40.015:  Educational Benefits for Ohio University Employees

I.   Overview

This policy provides for participation of faculty, administrators, and classified staff in the Ohio University Educational Benefits Program.

Ohio University will provide educational opportunity for eligible employees. The benefits under this plan vary according to employment status, and the program applies only to courses offered for credit by the University, including programs offered through Independent Study. Benefits under this policy shall not be applicable to certain workshops, non-credit courses, audited courses, OPIE courses, or special course fees. Fee structures of the University are subject to change without notice. This policy does not apply to any employee covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement.

II.   Requirements

Employees must first satisfy employment demands, and eligible employees will not simultaneously be full-time students. Consequently, no more than eleven (11) credit hours of undergraduate courses and no more than eight (8) credit hours of graduate courses will be permitted per semester without approval from the appropriate planning unit head, using the Educational Benefits Request Form available from University Human Resources.

For an employee to qualify for the Educational Benefits Program, the employee must be on the payroll by the first day of the semester. (An eligible employee on layoff status or approved leave of absence, shall be qualified for this benefit during the period of layoff or leave, subject to the same limitations on number of credit hours).

III.   Eligibility

Any exceptions to these guidelines require approval from the Provost.

No particular class standing is necessary for the original awarding of this scholarship except that the student must meet the admission requirements.

A.   Classified Employees

1. Full-time permanent employees (those working 40 hours per week) are eligible.

2. Part-time permanent employees (those working 20 hours or more per week) are eligible.

3. Temporary, intermittent and emergency employees are not eligible for this benefit.

With supervisory approval, an employee may take only one course per semester during regular working hours and one additional course during nonworking hours during periods of employment. An additional Independent Study class or weekend workshops may be added with the approval of the planning unit head. Courses taken during the summer are also limited by academic regulations and department responsibilities.

B.   Faculty

1. Group 1, 2 and 4 employees are eligible.

2. Group 3 employees are not eligible for the Educational Benefits Program.

With supervisory approval, an employee may take one course per semester during regular working hours and one additional course during nonworking hours during the period of employment. An additional Independent Study class or weekend workshop may be added with the approval of the planning unit head. Courses taken during the summer are further limited by academic regulations and department responsibilities.

C.   Administrators

1. Group IA, IB, and IV employees are eligible.

2. Group IIA, IIB, and V are eligible, but receive prorated benefits.

With supervisory approval, an employee may take one course per semester during regular working hours and one additional course during nonworking hours during the period of employment. An additional Independent Study class or weekend workshop may be added with the approval of the planning unit head. Courses taken during the summer are further limited by academic regulations and department responsibilities.

IV.   Fees

1. At the discretion of the department chair or head, a full tuition waiver may be granted for course work which is directly related to the employee's current position. A full fee waiver is granted on a course-by-course basis, not for an entire degree program.

2. The benefit for an eligible full-time classified employee is equal to 100% of the instructional fee and no part of the general fee. The benefit for a part time permanent employee is equal to 50% of the instructional fee and no part of the general fee. Additionally, 100% of the nonresident surcharge will be waived where applicable.

3. The benefit for full-time faculty and administrative employees is equal to 100% of the instructional fee and no part of the general fee. Additionally, 100% of the nonresident surcharge will be waived where applicable. Benefits for part-time administrative personnel are covered by Policy 41.010.

V.   General Information

1. Requests for participation in the Educational Benefit Program must be submitted each semester by the employee on a standard form which may be obtained from University Human Resources. The form must be completed by the employee and signed by the departmental authority granting the permission to enroll.

2. Time Spent Away from Work:   It is the intention of this policy to encourage employees to further their education, and therefore, department heads should attempt to assist, whenever possible, employees to take one course during working hours. However, there may be departmental demands that make this difficult in any one semester, since position responsibilities take precedence over course work. Every effort should then be made to accommodate the course request in the subsequent semester. Any department head or employee who cannot reach accommodation within this two-semester period should refer the matter to the Planning Unit head for final resolution.

   Class schedules shall normally be approved by the department head and time spent in class may be required to be made up.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration

2. Vice Provost for University Outreach

3. Executive Director of Lifelong and Distance Learning

4. Dean of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

5. Benefits Director

6. Faculty Senate

7. Administrative Senate

8. Classified Senate

Forms, References, and History

A.   Forms

The following forms are specific to this policy:

1. The Educational Benefits Request Form is available from University Human Resources, or online at http://www.ohio.edu/hr/forms/index.cfm#e (scroll down to the "E" section).

B.   References

The following items are relevant to this policy:

1. Policy 41.010, "Benefits for Administrative Presidential Appointees."

2. Policy 41.015, "Reduction-in-Force Benefit Programs for Administrators and Classified Staff."

3. Policy 45.101, "Graduate Study for Employees."

C.   History

Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site, at https://www.ohio.edu/policy2/40-015/.

Prior versions of this policy were approved on:

• June 1, 1997

• February 1, 1994

• January 1, 1992

• January 1, 1988