EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES AND DEPENDENTS OF STATE EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS

B-061 - Support for Educational Assistance

 The Tennessee Board of Regents is committed to the need for the continued professional growth and development of employees. Support for educational assistance of personnel and their dependents is an important vehicle for addressing that need. The programs for TBR employees and dependents are available subject to funds being budgeted and available within the institution/technology center/Central Office.  The Office of Human Resources is responsible for the administration of the various programs with the exception of the program for dependents of veterans (B-061) and two programs offered to general state employees and the dependents of licensed teachers and State employees (B-062).  Exceptions to the provisions of the programs for TBR employees can be made upon recommendation of the president/director and approval by the Chancellor.

Types of Support for Educational Assistance

The guidelines for Educational Assistance (P-130, P-131, B-061, B-062) contain a total of eleven (11) programs.  The Programs in P-130 provide benefits to personnel at TBR institutions, Tennessee Technology Centers and the Central Office to further their formal education.  The Program in P-131 provides benefits for dependents of TBR employees.  The programs in B-061 provide assistance to dependents of veterans and to state employees 65 years of age and older.  The programs in B-062 provide assistance to state employees and dependents of public school teachers.  The programs are:

 

P-130 – Educational Assistance for TBR Employees

I.          Faculty or Administrative/Professional Staff Grant-in-Aid Program

II.         Faculty or Administrative/Professional Staff Tuition or Maintenance Fee Reimbursement Program

III.       Employee Audit/Non-credit Program

IV.       Clerical and Support Staff Maintenance Fee Payment Program

V.        Fee Waiver for TBR/UT System Employees Program (PC 191)

 

 

P-131 – Educational Assistance for Spouse and Dependents of TBR Employees

I.          Fee Discount for Spouse and/or Dependent Children Program

 

 

 

B-061 – Educational Assistance for State Employees and Dependents of State

  Employees or Public School Teachers

 

I.          Public Higher Education Fee Waiver for State Employees Program

 

II.         Fee Discount for Dependent Children of Licensed Public School Teachers or State Employees Program

 

B-062 – Other Educational Assistance Programs

 

I.         Veterans’ Dependents’ Post-Secondary Education Program

 

II.        Age 65 or Above Program

Complete eligibility information is contained within each Guideline. 

Taxation of Educational Assistance Programs

         Undergraduate and graduate course tuition, up to $5250 per year, paid by the Tennessee Board of Regents institutions and the University of Tennessee System for their employees is eligible for exclusion from the employees' gross annual income, in accordance with Internal Revenue code (IRC) Section 127.

I.       Public Higher Education Fee Waiver for State Employees Program

(This fee waiver program is for general state employees exclusive of TBR and UT system employees.)

These rules implement the provisions of the T.C.A. § 8-50-1. The Code enables full-time employees of the State of Tennessee to be eligible for enrollment in one course per term at any State supported college or university or Tennessee technology center without paying tuition charges, maintenance fees, debt service fees, student activity fees, technology access fees, or registration fees. Employees are responsible for special course fees, books and supplies, application fees, applied music fees, lab fees, off-campus facilities fees, parking fees and traffic fines.

Pursuant to T.C.A. § 10-5-101 et seq., employees of the State’s regional library system became employees of the Department of State, effective July 1, 1999.  As such, they became eligible to participate in the State’s educational assistance programs.  In addition, effective September 8, 1999, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission determined that Human Resource Agency employees are not State employees as that term is defined in the Commission’s rules governing these programs and thus are not eligible for fee waivers.

Course enrollment will be permitted on a "space available" first-come-first-serve basis.  State employees may register no earlier than four (4) weeks prior to the first day of classes.  No tuition paying student shall be denied enrollment in a course because of state employee enrollments pursuant to this section.

State employees must receive credit for the course in which they are enrolled.  In addition, changes may not be made from credit to audit during the course of the term.  Other guidelines and procedures for administration of this program are printed on the reverse side of the Request for Public Higher Education Fee Waiver for Employees of the State of Tennessee form.  These forms are available from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. 

  II. Fee Discount for Dependents of Licensed Public School Teachers or State Employees Program

These rules implement the provisions of T.C.A. § 49-7-101 et seq. and § 8-50-101 et seq.   The Codes enable children under the age of twenty-four (24) to receive a twenty-five percent (25%) discount on tuition at any state operated institution of higher learning if their parent:  (1)  is employed as a full-time licensed teacher in any public school in Tennessee or as a full-time employee of the state of Tennessee,  (2) is a retired employee of the state of Tennessee who retired after a minimum of twenty-five (25) years of full-time creditable service, (3) was killed in the line of duty while a full-time employee of the state of Tennessee, or (4) died while a full-time employee, though not "in the line of duty."

Tuition includes undergraduate maintenance fees, technology center program fees, and technology access fees; it does not include application for admission fees, student activity fees, debt service fees, lab fees, applied music fees, books and supplies, dormitory charges or meal plans.

Other guidelines and procedures for administration of this program are printed on the reverse side of the Request for Public Higher Education Fee Discount for Dependents of Certified Public School Teachers form.  These forms are available from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

 

Source: Presidents Meeting, February 7, 2006; Presidents Meeting, November 6, 2006