HR 3.1 Tuition Remission and Exchange Programs

HR 3.1 Tuition Remission and Exchange Programs

All faculty, staff and full time employees of campus-based Aramark and Sodexo, and in some cases their dependents, are eligible for Tuition Remission and Tuition Exchange through The Tuition Exchange (TTE) and The Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange (CICTE).

Tuition Remission

This program offers free tuition at VWU to all full-time University employees, full-time Aramark and Sodexo employees assigned to the VWU campus, and their dependent children and/or spouse (please see Definitions section).

Qualifications

• Have been employed by VWU, Aramark, or Sodexo for one full year before the start of the desired semester • Be a full-time employee or a regularly scheduled part-time employee working a minimum of 20 hours per week (please note: dependents of part-time employees are not eligible for this benefit) • Have completed an application for Tuition Remission in accordance with the deadlines as follows:

July 15 – fall semester, December 15 – spring semester, May 1 – summer semesters. Tuition remission is not available for January Term.

Each employee is expected to successfully pass each course. An employee who fails to complete (failing grade, Incomplete (I), or Withdrawn (W)) two or more courses taken in this program will be required to reimburse the University at a rate equal to 1/3 the current posted rate for the course in question. Such reimbursement begins with the second unsuccessfully completed course. Full time employees who are working toward a degree may take no more than 6 courses in the remission program in any given fiscal year; there is a limit of 18 credit hours per semester of enrollment at VWU in the Tuition Remission program. Employees using tuition remission benefits will pay regular, existing costs for overloads. No employee may take the same course twice tuition free. Employees who are taking courses but are not working toward a degree may take no more than two courses in any fiscal year. Part-time employees may take no more than one course per semester. Employees using tuition remission benefits may enroll in classes through Tuition Remission on a space available basis only.

Applications for tuition remission for employees should be received by Human Resources in accordance with the above indicated schedule, but in all cases must be received by Human Resources prior to the start of classes.

Tuition Remission for Online Programs

Tuition remission is available for all eligible full-time employees who are accepted into the University's online Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Education (M.Ed.), or Degree Completion programs. Tuition remission is not available for spouses and/or dependent children enrolled in the online MBA, M.Ed., or Degree Completion programs.

However, tuition remission is available for all eligible employees, their spouse and/or their dependent children taking online courses while enrolled in the traditional undergraduate program or Evening and Weekend Program.

Tuition Exchange

To be eligible for this program an employee must:

• Be a full-time employee or faculty member of VWU • Have been employed for one full year prior to the start of the semester in which the dependent child wishes to take classes and • Have completed the Intent to Apply form prior to October 31 of the year preceding the • dependent’s entry into college.

After one year of employment, employees may apply for tuition privileges for their dependent children within one of two Tuition Exchange programs in which the University participates. The lists of member institutions are available online for TTE at www.tuitionexchange.org, and for CICT at www.cic.edu, and/or from the Director of Financial Aid and/or the Director of Human Resources. The University must maintain a balanced exchange program, which means that in some years we may not be able to send out our students or accept those from other institutions. The exchange program requires reciprocity and we must remain in balance as part of the criteria for membership in the programs. Applications for the Tuition Exchange program may be obtained from the Financial Aid Department. An Intent to Apply for Tuition Exchange Form may be obtained from the Department of Human Resources and must be submitted before October 31 for the following academic year.

Definitions of Eligibility for Tuition Benefits

Tuition Remission Dependent:

• Full-time employee of the University or legal spouse. • Is under 24 years of age at any time during enrollment. • Is the documented dependent of the employee (not just of the employee’s spouse) and is included on the employee’s federal tax return as a dependent, and • Is the documented legal son or daughter of the employee (i.e., the employee himself or herself is the documented legal parent or guardian of the child).

Other Tuition Benefit Dependent:

Please see the Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange and The Tuition Exchange eligibility posted on their respective websites.