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Saint Louis University

Changes have been made to the University's tuition remission policy.

"The tuition benefit is highly rated by both faculty and staff," said Kathy Hagedorn, vice president for human resource management. "The new plan does not substantially change the benefit. It does clarify eligibility for the benefit, including the academic standards that apply, the application process and the interaction between the benefit and other scholarship or grant awards."

Meetings with the Faculty Senate and the Staff Advisory Committee began in March of 1996 to discuss potential changes in the policy. After months of discussion, changes were recommended to University President Lawrence Biondi, SJ, by the President's Coordinating Council. Biondi approved the new policy earlier this summer.

Changes include the following:

• The plan strongly recommends that permission from a supervisor to take classes be withheld during the probationary period for new employees.

• The old plan permitted up to six credit hours per semester. This has been changed to six courses per academic year (18 credit hours). Up to two graduate, professional or undergraduate classes may be taken at one time in one of the following combinations: two full semester courses, two eight-week courses, or one eight-week course combined with one semester or one six-week course. Six-week summer courses also are eligible for tuition remission, but participants may not register for more than one six-week course at one time.

• The tuition waiver consists of benefits provided by the tuition remission plan in combination with any other scholarship/grant amounts.

• The academic vice president will continue to establish registration limits for courses and determine satisfactory academic progress and admission requirements.

• A new limit on faculty and staff tuition remission benefits has been established at 180 credit hours of undergraduate, graduate and professional school tuition remission. School of Medicine tuition is not allowed.

• Should an employee withdraw from courses in two consecutive terms, or during the majority of terms in an academic year, tuition remission will not be granted for a period of one term.

• The plan continues to require the completion of a tuition remission application for each term in which tuition benefits are requested. The application must be made prior to the last day of late registration as published in the University calendar. A federal FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form must be submitted by the same date, but must be filed only once per academic year. Forms may be obtained from the office of scholarship/financial aid and the University benefits office.

The following changes also have been made in regard to tuition remission for eligible spouses and dependents:

• The benefit is provided for an undergraduate degree with courses limited to 18 credit hours beyond the total required for the degree as stated in the Undergraduate Catalog.

• Just as with employee use of the benefit, the academic vice president's office may establish registration limits for courses and determine admission and satisfactory academic progress requirements.

• And just as with employees, the tuition waiver consists of benefits provided by the tuition remission plan in combination with any other scholarship/grant amounts.

Some employees have questions regarding why they must fill out the FAFSA form. Hal Deuser, director of scholarship/financial aid, explained that the University wants to optimize students' eligibility for federal or state grants. "It's an attempt to leverage our dollars against free assistance available through the federal and state government," he said.

Deuser said the office of scholarship and financial aid will offer FAFSA completion workshops during the noon hours in strategic locations throughout the campuses to help faculty and staff complete the form. "The office's counselors also are available each day to help any faculty or staff member to complete any necessary applications one-on-one," he said.

Questions about financial assistance, completing FAFSA forms and academic requirements should be directed to the office of scholarship/financial aid at 977-2350. The benefits office on your campus can answer questions about plan limits, employment status for eligibility and completing the application for tuition remission benefits. The benefits office may be reached at 977-2304.