TAP No. 13: Tuition Benefits

TAP No. 13: Tuition Benefits

Scope

This policy applies to all eligible University employees, their eligible spouses, and eligible dependents.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define the Duquesne University tuition benefits for eligible employees and family members who have met admission requirements. Information regarding the tuition exchange benefit can be found in Section VII - Tuition Exchange.

Policy

Tuition remission under this policy refers to a waiver or a reduction of tuition at the basic tuition rate* as adopted by the University annually. Employees and any recipient receiving tuition remission benefits under this policy will be responsible for paying all applicable tuition remission administrative fees, tuition differentials, room and board, textbooks, and all other fees associated with their particular program of study.

Employee's full-time employment start date is prior to July 1, 2010:

First Degree attained using the University's Tuition Remission benefit

Employee's full-time employment start date is on or after July 1, 2010:

 

Part-Time (adjunct) Faculty, Part-Time Head Coaches and Part-Time Assistant Coaching Staff

*The basic tuition remission rate is equivalent to the undergraduate liberal arts rate for those seeking undergraduate degrees and the graduate liberal arts rate for those seeking graduate degrees as published in the most current Duquesne University Tuition, Fees, and Room and Board pricing. These rates are available for reference within the Admissions and Aid section of the Duquesne University website. Tuition differentials apply for all other Schools and programs and are not considered a covered expense under this policy.

**All 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 season(s) of intercollegiate competition and who are paid by the University.

I. Eligibility - Faculty and Staff

The following provisions will apply to the tuition remission benefit regardless of the hire date:

1. For all full-time, non-temporary employees, eligibility for tuition remission begins the first semester coinciding with or immediately following their date of hire.
2. The following paid part-time employees are eligible for one degree at 55% basic tuition remission* for studies pursued at Duquesne University during the semester in which the employee is actively employed.
   
   Part-time (adjunct) faculty,
   Part-time head coaches and part-time assistant coaching staffs coaching intercollegiate sports who have the primary responsibility for coaching a team(s) or activity for one or more complete season(s) of intercollegiate competition.
3. In the event of an approved and documented disability, including Worker's Compensation (time spent on Workers' Compensation does not count towards years of service), retirement as defined in TAP No. 18, employment separation due to layoff, reduction in force or loss of funding, 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.
   
   Five but less than six years of service, 30%.
   Six but less than seven years of service, 45%.
   Seven but less than eight years of service, 60%.
   Eight but less than nine years of service, 75%.
   Nine but less than ten years of service, 90%.
   Ten or more years of service, 100%.
4. Employees who separate from employment due to layoff/reduction in force or loss of funding, and their eligible dependents, will be permitted to complete the semester in which they are currently enrolled and will not be liable for repayment.

II. Eligibility - Dependents of Faculty and Staff

1. Employees are responsible for providing accurate and timely dependent eligibility documentation (i.e. marriage certificates, birth certificates, adoption paperwork, or court order). 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.
2. The following family members qualify as eligible dependents:
   
   An employee's legal spouse under the laws of the state where the marriage was performed.
   An employee's unmarried, dependent children through age 24, if they are full-time students (as determined by the school) provided the children are dependent on the employee for support and maintenance and are claimed as exemptions on the employee's federal income tax return.
   
   The following children qualify as eligible dependents:
   1. Biological children.
   2. Stepchildren who live with the employee.
   3. Legally adopted children.
   4. Children placed with an employee in anticipation for adoption.
   5. Child for who the employee has legal guardianship under a court order and who lives with the employee.
   6. Due to the expiration of legal guardianship at the age of 18, the University will permit the previously documented legal guardianship to be used as proof of eligibility for Tuition Remission purposes. The employee must be able to document legal guardianship for five continuous, consecutive years prior to the child turning 18 (i.e., between the ages of 13 to 18) to be considered eligible for the Tuition Remission. The child must continue to be claimed on the employee's income tax while utilizing the Tuition Remission. If there was a break in the guardianship between the ages of 13 to 18, if the employee can prove the guardianship was entered into for a minimum of ten years, then tuition remission will be granted. Documentation will be required before the remission can be approved.
3. Eligible dependent children must be enrolled for the degree(s) they may be pursuing before attaining age 24.
4. Tuition remission continues for eligible dependent children until the end of the semester in which the student turns 25 years of age.

III. Eligibility (Members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (C.S.Sp.) and Eligible Relatives)

1. All members of the Holy Spirit Community are eligible for full, basic tuition remission.
2. Spiritans assigned to the University are eligible for full tuition remission at the University for up to two nieces or nephews, an 80% basic tuition remission for a third niece or nephew, and 55% basic tuition remission to all others. A 45% basic tuition remission will apply to courses taken for the second degree under this benefit at the University.
3. Congregation of the Holy Spirit, United States Province, not assigned to the University are eligible for a 55% basic tuition remission at the University for nieces and nephews.

