Appendix 26 Tuition Waiver

  1. PURPOSE

    Gonzaga University's tuition waiver benefit provides continuing opportunities for educational development for eligible employees, their spouses and dependent children.
  2. ELIGIBILITY

    These eligibility requirements apply to regular employees (Faculty, Administrative, Professional, Staff), or spouses and dependent children, for courses at Gonzaga University:

    1. Employees: Regular employees are eligible to receive tuition waiver effective the semester following their hire date, as follows:

      • Full-time employees are eligible for 100% tuition waiver. Part-time employees (non-faculty - 20 to 31 hrs/wk; regular faculty - 50% to 74% contract) are eligible for 50% tuition waiver.
      • Tuition waiver is available for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses (space available basis). Tuition waiver is not available for Law School courses.

        Grandfather provisions: Faculty hired before November 1, 1996: regular faculty are eligible for law courses; adjunct faculty teaching more than six hours are eligible for 100% tuition waiver; those teaching fewer than six hours are eligible for 50% (excluding doctoral and law).
      • Staff, professional, and administrative employees are limited to one course during regularly scheduled working hours per semester. Regular working hours include lunch and break periods. Employees are expected to work their full regular scheduled hours per week in addition to class attendance. Supervisory approval is required for enrollment. Supervisors consider the needs of the department when determining whether to permit an employee to enroll in a course during working hours.
    2. Spouse and Dependent Children: Legal spouses and dependent children of full-time employees are eligible for tuition waiver based on the employee's completed years of service, before the beginning of the semester, as follows: 0 to 1 year - 0%; 1 to 3 years - 50%; 3 to 5 years - 75%; 5 or more years - 100%.

                   Grandfather provisions: Employees hired before November 1, 1996: spouse and dependent
                   children are eligible for 100% tuition waiver.

      • Spouse tuition waivers are for one Gonzaga University degree, either undergraduate or graduate courses (excluding doctoral and law).
                    Grandfather provisions: Employees hired before November 1, 1996: faculty spouses are eligible
                    for graduate, doctoral and law courses; administrative/professional spouses are eligible for
                    undergraduate and graduate courses (excluding doctoral and law).

      • Dependent children tuition waivers are for undergraduate courses only.
      • Dependent children are defined as natural born, adopted, or step-children under the age of 26. Children must be financially dependent upon the employee and meet the definition of dependent outlined by the Internal Revenue Service. The University reserves the right to require proof of dependency.
                    Grandfather provisions: Employees hired before November 1, 1996: dependent children do not
                    have to be an IRS dependent, although the tuition waivers are then deemed taxable.

      • Tuition waiver is limited to one non-matriculated course per semester.
                    Grandfather provisions: Employees hired before November 1, 1996: no limit on non-
                    matriculated courses.


    3. Dependent Children of Retired or Deceased Employees: Dependent children of retired (at least age 55) or deceased employees are eligible for 100% waiver benefit if, at the time of the employee's retirement or death, they were otherwise eligible employees with ten or more years of service. All other policy provisions apply.

                   Grandfather provisions: Regular faculty hired before November 1, 1996: 100% tuition waiver for
                   dependent children of retired faculty members who have held tenure and of ranked faculty
                   members who have died during their employment at Gonzaga.
    4. ROTC Personnel: ROTC personnel may participate in the University's Tuition Waiver program on the same basis as University employees. However, all available federal tuition assistance should be used to reduce the amount of such waivers. Special guidelines exist for ROTC personnel; each case should be referred to the Benefits Specialist in Human Resources.
  3. OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

    1. Fees: This policy covers tuition only; all related fees (GSBA, matriculation, lab fees, etc.) and book charges are the responsibility of the student.
    2. Eligible Courses: Eligible courses or programs are normal "units of the University." The Florence Program is a "unit" of the University and the tuition waiver is included up to the Florence tuition amount, any other expenses are the responsibility of the student. The London, France, Spain, and similar programs are excluded from the Tuition Waiver Policy.
    3. FACHEX: FACHEX is an undergraduate tuition waiver exchange program involving other Jesuit Colleges and Universities. This program is open to dependent children of Gonzaga University employees who are eligible for 100% tuition waiver. Participation in FACHEX is limited to space available. General information and a current list of participating institutions is available in Human Resources, but specific arrangements for FACHEX should be made through the Financial Aid Office.
    4. Taxable Waivers: Tuition waivers are deemed taxable income for courses taken at the graduate or doctoral level, and waivers granted to grandfathered dependent children who do not meet the Internal Revenue Service definition. The value of these waivers is included in gross income and the applicable taxes are withheld during the semester that the waiver is incurred.
    5. Academic Standards/Satisfactory Completion: Employees, their spouse and dependent children must meet and maintain the same academic standards required of other students to be eligible for tuition waiver. Employees are responsible for reimbursing the University the full cost of the course if the student receives an "F," or a "V" in a course. Students may contact the Registrar's Office to file an appeal.
    6. Financial Aid: Employees are encouraged to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students may retain any University-funded merit, department, activity, and athletic scholarships for which they qualify; however, the value of the award and tuition waiver combined cannot exceed 100% of the tuition. Students may retain any external scholarship for which they qualify without affecting the waiver. Students attending Gonzaga through FACHEX are subject to the limitation noted above. Students attending other institutions on FACHEX are subject to the financial aid policies of the receiving institution.
    7. Employment End: If an employee resigns or is dismissed, eligibility for this program will cease at the end of the semester in which the employee's employment ends.
  4. PROCEDURES

    1. Employees are responsible for conforming with this policy to receive tuition waiver benefits.
    2. Registration for courses (including telephone pre-registrations) must be confirmed through the Registrar's Office and Student Accounts to be valid.
    3. Completing and submitting the Tuition Waiver Request form to the Benefits Office is not sufficient to hold classes.
    4. Deadlines for submission of Tuition Waiver Request forms are published in the "Student/Advisor Action Guide" located in the appropriate semester Announcement of Course Offerings.
    5. A new form is required for each semester and summer sessions.