4.23 Tuition Assistance
Refer to employee contract or handbook.
Procedure: Administrative and Classified Employees
Upon completion of approved formal academic programs which are related to their positions at the College, Administrative (Management/Supervisory) and Classified employees will be eligible to receive reimbursement of a portion of their tuition expenses. The Human Resources Department is responsible for administering the program using the following procedures, effective December 1, 2006:
- Tuition assistance will be extended to full-time Classified and full- and part-time Administrative employees in active employment status who have satisfactorily completed twelve (12) months of employment in a benefit-eligible position prior to the first day of courses for which they request tuition assistance.
- All programs of study must be approved for financial assistance by the appropriate dean prior to the employee’s enrollment in the program. Approval will be based on the program’s relevance to the employee’s work assignment or for special training purposes of benefit to the College. Individual courses must be taken on a credit basis and be applicable to the approved program. Institutions attended must have full regional accreditation status. Continuing education (non-credit) programs/courses are not eligible for financial assistance.
- Staff members requesting tuition assistance will complete a form available from the Human Resources Department requesting tuition assistance for an entire fiscal year. The employee’s initial application will attach a description of the academic program for approval of the supervisor and dean as well as the courses to be taken in the fiscal year. The application forms for subsequent fiscal years will outline the courses to be taken in the approved program in that year. The completed application must be submitted to the Human Resources Department no later than December 15 preceding the fiscal year for which tuition reimbursement is requested.
- The College may reimburse an eligible employee’s tuition for a maximum of two (2) 3-or 4- credit courses per semester or session. Each employee may be reimbursed for no more than four (4) 3-or 4-credit courses taken during the College’s fiscal year.
- Staff eligible for tuition assistance will receive payment in an amount to be determined by the College administration, based on available funds. The proposed payment will be 60% of the tuition charged by Temple University or 60% of the employee’s actual tuition, if less. Financial assistance will be calculated solely upon the tuition costs. No payments will be authorized for books, fees, or miscellaneous expenses.
- The Human Resources Department will notify each participating staff member of the amount of tuition assistance he/she may expect to receive by February 1. If a change in the College budget or an economic emergency prevents the College from paying the proposed amount, the Human Resources Department will notify each participating employee of the change in reimbursement as soon as possible. Whenever possible, the proposed payments for summer and fall semester courses will be paid in full.
- Upon completion of each course, staff members whose academic programs have been approved for financial assistance will file a request for reimbursement with the Human Resources Department. The request will include proof of the employee’s tuition payments and the final grade(s) received for the course(s). The Human Resources Department will provide forms including the filing and payment dates for tuition assistance.
- Tuition assistance will be paid for courses completed with a passing grade of “C” or better. Failed, withdrawn, incomplete or audited courses are not eligible for tuition assistance.
- Preference for tuition assistance will be given to employees seeking their first College-assisted degree or continuing in an approved terminal degree program.
- Grant or external contract employees' tuition assistance must be accommodated by funding provided in the grant or external contract.
- Procedure: Full-Time Faculty
- The Federation of Teachers, Local 2238, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO and Bucks
County Community College agree to the following interpretation of Article XX, Tuition Reimbursement. The College will establish a fund each year for tenure track faculty members to be used in an accredited course of study in their teaching discipline or for faculty members participating in the VPL program of retraining as set forth in Article XVII, G, 1. e. Said faculty members will receive tuition assistance applied equitably up to a maximum of the tuition charge for each course, including summer. - Faculty eligible under the above provisions will receive an equal distribution in an amount to be determined by the administration or 60% of the total cost of tuition (whichever is less). This distribution is made for Fall, Spring, and Summer courses.
- Faculty requesting tuition assistance must complete the proper form (available in the Human Resources Office) and submit it along with a copy of tuition billing, cancelled check/payment verification and an official report of the final grade for the completed course. This form must be signed by the department chair and the Dean of Academic Affairs, or the President. Deadlines to apply for tuition assistance are January 15 for Fall Semester, June 1 for Spring Semester and September 1 for Summer Semester.
- In June an equitable distribution of the fund established by the Board is made in the following manner:
- A percentage of the tuition to be reimbursed is determined by dividing the funded amount by the total cost of tuition (Fall, Spring and Summer) for those eligible for that fund.
- [For example: $15,000 : $20,434 = .7341]
- A total reimbursable amount is determined for each eligible faculty member.
- [For example: *$2,280 x .7341 = $1,674]
- Total tuition for Fall, Spring and Summer for one faculty member.
- [For example: *$2,280 x .7341 = $1,674]
- The amount already paid for Fall, Spring and Summer is then deducted from the total to be
reimbursed.- [For example: $1,674 - $820 = $854]
- A check is issued for the amount of Final Distribution.
Procedure: Part-Time Faculty
The College will establish a separate fund each year to reimburse part-time faculty members for their tuition expenses for an accredited course of study relevant to their teaching discipline or degree objectives. Each part-time faculty member’s courses or professional training must be approved in advance by the Dean of Academic Affairs. Once the program is approved, part-time faculty members will receive tuition assistance applied equitably up to a maximum of the tuition charge for each course, including summer.
Eligible part-time faculty members may apply for tuition assistance, and the College will authorize and make such payments from the available funds using the same forms, procedures and principles described in the preceding procedures concerning tuition assistance for full-time faculty members.