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The University offers academic benefits in the
form of tuition remission to all eligible (hereafter
defined) employees, their spouses and dependent
children. Tuition remission under this policy
refers to a waiver or a reduction of tuition at
the basic tuition level adopted by the University
and does not include differential tuition levels
required by some schools, nor does it include
fees or required textbooks. Employees accepting
tuition remission benefits under this policy will
be responsible for paying all tuition differentials,
textbooks and fees associated with their particular
academic pursuits.
It is the intent of the University to provide
tuition remission benefits, up to a maximum of
two degrees, for each eligible employee and family
member. The first degree will involve a waiver
of tuition at 100% of the basic tuition level
in effect at the time courses are taken. The second
degree will involve a waiver of tuition at 50%
of the basic tuition level in effect at the time
courses are taken.
A. All full-time, non-temporary employees are
eligible for full, basic tuition remission the
first semester coinciding with or following their
hire date. All employees are limited to nine (9)
credits per term at basic tuition credit rates.
Employees enrolled in the Saturday College may
enroll for 12 credits per semester under the two
terms per semester schedule in the fall and spring.
B. Spouses and dependent children of all full-time,
non-temporary faculty are eligible for full, basic
tuition remission the first semester coinciding
with or following their hire date.
C. Spouses and dependent children of all full-time,
non-temporary administrators, professionals and
support staff are eligible for full, basic tuition
remission based on the following schedule:
1. one-half basic tuition remission during the
first year of employment.
2. full, basic tuition remission during the second
and subsequent years of employment.
D. All full-time, non-temporary administrators,
professionals and support staff employees at Vincentian
Academy/Duquesne University, their spouses and
dependent children, are eligible for tuition remission
benefits in the same manner as all other University
employees. For purposes of this policy, Vincentian
teachers are classified as professionals and are
subject to the terms for the professional classification.
E. All part-time faculty, part-time nursing staff
of the Health Services Department, part-time head
coaches and part-time assistant coaching staffs
are eligible for a one-half basic tuition remission
for studies pursued at Duquesne University while
the employee is actively employed.
F. Part-time head coaches and part-time assistant
coaches are those coaching intercollegiate sports
who have the primary responsibility for coaching
a team(s) or activity for one or more complete
seasons of intercollegiate competition and who
are paid by the University.
G. In the event of an approved and documented
disability, including Worker’s Compensation,
retirement defined as age 62 with ten years of
continuous full-time employment, or death of full-time
employee, prior to enrollment of their spouse
or eligible dependent children, tuition remission
will be granted based on years of full-time service
as outlined below. Time spent on Worker’s
Compensation does not count towards years of service.
Five but less than six years of service, 25%.
Six but less than seven years of service, 40%.
Seven but less than eight years of service, 55%.
Eight but less than nine years of service, 70%.
Nine but less than ten years of service, 85%.
Ten or more years of service, 100%.
H. Duquesne University retirees who have not exhausted
their basic tuition remission benefits are eligible
for this program which includes one degree at
100% basic tuition remission and a second degree
at 50% basic tuition remission.
I. All members of the Holy Spirit Community are
eligible for full, basic tuition remission.
J. Spiritans assigned to the University are eligible
for full tuition remission at the University for
up to two (2) nieces or nephews. A seventy-five
percent (75%) basic tuition remission for a third
niece or nephew, and fifty percent (50%) basic
tuition remission to all others. A 50% basic tuition
remission will apply to courses taken for the
second degree under this benefit at the University.
K. Members of the American East and West Provinces
of the Holy Spirit Community not assigned to the
University are eligible for a fifty (50%) basic
tuition remission at the University for nieces
and nephews.
REQUIREMENTS AND DEFINITIONS
A. All applicants for tuition remission must first
qualify for and meet admission requirements of
the University.
B. Tuition remission forms (available on line
from Financial Aid Office) must be completed,
appropriate signatures obtained and returned to
the Benefits Office by the deadline dates on the
form. Generally, the deadlines are established
as one week prior to the start of classes each
semester.
C. Forms received after the established deadline
will be subject to a reduction in the tuition
remission benefit for the applicable semester.
