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Appendix I TUITION WAIVER/ SCHOLARSHIP POLICIES
Wittenberg University provides a tuition waiver benefit and tuition scholarship benefit for eligible faculty and staff. The policy is divided into four sections.
Section
I. Tuition Waiver for Faculty, Administrators, Support Staff and Spouses to Take Classes at Wittenberg
II. Tuition Waiver for Dependent Children to Take Classes at Wittenberg
III. Tuition Scholarships for Dependent Children to Attend Another College
IV. Tuition Exchange Programs
Because the benefits under each of these sections vary, it is important that you read each section carefully.
I. TUITION WAIVER FOR FACULTY, ADMINISTRATORS, SUPPORT STAFF AND
SPOUSES TO TAKE CLASSES AT WITTENBERG
(Eligibility requirements and benefits for dependent children are detailed in sections II and III.)
A. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
The following groups are eligible for a waiver of tuition costs for classes taken during the academic year and summer sessions:
1. Full-time faculty members and full-time administrative staff and full-time hourly support staff members. (Full-time is defined in the respective University manuals). Adjunct assistant, associate and full professors are also eligible, but other part-time faculty members are not.
2. Emeriti faculty members.
3. The spouse of anyone eligible under No. 1 or No. 2 above.
B. LIMITATIONS
1. The waiver of tuition is restricted to undergraduate courses taken at Wittenberg University including courses that are available through the School of Community Education. The tuition cost for private music lessons will not be waived unless the student is a full-time music major who is taking them for credit course. Otherwise, the charge for these lessons will be calculated on the same basis as the charge for full-time students who are not music majors.
2. The waiver applies to the basic tuition costs and registration fee. It does not cover the payment of additional fees, such as laboratory fees.
3. Staff may take only one course per semester during the regular work day and are required to seek approval from their respective supervisors. Time spent in class is not compensated. Staff must work with their supervisor to determine necessary adjustments to their regular work schedule.
4. The course load for which a faculty or staff member may receive a tuition waiver is limited to sixteen (16) semester hours per academic year, excluding the summer sessions.
5. Spouses may take two courses per academic year tuition free. Spouses are also eligible for a waiver of one-half of the tuition for any additional regular courses taken.
6. A spouse who is a full-time student is required to apply for financial aid for which he or she is eligible. Examples of financial aid include federal grants or scholarships, state grants or scholarships, vocational rehabilitation benefits, veteran benefits or veteran's dependent benefits, and corporate, private or foundation grants or scholarships.
7. In no case will the amount of the waiver exceed the total balance due on the Wittenberg bill for any semester.
C. ENROLLMENT
1. Tuition Waiver application forms can be obtained from the Department of Human Resources or from the School of Community Education and must be filed with the School of Community Education during the registration process each semester. The School of Community Education processes all application forms for faculty, administrative staff, support staff and spouses during the registration process.
2. Wittenberg will first accommodate the registration requests of its traditional or full-paying students. Enrollment will then be approved on a space-available basis.
3. Each person must qualify for admission to courses or degree programs in the same manner as applicants who are not eligible for a tuition waiver. Eligibility for a tuition waiver does not imply a waiver of regular admission requirements or procedures.
II. TUITION WAIVER FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN TO TAKE CLASSES AT
WITTENBERG UNIVERSITY
Tuition Waiver at Wittenberg University for dependent children is for regular undergraduate courses (excluding private music lessons) taken at Wittenberg University provided the following criteria are met:
A. ELIGIBILITY
Subject to the conditions of this policy, a full waiver of Wittenberg tuition is available for:
1. Dependent children of all full-time faculty members, adjunct assistant, adjunct associate and adjunct full professors and full-time administrative staff members.
2. Dependent children of all full-time hourly staff members who have met the service requirement. The service requirement is generally one-year. If the employee begins employment prior to the mid-semester break, the dependent will become eligible for the benefit at the beginnning of the semester in which the employee will have met the one-year service requirement.
3. The dependent children of a deceased employee who met the eligibility requirements for the benefit and who had completed at least five years of continuous full-time service to the University. The parent must have been actively employed by the university at the time of his or her death.
5. The children of a tenured faculty member or of an administrative staff member who is on long-term disability leave.
B. LIMITATIONS
1. The student must be a dependent child of the faculty member, administrative staff member or hourly staff member. We define dependent status as any child claimed as a dependent on federal tax forms. The dependent child must be a biological or a legally adopted child of the faculty, administrative staff member or support staff member. If the latter, the adoption must have occurred at least five years before the child's first enrollment at Wittenberg.
