of the South for each Trinity University dependent participating in the program. Participating ACS institutions are: Centenary College of Louisiana, Centre College, Furman University, Hendrix College, Millsaps College, Morehouse College, Rhodes College, Rollins College, Trinity University, University of Richmond, and University of the South.
The "Tuition Remission and Tuition Exchange Policy Chart" under attachments gives a summary of the tuition remission and tuition exchange policy.
Employees can take advantage of some programs established within Conferences and Special Programs, full-time faculty and staff members and their families are entitled to the following benefits. The fee policies are maintained by Conferences and Special Programs.
Exceptions to this policy will be made only when the instructor or the room size limits the number of persons who can be accommodated in the course, or when the number of paid attendees is less than that required to cover expenses for the course. If faculty or staff members or their families wish to register for a course with limited enrollment, they may pay the full fee as regular registrants.
To register on a space-available basis (discounted fee), faculty or staff members should notify the Office of Conferences and Special Programs of their intent to register for the course or program. They will be enrolled on a first-come, first-served basis. Faculty or staff members and their families will be notified approximately three days before the beginning of the program if space will be available. When a specific academic department sponsors the conference or program, special registration forms will be provided for that faculty or student group, and these individuals will get priority placement in the program.
Information concerning Conferences and Special Programs is available at the William Knox Holt Conference Center.
- Full-time faculty and staff members or their immediate family members may take courses or participate in special programs for a discounted fee on a space-available basis.
- All individuals will pay the full charge for meals or materials of the program for which they register.
Exceptions to this policy will be made only when the instructor or the room size limits the number of persons who can be accommodated in the course, or when the number of paid attendees is less than that required to cover expenses for the course. If faculty or staff members or their families wish to register for a course with limited enrollment, they may pay the full fee as regular registrants.
To register on a space-available basis (discounted fee), faculty or staff members should notify the Office of Conferences and Special Programs of their intent to register for the course or program. They will be enrolled on a first-come, first-served basis. Faculty or staff members and their families will be notified approximately three days before the beginning of the program if space will be available. When a specific academic department sponsors the conference or program, special registration forms will be provided for that faculty or student group, and these individuals will get priority placement in the program.
Information concerning Conferences and Special Programs is available at the William Knox Holt Conference Center.
A full-time staff employee may request permission to enroll in University courses upon commencement of employment. This benefit is not available to part-time or temporary staff employees. An Application for Tuition Benefits form must be completed by the employee and approved by the departmental Director/Chair and forwarded to the Human Resources Office for final approval and processing. Upon presentation of this approved form at registration, tuition is waived for full-time staff taking no more than one (1) course per semester. The employee is responsible for all other fees and charges. In addition, the following conditions will apply:
- Course work taken during an employee’s normal work schedule will not exceed one course per semester or more than nine (9) credit hours per academic year.
- Enrollment in University courses requires that: (1) time absent from work is made up through an adjusted work schedule, or charged to vacation leave, and (2) the enrollment has supervisory approval.
- Enrollments must not displace regular Trinity students in a course.
- Employees must file an application for admission with the Admissions Office and meet the student entrance requirements.
- Class attendance will not take priority over work to be performed except as outlined in (b) above.
When the departmental supervisor requests that a full-time staff employee enroll in a course which is directly related to the employee's assigned duties, time spent in class will be considered as part of the employee's regular work schedule with supervisory approval.
The Chief Human Resources Officer will initiate or assist in the development of in-service training for University employees. Staff may attend in-service training programs after obtaining approval from the departmental supervisor.
- In-service training courses may be offered during regular office hours, outside of working hours or a combination of both, depending upon the nature and purpose of the course.
- The time spent by a staff employee in training programs will be considered part of the regular work schedule. Equivalent time off will be granted to the employee during the same workweek if the training opportunity is outside of regular work hours for non-exempt staff.
Although satisfactory completion of coursework or in-service training may result in qualification for a higher classification or promotion, such actions are not automatic. Reclassification or promotion must conform to the University policies governing such actions.
Full-time staff employees receive tuition remission (tuition cost only, associated fees and non-tuition fees are not covered) for dependents based on the following requirements:
- Employees’ spouses receive a 50 percent reduction on one (1) course per semester for both undergraduate and graduate courses (with no waiting period).
- After completing four (4) years of service, employees’ spouses receive a 100 percent tuition reduction for one (1) undergraduate course per semester. Tuition remission for employees’ spouses is contingent upon pursuing a degree from Trinity University.
- Full-time employees are entitled to a 50 percent reduction in undergraduate tuition for their dependent children after two (2) years of service. After completing four (4) years of service, full-time employees’ dependent children receive a 100 percent reduction in undergraduate tuition. Eligibility for tuition remission is contingent upon pursuing a degree or permitted while in high school.
- Full-time employees may become eligible for undergraduate tuition exchange for dependent children after completing four (4) years of service.
- Dependent children of full-time employees who retired or died while actively employed at age 55 or later and had 10 or more years of service , or at age 65 or later and had 5 or more years of service, will be granted 100% tuition remission while making satisfactory progress toward a degree.
- .Part-time employees who later transfer or are promoted to full-time positions must satisfy full-time service requirements stipulated in the dependent tuition remission policy.
An employee who submits a resignation or is terminated while utilizing tuition remission (self or dependents) must withdraw from the course(s) or remit tuition payment.
Attachments
Attachments:
Revision Management
Revision History Log:
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Revision #: |
Date: |
Recorded By: |
|---|---|---|
| v1 | 10/11/2024 3:01 PM | Pamela Mota |
| v3.1 | 9/17/2024 4:01 PM | Pamela Mota |
| v3.0 | 7/11/2024 3:03 PM | Pamela Mota |
| v2.0 | 8/4/2023 9:48 AM | Pamela Mota |
| v1.0 | 8/15/2019 11:38 AM | Kelleebeth Cantu |
Vice President Approval:
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Name: |
Title: |
|---|---|
| Brandi Jones | Vice President for People, Culture, and Community |