Summary of Policy: Tuition benefits for employees and eligible dependents

Date of Last Revision: May 2017

Rationale:   

To outline the tuition benefit program for employees and eligible dependents.  

Eligibility

Full-time employees, spouses, and dependent, unmarried, and natural, step, or legally adopted children of full-time employees of Juniata College shall be eligible for educational assistance programs as listed below.  For purposes of this policy,

  • a dependent child is defined as one who is claimed on the current IRS form as a dependent.  A copy of the current form may be required.  Some programs have specific eligibility requirements which are listed with the program description.
  • “matriculated” shall have the distinction of meaning a degree-seeking student;  one who has applied for and been granted admission and is accumulating credits toward an undergraduate education, subject to the limitations of  a maximum of four regular academic years up to a maximum of 128 attempted credit hours.
    Dependents of deceased employees, who would have satisfied all other criteria and who had been employed at Juniata for ten years or more, are eligible for Juniata College grants.

Dependents (as previously defined) of retired employees, who would have satisfied all other criteria and who had been employed at Juniata for ten years or more and reached age 55 at time of retirement, are eligible for the Juniata tuition benefit.  Dependents (as previously defined) of employees who become disabled, are receiving long term disability and have 10 years of service with Juniata are eligible to receive the Juniata tuition benefit.

Regular registration procedures must be followed and the student must meet the College's admission requirements.  Good academic standing must be maintained for the continuation of the grant.  Some restrictions and limitations apply.

Programs

Tuition Grants for Dependents

According to the following schedule, tuition grants are available for eligible dependents who wish to attend Juniata College on a full-time basis as a matriculated degree-seeking student:

Consecutive Years of Employement Completed Amount of Grant
1 1/3 non-resident general fee, less $100
2 2/3 non-resident general fee, less $100
3 Non-resident general fee, less $100

Prior employment in higher education institution may count towards the consecutive years of employment.  To be eligible for this benefit, prospective students must meet admission requirements.

The consecutive employment requirement is waived for spouses of employees and for dependents taking courses as part-time students.  Dependents who are not matriculated as full-time degree-seeking students may take two courses per semester during the regular session or summer session without tuition charge on a space available basis.

Tuition Exchange Programs

Scholarships through the Tuition Exchange program and the Brethren Colleges Exchange program are available to eligible dependent children of employees who have completed one consecutive year of service to Juniata College.

Tuition Grants for Employees

Employees may take 4 credit hours per semester or summer session without tuition charge on a space available basis.   Employees must have the approval of their supervisor and the Director of Human Resources in order to take courses during working hours.  Working time must be made up unless the course is "job related" as documented by the immediate supervisor and the Director of Human Resources. 

Tuition Grants for Early Childhood Education Center

Grants for one-half tuition are available for eligible dependents to attend the Early Childhood Education Center.  For purposes of this grant, a dependent child is defined as one who is claimed on the employee's current IRS dependency form or one of whom the employee has full or shared custody.Pro-rated grants are available for part-time employees.  (For example: 25% for half-time employees)

Tuition Grants for Retirees

Retirees of Juniata College and their spouses are eligible to take one course per semester or summer session without tuition charge on a space available basis.

Qualifications

  • Regular registration procedures should be followed and the student must meet admission requirements.
  • Good academic standing as defined in the Juniata College catalog must be maintained for continuation of the grant.  The benefit will be discontinued after 4 course withdrawals or 4 failing grades for both full-time or part-time students.

Restrictions/Limitations

  • All tuition grants, whether exchange, Juniata grants or a combination, are available for a maximum of four regular academic years' matriculation (degree-seeking student) up to a maximum of 128 attempted credit hours.
  • Tuition grant/tuition exchange scholarships are not available for study abroad programs or other non-Juniata College courses of study.  Financial aid and actual study abroad tuition costs will be applied.
  • Grants apply exclusively to tuition charges.  They do not apply to other fees such as laboratory, matriculation, etc.
  • Application may be made for non-Juniata aid through the Office of Student Financial Planning.  However, any combination of employee tuition grants and other Juniata College awards cannot exceed tuition.
  • Tuition grants are not available for Credit by Exam or Independent Study during the summer.
  • Employees and dependents will not be counted as paying students for the purpose of determining whether or not a course has a sufficient number of students for the course to be offered.
  • Tuition Grants are not available for Continuing Education courses.
  • The Tuition Benefit for employees and dependents does not apply to Juniata’s Masters Programs except as professional development for our employees.  Please note:  The tuition benefit for the Masters Programs will be considered taxable income unless awarded to an employee who performs teaching or research activities for the institution. 

There is no guarantee that there are tuition exchange placement positions available in any given academic year, either from the point of view of the importing (host) institution or from the point of view of the number of export positions for which the College qualifies.  In the event that the College is eligible for a limited number of exports, the awarding of scholarships shall be determined yearly on the basis of employee seniority.

  • Under the Tuition Exchange program, a family will ordinarily be limited to a maximum of four years participation in an exchange program during a year that the College is under export restrictions.  Families who have already received four or more years of benefits will be given last priority, independent of seniority.  This limitation does not apply to all exchange programs.
  • Tuition grants do not apply to spouses or children of visiting professors or to one-year replacements of regular faculty on leave.
    Appeals from dependents of employees may be made to the Director of Human Resources for consideration of special circumstances regarding time (credit) limits and academic standing.

Procedures

  • Information about all educational assistance programs, as well as lists of participating exchange institutions, is available from the Assistant Director of Human Resources & Risk Management, or the Director of Human Resources, who jointly administer the programs.
  • The employee should notify the Assistant Director of Human Resources & Risk Management, or the Director of Human Resources by November 1 of the student's intention to matriculate at Juniata or elsewhere in the immediately following academic year.
  • For employees and dependents attending Juniata College, the grant will be applied to the student account upon submission of the employee's tuition grant request form to the Office of Human Resources prior to the beginning of the semester.  If this form is not completed, the student will be billed for the tuition.
  • Applications for exchange scholarships should be submitted to the Assistant Director of Human Resources & Risk Management, or the Director of Human Resources no later than November 1 of the year preceding expected enrollment.  Persons who miss the November 1 deadline will receive last consideration for exchange scholarships regardless of seniority.
  • The final decision on the awarding of exchange scholarships during a year of limitations is made by the Director of Human Resources in consultation with the President. 
    The foregoing policies are subject to review and change by the Board of Trustees of Juniata College at any of its regular meetings.

Approved by Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees 10/16/93. 

Revised by President’s Cabinet:  August, 2006 & June + October, 2009, June 2011, March 2013, January 27, 2014, January 26, 2015