Tuition Remission and Exchange

1.600 TUITION REMISSION AND EXCHANGE

1.610 Tuition Remission General Information

Tuition remission at Guilford College is granted to all full-time employees under the conditions listed below. Tuition remission covers only tuition costs at Guilford College not met by any other source (such as tuition grants and scholarships). Room and board charges, class and lab fees and other miscellaneous charges such as insurance and activity fees are not covered by tuition remission. Neither are textbooks covered.

Individuals receiving tuition remission are held to the same academic requirements as all other financial aid recipients. To continue receiving this benefit, the individual enrolled must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined in the "College Catalog".

1.611 Tuition Remission - Employees

Tuition Remission forms are available in the Office of Human Resources. The completed form must be submitted before the day of registration.

All employees (including those who already possess a college degree) who are classified as full-time (working 10 or more months in a calendar year on a regular and continuous basis) and have been employed for thirty (30) days or longer may take one course per semester at Guilford College and receive tuition remission. The employee may either take the course on a for-credit basis or the employee may audit the class on a space-available basis. Activity fees will be the responsibility of the employee.

It is expected that employees who participate in the tuition remission program will schedule their classes outside the regular work day. If a class must be taken during the work day, it requires pre-approval of the employee's supervisor. The supervisor will make her or his approval decision based on whether or not the work can be rescheduled with other employees to assure appropriate staffing at all times. The employee taking a course during regular work hours will be expected to use her or his lunch hour for that purpose. No more than one hour per day is to be taken away from the office for this purpose. If a class period is longer than one hour, the employee will make arrangements with the manager to make up the additional time that must be missed.

All full-time employees after thirty-six (36) months of continuous full-time employment may apply for and be granted tuition remission for two courses per semester.

During the summer, full-time employees may take one course per five week session of summer school or two courses in the ten week session and receive tuition remission.

Full-time employees other than faculty who work only during the academic year and have been with the College a minimum of twelve (12) months may participate in tuition remission by paying 25% of the cost of the course. 75% of the cost will be remitted by the College.

Part-time employees not considered faculty are eligible for one-half tuition remission if they work at least twenty (20) or more hours per week but less than 37.5 hours on a regular basis. The part-time employee must be currently employed by the College and have been on the payroll a minimum of 12 months to receive the benefit. Part-time academic employees are eligible if they teach at least three courses per year and have been with the College a minimum of one year.

If a part-time employee goes from part-time status to full-time status, and the individual has worked continuously for the College for a minimum period of two years, then she or he will be eligible for tuition remission for one course per semester after thirty (30) days of continuous full-time employment. After three years of full-time employment, the employee will be eligible for two courses per semester.

If a full-time employee goes to part-time status, she or he will immediately be responsible for one-half of the cost of tuition remission.

1.612 Tuition Remission - Dependents of Employees

After 12 months of continuous full-time employment, Guilford College provides tuition remission for spouses, partners and/or for blood-related or legally dependent children of all employees considered full-time or part-time continuing faculty members. Part-time administrators and support staff who have worked for a minimum of 1000 hours or more for three consecutive twelve (12) calendar month periods will also be eligible to take advantage of this benefit. Part-time faculty who have taught at least one course in each semester for three consecutive academic years (a minimum of six classes) will also qualify for this benefit after three consecutive twelve (12) calendar month periods. Dependent children, spouses and partners eligible for tuition remission must be students pursuing their initial baccalaureate degree. For such individuals to continue to receive tuition remission, the employee must continue to be employed by the College on the same or greater basis as when they began using the benefit. All eligible dependents may enroll in classes on a space-available basis.

In the event that a non-employed partner (not spouse or child) receives tuition remission, then the value of that tuition remission will be taxable to the employee as gross income and will be reflected on the employee's W-2 as such.

