Policies & Procedures

Policy: 7113

The Board of Trustees encourages employees to pursue educational opportunities that help improve job performance, lifestyle, or for new career preparation.

To assist in this endeavor, full-time faculty/staff and their dependents, adjunct faculty, and represented regular part-time staff (working twenty or more hours per week) will be granted entrance and waiver of tuition to any class, workshop, or seminar at the College as long as there is space available. Dependents mean marital, domestic partner, or civil union and dependent children up to age 26. (See administrative procedure 7113 Tuition Reimbursement and Waivers for Employees, section titled, Faculty and Staff RCSJ Tuition Waiver.)

Full-time employees are also eligible for undergraduate or graduate study reimbursement at other institutions up to the prevailing Rutgers liberal arts rates on a per credit basis for up to twelve (12) successfully completed credit hours per fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). Reimbursement for undergraduate courses is contingent on achievement of a grade “C” or better and for graduate courses, a grade “B” or better. All undergraduate and graduate courses are subject to approval by the President of the College or his/her designee. Accordingly, employees are required to seek such approval prior to taking each course.

(See administrative procedure 7113 Tuition Reimbursement and Waivers for Employees, section titled, Tuition Reimbursement and Pay Back Criteria.)

All employees participating in the tuition reimbursement program must agree to remain continuously employed full-time with the College for a period of two (2) years following the conferring date of the degree or as of the issue date of the most recent tuition reimbursement check, whichever comes first.

All employees who leave voluntarily or are terminated for just cause before completing two (2) full years of continuous full-time employment from the conferring date of the degree or as of the issue date of the most recent tuition reimbursement check, whichever comes first, will be required to repay any tuition monies the College has reimbursed the employee in the following manner:

• If separation occurs within one (1) year following the conferring of the degree or as of the most recent tuition reimbursement check – 100% of the tuition reimbursement from the previous two (2) years must be repaid to the College;
• If separation occurs more than (1) year, but less than two (2) years following the conferring of the degree or as of the most recent tuition reimbursement check – 50% of the tuition reimbursement from the previous two (2) years must be repaid to the College;
• If separation occurs two (2) years or more following the conferring of the degree or as of the most recent tuition reimbursement check – 0% of the tuition reimbursement is due to the College.

In the event the College initiates a reduction in force (RIF) and/or the employee is unable to resume employment due to death or disability, the employee is exempt from all obligations to reimburse the College resulting from the above circumstances. If other extenuating circumstances should occur, the President may waive the repayment provisions based on the severity of the employee’s situation.

The administrative procedures will detail payout schedules, exit procedures and the ramifications for a default on the repayment for those employees who leave the College before the two (2) year employment commitment.

Additionally, the Trustees provide limited tuition and fee waivers for senior citizens, active National Guardsmen, the unemployed, and others as set forth in administrative procedure. Please refer to administrative procedure 8405 Tuition Waivers for Students and Community for additional instructions on reimbursement and waivers.

Nothing herein shall preclude the Trustees from amending these provisions as budget and the College’s class availability dictate. In the event this policy conflicts with a collective bargaining agreement, the agreement governs.

References:

Rowan College of South Jersey Administrative Procedures, 7113 Tuition Reimbursement and Waivers for Employees and 8405 Tuition Waivers for Students and Community