IV. Requirements

1. With exception of the summer semester, eligible dependent children must be enrolled as a full-time student as determined by their academic program.
2. All employees are limited to nine (9) credits per term at their basic tuition remission eligibility. (Refer to chart above.)
3. The Tuition Remission Form is located on the Financial Aid website. The Tuition Remission Form must be completed with appropriate signatures and returned to the Benefits Office by the deadline dates on the form.
4. 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 reduction in the benefit of 5% for each form submitted after the deadline.
5. The employee is responsible for completing a new form by the deadline dates listed on the form. Changes to the number of credits after submission must be updated with the Financial Aid Office via email to FAOffice@duq.edu.
6. In the event that the student fails to comply with the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy, the student will be removed from receiving additional Tuition Remission benefits. However, if a student fails to meet the SAP standards, but meets the standards later at some point, the eligible student can once again apply to determine eligibility to receive Tuition Remission benefits. In such cases, Tuition Remission eligibility will begin with the academic semester after which the student re-establishes progress. The SAP Policy can be found on the Financial Aid website.
7. Students are responsible for fulfilling all classroom rules of conduct and course requirements set forth in the class syllabus.

V. General Provisions

1. Tuition remission is available for credit bearing courses through:
   1. Duquesne University.  The College of Osteopathic Medicine is not covered under the tuition remission benefit. 
   2. Classes eligible for Duquesne internal School cross-registration. 
   3. Duquesne University Italian campus.
   4. Summer semester preceding the student's initial fall semester start for the Gussin Spiritan Division. 
2. Tuition remission does not apply to courses taken outside the University and outside the Tuition Exchange Program.
3. Continuing Education Units (CEU's) are not eligible for Tuition Remission program. Examples of these include but are not limited to, Coaching Certificate program, Financial Planning Certificate program, and Paralegal Certificate program.
4. 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.
5. 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 date of hire. 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.
6. Tuition remission refers to a waiver of the basic tuition cost. All other applicable tuition remission administrative fees, fees associated with particular academic pursuits, books, room and board, basic tuition differential, equipment, etc., are the responsibility of the recipient. Costs not covered will be invoiced through Student Accounts on a semester basis. All invoices must be paid in accordance to the Tuition Balance Policy before registration is permitted.
7. Employees who are on an approved personal leave of absence that exceeds 30-days, or separating from employment for reasons other than a layoff/reduction in force or loss of position funding 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.
8. In no case will additional tuition remission 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. For 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.
9. 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.
10. Pursuant to Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code, this plan provides a taxable educational assistance benefit for graduate level courses for eligible recipients. Employees are required to pay the taxable benefit through biweekly payroll deductions within the calendar year in which the tuition remission benefit is received. Additional information regarding this plan can be obtained through the Benefits Office and the Payroll Office.

VI. Audit-Professional Development Program

The University offers an Audit - Professional Development program for full-time employees. This training and professional development opportunity permits class enrollment with no fees.

1. The Audit - Professional Development Form is available from the Benefits Office. The Audit-Professional Development Form 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.
2. The Benefits Office will assist eligible employees with their enrollment in the class.
3. 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.
4. Continuing Education Units (CEU's) are not eligible for the Audit-Professional Development Program. Examples of these include but are not limited to, Coaching Certificate program, Financial Planning Certificate program, and Paralegal Certificate program.

VII. Tuition Exchange for Undergraduate Studies

The University also offers tuition exchange programs for undergraduate studies, 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. The Tuition Exchange benefit is granted to dependents of eligible employees who maintain a full-time student status.
2. The Tuition Exchange benefit will only apply to undergraduate degrees earned within 8 semesters or less. Any classes taken after the student has exhausted 8 semesters of this benefit will not qualify for the Tuition Exchange aid.
3. The Tuition Exchange Form is located on the Financial Aid website. The Tuition Exchange Form must be completed with appropriate signatures and returned to the Benefits Office by November 15th of the year preceding enrollment.
4. The Tuition Exchange Forms are reviewed in the following order of eligibility, only if the importing school allows in the same order as below:
   
   Eligible renewal candidates;
   
   Full-time undergraduates who are dependent children of full-time employees. If the quota is not met, then spouses of full-time employees and full-time employees may be considered.
5. 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. Tuition Exchange Forms that could not be approved due to the quota system will be placed on a waiting list for processing should spaces become available.
6. Final decision will be issued to students by late December of the year preceding enrollment.
7. The Financial Aid Office must receive signed acceptance notification by May 1st for the award to be valid.
8. More than one eligible family member may apply for this program. Applicants will be ranked by type of participant (i.e., first family member, second family member, third family member, etc.) then by date of hire.
9. Students are responsible for meeting admission requirements and being accepted as tuition exchange students by the host institution. Host institutions also have the right to terminate this benefit if students do not meet clearly articulated standards of academic performance or personal conduct.
10. Late Tuition Exchange Forms are placed on a waiting list. Should spaces become available, late forms are then processed in the order received.
11. This benefit is available for first-degree earned only and will count as the first-degree earned using the University's Tuition Remission and/or Tuition Exchange benefit, regardless of the time frame utilized to achieve the degree (i.e. 4 years, 8 semesters, or less).

Duquesne University reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to amend this policy 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.

VIII. Violations

Violations of this policy will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are subject to formal disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

IX. History

This policy was established in March 1980 and last updated in September 5, 2024.