2. In the case of a deceased faculty or administrative staff member, the child must have been a dependent of the faculty or administrative staff member at the time of the faculty/staff member's death and eligibility for the tuition waiver ceases at the conclusion of the semester during which the dependent's twenty-third birthday occurs. Extension of the age limit may be permitted in exceptional cases involving delay in completing the educational program, with each request being handled on a case-by-case basis.
3. The tuition waiver is limited to a maximum of eight semesters. To receive the full waiver in any given semester, the student must be enrolled as a full-time student. If a student is enrolled at full-time status during a summer session, then that session also counts toward the maximum eight semesters allowed. A student who is enrolled less than full-time is only eligible for a waiver of 50 percent of his or her tuition charges and these classes do not count toward the maximum eight semesters allowed.
4. A full-time student is required to apply for financial aid for which he or she is eligible. Full-time students who receive grants and/or scholarships specifically designated for tuition will only receive a waiver of the remaining balance of their tuition bill. If a part-time student receives grants and/or scholarships specifically designated for tuition, the amount of his or her waiver will be 50 percent of the original tuition charges or the entire remaining balance of their tuition bill, whichever is less. In no case will the amount of the waiver exceed the total balance due on the Wittenberg bill for any semester. Loans obtained are not construed as grants and do not affect the amount of the tuition waiver for which the student is eligible.
5. The waiver of tuition applies to the basic tuition costs. It does not cover the payment of additional fees, such as registration and laboratory fees. Furthermore, it does not cover the cost of private music lessons unless the dependent is a music major and a full-time student.
6. To be eligible to continue receiving a tuition waiver, the student must meet acceptable academic standards as defined in the University's Standards of Academic Progress policy.
7. Once a dependent completes the bachelor's degree requirements at Wittenberg or elsewhere, he or she is not entitled to any further tuition waivers. This restriction is applicable even if the student has received a tuition waiver for a total of less than eight semesters of full-time study.
C. ENROLLMENT
1. Each student must qualify for admission to courses or degree programs in the same manner as applicants who are not eligible for a tuition waiver. Eligibility for a tuition waiver does not imply a waiver of regular admission requirements or procedures.
2. After the student's application to Wittenberg has been accepted, a tuition waiver form needs to be completed and filed with the Department of Human Resources. This form must be filed on an annual basis.
III. TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN TO ATTEND ANOTHER
COLLEGE
Dependent children of a tenured faculty member or of an administrative staff member whom Wittenberg University has employed for at least five (5) years are eligible to receive a Wittenberg-funded tuition scholarship to attend another 2-year or four-year accredited post-secondary institution provided the conditions as stated below are satisfied.
The amount of the scholarship is limited by both the current full-time tuition charge at Wittenberg and current full-time tuition charge of the college attended. The amount of the scholarship is subject to further limitations described in part B below.
A. ELIGIBILITY
Subject to the conditions of this policy, the scholarship is available for:
1. The dependent children of tenured faculty members. We define dependent status as any child claimed as a dependent on federal tax forms.
2. The dependent children of full-time administrative staff members who have been employed by the university for at least five years. We define dependent status as any child claimed as a dependent on federal tax forms.
3. The dependent child must be a biological or a legally adopted child of an eligible faculty or administrative staff member. If the latter, the adoption must have occurred at least five years before the child's first enrollment as a regular undergraduate student.
4. The dependent children of a tenured faculty member or an administrative staff member who is deceased or on long-term disability, as long as the parent had completed at least five years of full-time service and was actively employed by the University at the time of his or her death or disability. Eligibility for the scholarship ceases at the conclusion of the semester during which the dependent's twenty-third birthday occurs. Extension of the age limit may be permitted in exceptional cases involving delay in completing the educational program, with each request being handled on a case-by-case basis.
5. Hourly support staff and adjunct faculty of any rank are not eligible for this benefit.
B. LIMITATIONS AND CONDITIONS
1. The student must be enrolled as a full-time student.
2. The student is required to apply for any scholarships from the attending institution for which he or she is eligible. All scholarships and other financial aid awards from the attending college will first be applied toward the Wittenberg tuition scholarship benefit. Grants and scholarships from other sources will not be applied to the Wittenberg benefit - the receiving student can apply those dollars to room or board. Furthermore, loans obtained will not be construed as grants and will not affect the amount of the tuition scholarship for which the student is eligible. Completion of the FAFSA is not a requirement.
3. If the student is interested in attending a school that is in the Tuition Exchange program with Wittenberg, the eligible faculty or staff should contact Wittenberg's Department of Human Resources to make application to the Exchange program. See Section IV Tuition Exchange for additional information and stipulations.
4. The Wittenberg Scholarship is to be used for tuition charges only. If necessary, the amount of the scholarship will be reduced so that the amount of the Wittenberg Scholarship does not exceed the total remaining balance on the bill from the attending college after all other applicable grants and scholarships have been credited.