The Financial Aid Office will process a per occurrence
reduction in the benefit of 5% or a maximum fee
of $1,000, whichever is less.
D. The following family members qualify as eligible
dependents. Employees are responsible for providing
accurate and timely dependent eligibility documentation.
Any employee concealing, deceiving, or misrepresenting
information will be subject to disciplinary action
up to and including termination of benefits, termination
of employment and/or prosecution. Any tuition
remission benefits paid for ineligible dependents
will require restitution.
1. Your legal spouse as defined by the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania.
2. Your unmarried, dependent children who are
under the age of 19 and dependent on you for support
and maintenance and are claimed as an exemption
on your federal income tax return. The following
children qualify as eligible dependents:
a. Employee’s natural children.
b. Stepchildren who live with you.
c. Legally adopted children.
d. A child placed with you for adoption.
3. Your unmarried, dependent children ages 19
through 25 if they are full-time students (as
determined by the school) attending an accredited
college, university, technical trade, or mechanical
school provided the student is dependent on you
for support and maintenance, live with you or
away at school and are claimed as an exemption
on your federal income tax return.
E. Eligible employees and their eligible family
members are entitled to earn one four-year undergraduate
degree (or its equivalent) or one graduate degree
using the basic tuition remission policy based
upon their hire date.
F. Eligible employees and their eligible family
members are entitled to earn a second degree under
this program at 50% of the basic tuition remission
level.
G. Tuition remission refers to a waiver of the
basic tuition cost. All other fees, books, room
and board, basic tuition differential, equipment,
etc., are the responsibility of the recipient.
Costs not covered will be invoiced through Student
Accounts via a paperless system on a semester
basis. All invoices must be paid in full before
registration is permitted.
H. Each Tuition Remission Form indicates the valid
fall, spring, summer semesters. The employee is
responsible for completion of a new form upon
expiration.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
A. Credit bearing courses taken under programs
granting Certificates will be subject to the level
of tuition remission associated with the degree
that is being pursued at the time, i.e. 100% if
taken during the first degree or 50% if taken
during the second degree. In either case, Certificate
Programs will not be considered a second degree
under this policy.
B. Tuition remission is available for credit bearing
courses taken at Duquesne University.
C. Tuition remission is available for credit bearing
courses at the Duquesne University Italian campus.
D. Tuition remission does not apply to courses
taken outside the University and outside the Tuition
Exchange Program.
E. Vincentian Academy/Duquesne University provides
a 50% discount on tuition at Vincentian Academy/Duquesne
University to dependent children of eligible Duquesne
University employees providing the student meets
the VADU eligibility requirements. Earning a VADU
diploma under this discount is not considered
a “degree earned” under Duquesne University’s
tuition remission policy.
F. Employees who wish to attend school during
normal working hours must obtain prior approval
from their immediate supervisor and the respective
Department Head. Approval may not be granted if
the request places an unreasonable burden upon
department employees. If approved, the employee
is responsible for making up missed hours during
the same work week, or to charge vacation time,
at the supervisor's discretion because the employee
cannot be paid for time not worked. No class assignments
may be performed during working hours.
G. Requests for tuition benefits submitted by
newly employed personnel and/or their eligible
family members will be applied to the semester
coinciding with or immediately following their
employment. For employees under a partial tuition
remission benefit, once the benefit has been established,
it will remain in effect for the duration of the
semester, regardless of the employee’s anniversary
date.
H. The Financial Aid Office recommends that all
undergraduate students apply for State and Federal
Grants. Assistance in completion of these grants
is available from the Financial Aid Office.
I. This benefit is intended for retirees (defined
above), active employees, and their eligible family
members. Employees separating from employment
for any reason will not be eligible for tuition
remission for themselves or their eligible family
members. The employee will be invoiced for payment
based upon the Federal Pro-Rata Refund Policy
administered via the Financial Aid office.
J. In no case will additional academic benefits
be granted when both parents of an eligible dependent
child are employed by the University. Also, if
an employee is covered by more than one provision
of this policy, only the provision that applies
to their primary University status will be used
to provide these benefits. Example: a graduate
student receiving a tuition waiver, will not be
eligible to receive tuition remission under this
policy if they also teach a course, nor could
a part-time nurse receiving one-half tuition remission
under this policy also receive the duplicate benefit
if teaching on a part-time faculty status.
