(TBR Policy 5:01:04:10) (TBR Guideline P-130)

Northeast State Community College (NeSCC) is committed to the need for the continued professional growth and development of faculty and staff and considers support for educational expenses of personnel an important vehicle for addressing that need. Support for educational expenses is available subject to funds being budgeted.

There are three (3) programs by which Northeast State may provide for staff education. The programs are:

I. Fee Waiver for TBR/UT System Employees Program (formerly PC-191)

1. NeSCC follows the process and procedures outlined in TBR Guideline P-130 for this program.
2. Requests for approval to participate in the program shall be submitted via the form which appears in Exhibit 1.
3. It is the employee’s responsibility to submit the approved form to the Tennessee public institution they are attending.

II. Faculty and Staff Tuition Reimbursement Program

1. NeSCC follows the process and procedures outlined in TBR Guideline P-130 for this program. Additionally, the following items shall apply specifically for Northeast State.

          i.      Accounting/Budget Provisions

1. Eligible employees who wish to participate in the Faculty and Staff Tuition Reimbursement Program must discuss their participation in the program with their immediate supervisor and request appropriate funding in the annual departmental budget.

2. Budget requests are submitted in February each year and are effective for the fall, spring, and summer terms of the next fiscal year. For example, an employee requesting tuition reimbursement for 2016-2017 would request funding in the department budget in February 2016 and would be eligible to participate in the program in the fall 2016, spring 2017, and summer 2017 terms.

3. An employee who misses the February deadline for budget submission may discuss their participation in the program with their immediate supervisor and request appropriate funding in the October Revised budget.

        ii.      Limits on Tuition Reimbursement Rates

1. Effective January 1, 2017, tuition reimbursement will only be provided for individuals who attend a Tennessee public institution and are already enrolled in a program. Reimbursement will not exceed the highest current semester hour rate for a comparable program offered by a TBR institution. or TN public or local governing board:

a. Beginning January 1, 2017, Northeast State will begin phasing out the tuition reimbursement program due to budget constraints (employees will still be eligible for the Fee Waiver program).  Therefore, employees actively enrolled in the Tuition Reimbursement Program in Fall 2016, shall remain eligible for tuition reimbursement under this program taking one (1) course per term, consecutively until the degree is awarded (or until June 30, 2020, whichever comes first). Reimbursement will not exceed the highest current semester hour rate for a comparable program offered by a TBR institution or TN public or local governing board.

b. Exception - Employees who wish to enroll in a degree program that is not offered at a Tennessee public institution may request an exception upon recommendation of their supervising vice president and approval by the president. Appropriate justification must accompany the request. If approved, reimbursement will not exceed the highest current semester hour rate for a comparable program offered by a TBR institution or TN public or local governing board.

c. Only degree programs or courses relevant to institutional positions shall be approved. Supervisors may approve second degrees (i.e., second bachelors or second masters degrees) if the course of study is directly related to the employee’s current or future position with NeSCC.

d. See TBR Guideline P-130.

B. Requests for approval to participate in the program shall be submitted via the form which appears in Exhibit 2. Approval must be obtained prior to registering for the course.

C. Upon completion of the course(s), the employee must submit a memorandum to the director of Human Resources Records requesting reimbursement for the course(s). A copy of the student invoice showing the amount paid for the course(s) and a copy of the transcript showing successful completion of the course must accompany the memorandum. Successful completion is defined as a “B” in graduate courses and a “C” in undergraduate courses.

III. Employee Audit/Non-Credit Program

1. NeSCC follows the process and procedures outlined in TBR Guideline P-130 for this program.
2. Requests for approval to participate in the program shall be submitted via the form which appears in Exhibit 1.

 Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Request for Educational Assistance

Exhibit 2 – Request for Tuition Reimbursement

Revision History: April 2010, July 2015, November 2016