Dependent children or spouses/partners are also eligible to participate in certification/non-credit programs available through the Professional Development and Training Center (PDTC) on a space-available basis as determined by PDTC. The cost to the employee for participation in a certification/non-credit program or course will be based on Guilford 's actual per student costs to offer the program or course (based on minimum required class size) plus all incremental costs for books, course materials, fees, per students costs, etc. The books, fees, course materials and per student costs will differ for each of the certification/non-credit programs.

Tuition remission forms are available in the Office of Human Resources. Completed forms must be submitted before the day of registration.

In determining financial dependency, the College adheres to the standards formulated by the Internal Revenue Service as stated in the annual instructions for filing Form 1040. Tuition remission is applicable to the equivalent of 128 credits at Guilford (eight regular semesters of work) toward the initial baccalaureate degree, less any credits transferred from other institutions. Financial dependency will be a prerequisite for tuition remission for dependents of all employees without exception.

Students receiving tuition remission are held to the same academic requirements as all other financial aid recipients. To continue receiving this benefit, the students enrolled under tuition remission must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined in the College Catalog.

During the summer, spouses, partners or dependent children of full-time employees may take up to eight credit hours of course work tuition-free through the summer school if they are pursuing the first baccalaureate degree at Guilford College or elsewhere and are taking the course for credit. Again, all eligible dependents may attend on a space-available basis.

Requests for tuition remission must be submitted before the first day of classes to the Office of Human Resources. Tuition remission for dependents requires that the full-time Guilford College employee certify financial dependency by signing an affidavit that the student for whom tuition remission is sought will be claimed as a dependent on Form 1040 during the proposed enrollment period. Moreover, the person receiving tuition remission must be dependent on the employee by Internal Revenue standards for the period she or he requests tuition remission. College employees utilizing the tuition remission benefit are requested to report promptly to the Office of Human Resources any change in the number and status of dependents eligible for tuition remission due to birth, legal adoption, marriage, legal separation, divorce, death, or termination of committed partner status.

1.613 Tuition Remission - Retirees

Guilford College allows retirees to audit classes at the same rate as other senior citizens. Retired employees will be responsible for all class and lab fees required of regular students.

Retirees register to audit courses at the usual registration time. Should a course be filled beyond capacity, students enrolled for credit will have priority over those students who audit.

1.614 Tuition Remission - Termination of Employment

Should an employee either leave Guilford College voluntarily or have her or his employment terminated by the College, and should the employee, the spouse, partner or dependent child wish to complete a semester's course(s) started under tuition remission, the College will pro-rate the tuition owed on the basis of the number of weeks completed before employment ended.

If, in the above circumstances of leaving employment, the employee, spouse, partner, or dependent child decides to drop the course(s), the pro-rated rule would apply. College rules concerning deadlines, financial aid and academic requirements for withdrawal from classes would also apply. ( See College Catalog for further information.)

1.660 Tuition Exchange

The College participates in the Tuition Exchange Program with numerous other colleges and universities. After an employee has worked at the College full-time for 12 months, her or his blood related or legally adopted dependent children are eligible to participate in this program. Continuing part-time faculty and part-time administrators or staff may also take advantage of tuition exchange. Blood related or legally adopted dependent children of employees categorized as half-time or greater are eligible to participate after 24 months of employment. Blood related or legally adopted dependent children of employees categorized as less than half-time are eligible to participate after 36 months of employment. Dependents eligible for tuition exchange must be degree-seeking and pursuing their initial baccalaureate degrees. However, many of the colleges listed as participants in this program may not, at the time, be able to accept students through this program. Consequently, tuition exchange, especially with a college of first choice, is not always available. Guidelines governing the program, a list of participating colleges, and the status of each college within the program may be secured from the office of the Director of Financial Aid.

If an employee of Guilford College who has a dependent child attending another institution of higher education under the tuition exchange program leaves the employment of Guilford College , the tuition exchange benefit for that employee is terminated retroactive to the beginning of the current term/semester. The former employee will be responsible for paying the institution (being attended by the dependent) the tuition due for that entire term/semester.