K. This benefit is intended to provide tuition
remission benefits only to the extent required
to cover the direct costs of tuition, fees and
University provided room and board for undergraduate
students; tuition and fees for graduate students.
Tuition remission recipients shall not receive
University controlled gift aid, such as need-based
grants, endowed funds, scholarships, etc., greater
than the amount required for their direct costs.
L. Eligible dependent children must be enrolled
for both of the degrees they may be pursuing before
attaining age 24. Tuition Remission continues
until the end of the semester in which the student
turns 25.
M. If Federal Tax Laws qualify tuition remission
as compensation, the University will be mandated
to add the value of the tuition for the employee,
their spouse and/or their dependent(s) to regular
salary and withhold appropriate taxes. Employees
are responsible for reviewing current tax laws
to determine their financial responsibility and
how it may affect their gross income.
N. A separate Graduate Tuition Remission Plan
exists for employees, which is intended to qualify
as an educational assistance plan pursuant to
Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code. This
plan provides, at the present time, a taxable
educational assistance benefit for graduate level
courses for employees.
O. A 50% room and board allocation will be awarded
to dependent children of full-time faculty, administrators,
professionals and support staff who achieve exceptionally
high secondary school academic records. Graduating
seniors who achieve SAT scores of 1200 or higher
who range in the top 2% of their class may be
eligible upon recommendation by the Admissions
Office. Awards will be issued through the Financial
Aid Office and will require a 3.5 grade average
to be maintained.
P. The University offers an Audit – Professional
Development program for full-time employees. This
training and professional development opportunity
permits class enrollment with no fees. The Audit
– Professional Development form, available
from the Office of Human Resource Management,
must be completed, appropriate supervisor and
Vice President approvals obtained, and returned
to the Benefits Office by the deadline dates on
the form. Generally, the deadlines are established
one week prior to the start of classes each semester.
Enrollment for the class is completed via the
School of Leadership. Participation may be limited.
Employees will not receive grades or credits associated
with classes completed using this program. Books
that may be purchased by the department will remain
the property of the University at the conclusion
of the class.
Q. The University also offers tuition exchange
programs through Tuition Exchange (TE) and the
Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). This list
of participating institutions is available on
line at www.tuitionexchange.org, www.cic.org/tep
and through the Financial Aid Office. To participate
in this program, the following procedures apply:
1. All applications must be filed with the Financial
Aid Office by December 1st of the year preceding
enrollment.
2. The applications are reviewed in the following
order of eligibility: Eligible renewal candidates;
Full-time undergraduates who are: Dependent children
of full-time employees, Spouses of full-time employees,
Full-time employees, Full-time graduates –
only if importing school allows in same order
as above.
3. If the quota system of the exchange program
prohibits approval of all applicants, selection
will be made based on the employee’s length
of full-time service with the University.
4. Final decision will be issued to students by
late December of the year preceding enrollment.
5. The Financial Aid Office must receive signed
acceptance notification by April 1 for the award
to be valid.
6. Only one family member at a time may participate
in the program.
7. Students are responsible for meeting admission
requirements and being accepted as tuition exchange
students by the host institution.
8. Applications that could not be approved due
to the quota system will be placed on a waiting
list for processing should spaces become available.
9. Applications that could not be processed due
to being received after the deadline will be placed
on a waiting list for processing should spaces
become available. These forms will be processed
in order of receipt if spaces become available.
10. This benefit is available for first-degree
earned only and will count as the first- degree
earned.
Duquesne University reserves the right, at its
sole discretion, to amend this plan in whole or
in part at any time and from time to time or to
terminate it at any time without advance notice.
It is also understood that these benefits are
intended to comply with all existing Federal or
State Benefit and/or Tax Regulations. Amendments
to the plan are made by the Office of Human Resource
Management with the approval of the Vice President
for Management and Business. Termination of the
plan must be proposed by the Vice President and
approved by the Executive Committee of the University
Board of Directors.
REV: 11/08
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