BA434_Tuition Reduction Program Policy

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POLICY NAME POLICY NO. APPROVING BODY RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT
Tuition Reduction Program Policy BA434 President/Cabinet Business Affairs – Human Resources
EFFECTIVE DATE VERSION NO. REVISION/REVIEW DATE DOWNLOAD PDF
[15-FEB-2016 06-JUN-2017 REV.01 18-NOV-2020 REV.02 07-DEC-2021 REV.03] 04 12-SEP-2024 BA434_Tuition Reduction Program Policy

PURPOSE:

This policy establishes the Tuition Reduction Program for current employees, the dependents of current employees, and retired employees.

POLICY:

Definitions

As used in this policy, the following definitions apply:

  1. “Benefits-Eligible Employee” means a WNMU employee whose employment includes the opportunity for full coverage of all university-offered benefits, such as health insurance and paid time off.
  2. “Retirement-Eligible Employee” means WNMU employees who work more than 9 hours per week, but less than 30 hours per week, and who are eligible to contribute to the university’s 401(a) retirement plan, but not eligible to participate in other employee benefit programs.
  3. “Non-Benefitted Employee” means a WNMU employee who works less than 10 hours per week and is not eligible to participate in the university’s 401(a) or other employee benefit programs.
  4. “Eligible dependent” means a person who meets one of the following NMAC (Title 6, Chapter 50, Part 1) definitions of a qualified dependent:
    1. A person whose marriage to the (benefits-eligible) employee is evidenced by a marriage certificate or who has a legally established common-law marriage in a state which recognizes common-law marriages and then moves to New Mexico.
    2. A person who is the domestic partner of a benefits-eligible employee.
    3. A child under the age of 26 who is either:
      1. A natural child;
      2. A legally adopted child pursuant to the Adoption Act, Section 32A-5-1, et. seq. NMSA 1978 or otherwise by placement order, court order or decree;
      3. A stepchild who is primarily dependent on the benefits-eligible employee for maintenance and support;
      4. A naturally or legally adopted child of the benefits-eligible employee’s domestic partner or a child placed in the domestic partner’s household as part of an adoptive placement, legal guardianship, or by court order (excluding foster children) and who is living in the same household and is primarily dependent on the benefits-eligible employee for maintenance and support.
      5. A child for whom the benefits-eligible employee is the legal guardian and who is primarily dependent on the benefits-eligible employee for maintenance and support, so long as evidence of the guardianship is evidenced in a court order or decree (notarized documents, powers of attorney, or kinship documents are not accepted as evidence)
      6. A foster child living in the same household as a result of placement by a licensed placement agency, so long as the foster home is listed pursuant to Section 40-7A-1, et. seq. NMSA, 1978;
      7. A child living in the same household after a petition for adoption of that child has been filed pursuant to the Adoption Act, Section 32A-5-1 et. seq. NMSA 1978 or a pre-placement study is pending for purposes of adoption of the child pursuant to Section 32A-5-1 et. seq. NMSA 1978; or
      8. A dependent child pursuant to a qualified medical support order.
  5. “Retiree” means a past WNMU employee who retired from WNMU under ERB, an ERB approved Alternative Plan, or PERA retirees employed by WNMU. It will also include Emeritus status employees.

TUITION REDUCTION PROGRAM

The Tuition Reduction Program is contingent upon sufficient funding to support the program. Prior to the first day of class, employees who participate in the Tuition Reduction Program must make arrangements with the WNMU Business Office for payment of the balance due for fees and any other class-related charges.

Eligibility

All regular full-time, regular part-time, and Limited Term benefits-eligible employees are eligible to participate in the Tuition Reduction Program once they have completed their 90-day probationary period. Part-time benefits-eligible employees’ tuition waivers are prorated according to their hours of employment. Faculty are eligible with a signed contract. Adjuncts are eligible with a pending contract.

Dependents of benefits-eligible employees are eligible to participate in the Tuition Reduction Program as described in the Program Parameters below.

Tuition Reduction Program Parameters

  1. Tuition reductions are granted each fiscal year.
  2. Benefits-Eligible employees, Dependents, and Retirees may request a tuition reduction for up to 12 credit hours (undergraduate or graduate) of tuition & fees (excluding course-specific fees) for each fiscal year.
  3. Adjuncts may request a tuition reduction for up to 3 credit hours above their teaching load for up to 12 credit hours a fiscal year.
  4. Employee tuition reduction requests must be approved by the employee’s supervisor and appropriate Vice President.
  5. For Dependent tuition reduction, the only signature required is the dependent and the employee. Supervisor approval is not needed.
  6. Employees who take classes during regular work hours must take annual leave or request a flex work schedule to accommodate their hours away from work during regularly scheduled hours. Approval of a flex time arrangement may not be practical and is at the discretion of the employee’s supervisor and Divisional Vice President.
  7. When class enrollment is required by the University Administration, the time required away from work to attend those classes will be counted as administrative leave. The employee will not be obligated to take vacation time. Non-exempt employees required to attend classes after working hours will be compensated for those hours as though they were hours worked.
  8. Lab fees and other special fees required for courses taken must be paid by the employee. Books are not covered by the tuition reduction.
  9. If an employee drops a course or receives a failing grade for a course that was tuition-waived, they are subject to the same standards as defined in the WNMU Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Appeals will be considered by the appropriate Vice President for the employee’s division. If an employee is not making satisfactory academic progress as defined by Title IV Financial Aid, the employee is not eligible to participate in the Educational Assistance Program.
  10. Tuition waiver requests must be submitted to the Human Resources Office no later than noon on the Friday before classes start.