5. Eligibility for the scholarship is limited to the equivalent of 8 semesters or 12 quarters. If a student is enrolled at full-time status during a summer session, he or she may receive a scholarship, but that session then counts toward the maximum number of semesters (quarters, terms) allowed.
6. To be eligible to continue receiving a scholarship, the student must either:
(a) maintain at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, or
(b) have earned at least a 2.00 grade point average for the work completed during the year preceding the semester (quarter, term) of the scholarship.
7. Once a student completes the requirements for a bachelor's degree, he or she is not entitled to any further scholarships. This restriction is applicable even if the student has received the scholarship for a total of less than four years of full-time study.
C. APPLICATION FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP
1. An application for a tuition scholarship is to be submitted prior to the beginning of each academic year to the Department of Human Resources. After the first year, an official transcript or grade report of the student's prior year's work must accompany the application.
2. Wittenberg remits the tuition scholarship directly to the institution that the student is attending. The eligible faculty or staff member should submit copies of the tuition bill to Wittenberg's Department of Human Resources, which will then process the payment provided the student continues to meet the eligibility requirements.
IV. TUITION EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
Wittenberg University is a member of at least three tuition exchange programs with other colleges including Tuition Exchange Inc., ELCA Exchange and the GLCA Exchange. If the dependent of an eligible faculty member or administrative staff member plans to attend a school that participates in any of these Exchange programs, the faculty or staff member is expected to make two notifications to Wittenberg's Department of Human Resources. First, the faculty or staff member should make notification in the fall of the year prior to enrollment. And, to increase the likelihood of acceptance into an exchange program, the faculty or staff member should also notify Human Resources as soon as the dependent has received an acceptance letter from the Exchange school and, regardless of the circumstance, should make notification no later than one month after receiving an acceptance letter. Upon notification, Human Resources will make application for participation in the exchange program on behalf of the faculty or staff member. Application can be made to more than one participating institution.
Over 600 institutions participate in Tuition Exchange, Inc. A listing of the participating institutions can be found at http://www.tuitionexchange.org/
A. ELIGIBILITY
1. Subject to the limitations of the individual exchange program and host institution, the eligibility requirements for these programs are the same as for the Wittenberg Tuition Scholarship described in Section III.
2. Scholarships to students who are accepted into a participating GLCA school are automatic. Scholarships to students who are accepted into a participating Tuition Exchange Inc. or ELCA shcool are competitive. Member institutions apply their own standards of admission and, if there are more tuition exchange applicants than the institution can accomodate, the institution is free to choose among the applicants who meet those standards.
3. The scholarship may be withdrawn if the participant does not meet clearly articulated standards of academic performance and/or personal conduct set by the host institutions and those described in section III of this policy.
4. The duration of a tuition exchange scholarship is normally the four years of undergraduate education. However, some exchange programs may not rule out graduate or professional education. The sponsoring institution has the right to limit eligibility to fewer than four years.
B. AMOUNT OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
1. The amount of the scholarship depends on the specific exchange program and the school to which application is made. Some institutions award less than full tuition while others award full tuition. Others may award full tuition and then augment the value of the scholarship by including some non-tuition charges as well.
2. Subject to the limitations stated in Section III above, the children of Wittenberg faculty and staff who participate in a tuition exchange program are also eligible for a Wittenberg Tuition Scholarship. This means that if a student receives a tuition exchange scholarship for less than the full tuition cost of the host institution, he or she may qualify for a Wittenberg Scholarship for part or all of the remaining tuition.
3. The GLCA Exchange program includes a student participation fee that is normally borne by the student. To encourage participation in this Exchange program, Wittenberg will pay the participation fee.
4. To encourage Wittenberg faculty and staff to participate in a Tuiton Exchange, Inc., or the ELCA Exchange, Wittenberg will pay for housing costs at the rate of a standard, double room rate (room but not board) for those students who live in campus-owned housing as long as the housing costs are reflected on the tuition bill. This benefit will be limited to housing costs not already funded by other grants or scholarships. The university's legal counsel has rendered an opinion stating that benefits applied toward housing are taxable to the parent. Therefore, special consideration should be given to the taxability of this additional benefit.
C. ENROLLMENT
1. Application to participate in an Exchange program can be made by contacting Wittenberg's Department of Human Resources.
2. The student must notify Human Resources annually of his or her intent to renew the scholarship.
3. After the first year, an official transcript or grade report of the student's prior year's work must accompany the application.
Tuition exchange programs do not accept responsibility for misunderstandings that might, for example, lead to termination of a scholarship. Participants have an obligation to inform themselves about special restrictions or limitations.
REV. Spring 2010