Tuition Waiver Policy: Employee Spouse and Dependents

University of North Dakota
Employee Spouse and Dependent Tuition Waiver Policy 

Note: More details, including form and instructions, will be available later in the spring. If you have questions about the policy, contact und.humanresources@email.und.edu.

 

The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education Policy 820 allows campuses to “…adopt procedures providing for waiver of tuition…consistent with an institution’s mission.” In response to the need to improve the ability to recruit and retain quality faculty and staff in support of all aspects of the institution’s mission, UND is adopting a spouse and dependent tuition waiver policy as follows.

 

Policy Statement

Effective beginning fall 2008, the spouse and dependents of benefited UND employees are eligible for a tuition waiver as defined in this policy. The amount of the tuition waiver is 50 percent of the billed tuition per spouse and/or dependent for UND undergraduate and graduate classes excluding professional programs (Law and Medicine) and self supporting continuing education courses (correspondence and on-line studies). Internships, study abroad/exchange and other situations where the “tuition” flows to an outside entity are also excluded from this policy. The percent discount applies regardless of the rate of tuition charged (resident, reciprocity, contiguous, non-resident etc.). Fees are not waived.

See Definitions and Procedures for detail on how policy will be administered.

Definitions and Procedures:

1. An employee is eligible for fringe benefits (benefited) based on State Board of Higher Education Policy 703.2.

2. Dependents are defined as those unmarried children qualifying as dependents under the NDPERS health insurance plan (25 years of age and under if they are a full time student; 22 years of age and under who rely on the parent(s) for significant financial support). In the absence of active NDPERS coverage to validate spouse or dependent eligibility, alternate documentation may be required.

3. A spouse or dependent who is also a benefited employee is only eligible for the employee tuition waiver outlined in SBHE Policy 820 section 2.e.

4. The spouse or dependents must meet admission standards and register for classes through the regular registration procedures. Once admitted, a spouse or dependent is not eligible for the waiver for any semester for which they are on academic probation. Academic status is determined by the Office of the Registrar and decisions by the Registrar for the purposes of this policy are final.

5. The eligible employee must be actively employed on the first day of each semester for the spouse or dependent to receive the waiver.

6. The maximum waiver under this policy for the dependent of more than one eligible employee is 50 percent.

7. Third party contracts, for example Vocational Rehab, Military Assistance and Veterans Services (excluding 529 plans), and all other tuition waivers (Presidential, graduate, etc.) will have priority over the Employee Spouse and Dependent Waiver (ESD). If the other tuition waiver or third party contract does not cover 100% of tuition, the Employee Spouse and Dependent tuition waiver will be applied to the remaining tuition portion, not to exceed 50% of the total tuition charge.

 

Example A:

Total tuition charge = $3,000
Third party contract pays 25% = $750
Net remaining tuition balance after third party credit = $2,250
50% of total tuition charge = $1,500
Lesser of 50% of total tuition charge or remaining tuition balance = $1,500
Amount eligible for ESD waiver = $1,500
Net remaining tuition balance after ESD waiver = $750

 

Example B:

Total tuition charge = $3,000
Third party contract pays 75% = $2,250
Net remaining tuition balance after third party credit = $750
50% of total tuition charge = $1,500
Lesser of 50% of total tuition charge or remaining tuition balance = $750
Amount eligible for ESD waiver = $750
Net remaining tuition balance after ESD waiver = $0

 

8. A Spouse/Dependent Tuition Waiver application must be submitted to the Human Resources Office for determination of eligibility of the employee (along with a copy of the admission acceptance letter for new students only) 30 days prior to the beginning of the semester for which the waiver is requested. Validation of eligibility and approval of a waiver must occur for each semester based on current circumstances relative to this policy. Once employee eligibility is validated, the Payroll Office will verify the spouse/dependent relationship for the purposes of this policy.

9. In accordance with federal regulations, the tuition waiver will be used as a financial resource and become part of the student’s financial aid package. The Student Financial Aid Office may need to adjust aid if the amount of the tuition waiver along with other financial aid exceeds the student's eligibility.

10. A spouse/dependent is not eligible for the waiver if the spouse/dependent or the benefited employee has an overdue accounts receivable balance with the University. “Overdue accounts receivable balance” is defined as any charge of at least $10 being past due over 30 days.

11. In accordance with IRS regulations, the value of the tuition waived for graduate level classes will be considered taxable income to the employee. Federal, state and social security taxes will be deducted in a lump sum from the employee’s last paycheck of the semester, or, at the employee’s written request, deducted on a pro rated basis throughout the semester.

12. Based on clarification provided by Pat Seaworth, system employees located at UND (IVN, ODIN and HECN) are entitled to the same tuition and fee waiver benefits available to UND employees. Also, NDUS office employees are entitled to the same tuition and fee waiver benefits available to employees at any NDUS campus.

13. For the purposes of application of this policy, spouse and dependents of benefited employees of affiliated organizations (related parties as defined for financial statement reporting purposes) are also eligible. Equivalent criteria will be used to determine eligibility with verification signed off by the head of the affiliated unit. In addition, spouse and dependents of Army and Air Force ROTC faculty are also eligible.