Purpose
As part of its mission, Columbia College strives to broaden educational opportunities. The Employee Education Grant (EEG) program is offered by the College to its regular full-time employees, adjunct faculty, and members of the Board of Trustees allowing them, their spouse or domestic partner, and their single children who are under 25 years of age, prior to the start of the term, to enroll in Columbia College courses at reduced cost. If EEG benefits are applied with other tuition-only funding sources, the EEG benefit will be applied to the unfunded portion, up to the approved level of the EEG benefit. The intent of the EEG benefit is to minimize the amount of out-of-pocket tuition expenses to be paid by the employee.
This policy sets forth the guidelines and eligibility requirements for participation in the EEG program.
Scope
This policy applies to individuals who satisfy the eligibility requirements set forth herein.
Policy
Eligibility
Regular full-time employees: After completion of their introductory period with Columbia College, all full-time permanent employees, unless on academic probation, are eligible for an EEG. Employees must have supervisor approval prior to registering for a course that takes place during the employee's standard work hours and all missed work time must be made up. An employee is eligible up to the maximum amount of credits allowed per semester without advisor approval. This grant allows current employees to enroll in undergraduate, in-seat classes at Columbia College without charge for tuition (100% tuition discount provided) or online, undergraduate courses at a rate of 25% of tuition (75% tuition discount provided). Any courses taken in excess of the maximum amount of credits allowed per semester must be paid for by the employee. All other educational expenses are borne by the employee and when applicable, employees will receive a per credit hour charge for books; employees are responsible for the book charge. Grantees are subject to the housing requirement and individuals residing on campus pay regular rates for room, board, and other services. Employees eligible for EEG may attend classes under EEG at any location of Columbia College.
Spouse or Domestic Partner and Children: After completion of their introductory period with Columbia College, all full-time permanent employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and single children under the age of 25, prior to the start of term, unless on academic probation, are eligible for an EEG. Spouse, domestic partner, and children are eligible for up to maximum amount of credits allowed per semester without advisor approval. Any courses taken in excess of the maximum amount of credits allowed per semester must be paid for by the employee. All other educational expenses are borne by the employee and when applicable, spouse, domestic partner, and children will receive a per credit hour charge for books; employees are responsible for the book charge. Grantees are subject to the housing requirement and individuals residing on campus pay regular rates for room, board, and other services. Eligible dependents may attend classes under EEG at any location of Columbia College.
Adjunct faculty: After completion of three (3) sessions teaching, an adjunct and adjunct's spouse or domestic partner and single children under the age of 25, prior to the start of the term, unless on academic probation, are eligible for an EEG. An adjunct and adjunct's spouse or domestic partner and single children are eligible for an EEG of course credit hours equal to the number of course hours they are currently teaching. Classes may be taken, by the adjunct, during the same semester/session in which the adjunct is teaching or one course may be reserved to be taken during the same fiscal year in a semester/session when not teaching. This grant allows an adjunct and adjunct's spouse, domestic partner and children to enroll in undergraduate, in-seat classes at Columbia College without tuition charge (100% tuition discount provided) or online, undergraduate courses at a rate of 25% of tuition (75% tuition discount provided). Any courses taken in excess of the maximum amount of credits allowed per semester must be paid for by the employee. All other educational expenses are borne by the employee and when applicable, spouse, domestic partner, and children will receive a per credit hour charge for books; employees are responsible for the book charge. Grantees are subject to the housing requirement and individuals residing on campus pay regular rates for room, board, and other services. Employees eligible for EEG may attend classes under EEG at any location of Columbia College.
Members of the Board of Trustees and family: After completion of introductory period with Columbia College, all Board of Trustees Members, unless on academic probation, at eligible for up to maximum amount of credits allowed per semester without advisor approval. Board of Trustee Members and their spouse or domestic partner, and single children under the age of 25, prior to the start of the term, are eligible for up to the maximum amount of credits allowed per semester without advisor approval. This grant allows members of the Board of Trustees and their spouse or domestic partners and single children under the age of 25, prior to the start of the term, to enroll in undergraduate, in-seat classes at Columbia College without tuition charge (100% tuition discount provided) or online, undergraduate courses at a rate of 25% of tuition (75% tuition discount provided). Any courses taken in excess of the maximum amount of credits allowed per semester amount must be paid for by the individual. All other educational expenses are borne by the member of the Board of Trustees and/or their family will receive a per credit hour charge for books; employees are responsible for the book charge. Grantees are subject to the housing requirement and individuals residing on campus pay regular rates for room, board, and other services.
Part-Time Employees: Part-time administrative or support staff, their spouse or domestic partner, and children are not eligible for EEG.
Process
Dependent Eligibility: Determination of the child status for the purposes of EEG is made by the Human Resources Office based on the following definition. A child of an employee is defined as anyone who satisfies the following three criteria:
- The person is under 25 years of age, prior to the start of the term, in which enrollment is intended.
- The person is unmarried.
- The person is the natural or legal child of the employee; that is, the person has one of the following relationships with the employee:
- is the biological child of the employee;
- is legally adopted by the employee;
- is legally under the guardianship of the employee;
- is the step-child of the employee; or
- is the foster child of the employee.
- Note: Persons defined as children may or may not be living with an employee and may or may not have legal dependents.
Eligibility with other funding: If EEG benefits are applied with other tuition-only funding sources, the EEG benefit will be applied to the unfunded portion, up to the approved level of the EEG benefit. EEG may not be used for courses of one or classes taught on a one-to-one basis (e.g., piano or voice classes).
If EEG benefits are applied with other tuition-only funding sources, the EEG benefit will be applied to the unfunded portion, up to the approved level of the EEG benefit. EEG may not be used for courses of one or classes taught on a one-to-one basis, e.g., piano or voice.
Application and approval: To apply for an EEG, the applicant must:
- Apply for admission to the College as a regular student or as an alternate-status student.
- Obtain an EEG verification form online through myPortal. All recipients of an EEG are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid. EEG may be coordinated with federal or state grants.
- Complete the EEG verification form with all appropriate information and obtain signatures from the employee's immediate supervisor and Administrative Council supervisor.
- Completed EEG verification forms should be submitted to the Human Resources Office.
- Human Resources reviews employee eligibility and sends to the Financial Aid Office for EEG to be processed. The Financial Aid Office awards EEG by generating an award letter. Student(s) and Human Resources are notified if the Financial Aid Office is unable to process the form.
- Forms must be submitted and EEG awarded prior to a student registering for classes.
Effects of Termination and Resignation
If an employee resigns from or is terminated by the College, EEG benefits cease on the date of severance for both the employee and their spouse or children. Enrollment in courses may be continued, although financial liability for those courses becomes the responsibility of the student and is thus prorated on a per-day basis from the date of severance. In no event may such courses taken for credit be converted to audit status.
Effects on Dependents of an Eligible EEG Employee in the Case of Disability or Death
If an EEG eligible employee becomes disabled or deceased, currently enrolled dependents may continue coursework under the EEG grant for the remainder of the academic year.
Guidelines
The decision either to conduct a course or to cancel it because of low enrollment is made without considering the number of employees desiring that course under EEG. In other words, EEG students may not be used to fill the gap between the number of students needed to run a course and the number of non-employees registered for that course.
Questions regarding this policy may be directed to the Office of Human Resources.