C. Guidelines
1. Tuition scholarships are based on tuition charges identified in the college catalog or other official college publications. The scholarship does not include non-tuition charges such as student government fees, room, board, books, application fee, residence hall damage deposits, student insurance, applied music, lab fee, graduation fee, activity fees, late enrollment, ROTC deposit, courses taken on an audit basis, and other special charges.
2. Full-time faculty or staff are defined as those who work a minimum of thirty (30) hours per week for at least nine (9) months each year (including ROTC faculty or staff).
3. Employees who want to take courses during their normal working hours must obtain approval from their supervisor before registering for the course.
4. Dependent is defined as the spouse and dependent children of the employee. IRS regulations regarding the dependent's income, support, relationship, and custody status will be used to determine the eligibility of dependent children. For example, dependent children over the age of twenty-four (24) will not be eligible for benefits.
5. If a faculty or staff member terminates from the university, he or she will be allowed to complete the current semester or term in which already enrolled. If a dependent is enrolled under this program at the time of the employee's termination, the dependent will be allowed to complete the current semester or term in which already enrolled.
6. Upon the death or permanent disability of a faculty or staff member with five (5) or more years of service, the tuition scholarship benefits are available to the spouse and dependent children. After ten (10) years of service at Furman, a faculty or staff member who retires after reaching the age of fifty-five (55) also has the tuition scholarship benefits available to the spouse and dependent children.
7. Furman Undergraduate or Graduate (employee, spouse or dependent child)
The regular advance payment and reservation fee must be paid as required by the Furman University Bulletin Catalog Issue for students attending Furman;
Employees must complete an Application for Scholarship and Financial Aid form in the Financial Aid Office every year. The Financial Aid Office will assist in filing for additional types of aid including South Carolina Tuition Grants.
To conserve Furman's resources for financial aid, each employee with a dependent child enrolled or to be enrolled at Furman will be expected to apply for a South Carolina Tuition Grant by filing the Free Application for Student Federal Aid (FAFSA) prior to June 1 with the assistance of the Financial Aid Office. The South Carolina Tuition Grant can be applied to tuition, student activity fee and the university center fee. If the employee's child receives a South Carolina Tuition Grant, Furman will provide a scholarship equal to tuition charges less the amount of the tuition grant award. Should the Tuition Grant be discontinued, this provision will be deleted.
8. Tuition Exchange Program (dependent children only)
Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) program provides tuition benefits with the following private colleges: Birmingham Southern College, Centenary College, Centre College, Hendrix College, Millsaps College, Morehouse College, Rhodes College, Rollins College, Southwestern University, Trinity University, University of Richmond, and University of the South. The Tuition Exchange, Inc. program provides tuition benefits to over 350 colleges. See Financial Aid for a current listing.
To be eligible, the dependent child must meet the admission requirements and pursue an undergraduate degree full-time during the regular school year (not summer school) and, once accepted, must make satisfactory academic progress to retain the grant. The tuition benefits are not guaranteed due to possible restrictions or limitations that may be applied by participating school.
Employees must obtain ACS or Tuition Exchange, Inc., forms from the Financial Aid Office.
Employees must apply for financial aid at the college or university where their dependents intend to pursue their degree.
Once admitted, students are eligible to continue in the ACS or Tuition Exchange, Inc., program until they complete eight semesters or the equivalent or until they fulfill the requirements of the first bachelor degree, whichever occurs first. Continuation of tuition benefits in these programs is not guaranteed due to possible restrictions or limitations that may be applied by participating schools.
9. Other Schools (dependent children only)
Dependent children who choose to attend an accredited undergraduate institution other than Furman or the schools in the tuition exchange programs are eligible for a Furman University cash tuition grant as long as they are full-time students pursuing an associate or baccalaureate degree. Contact the Personnel Department for the amount of the cash award.
The tuition grant will pay tuition only up to the maximum amount of the award. The maximum award amount will cover eight semesters or the equivalent or until the dependent fulfills the requirements of the first baccalaureate degree, whichever occurs first.
To obtain a cash tuition award, the employee must complete the top portion of the Furman University Tuition Grants Program form each year or term and return it to the Personnel Department. Upon verification of eligible tuition amount, payments for tuition will then be made directly to the college or university.
If the dependent child chooses to go to a private college in South Carolina, he or she should apply for a South Carolina Tuition Grant with the assistance of the Financial Aid Office. The South Carolina Tuition Grant would provide funds in addition to the cash award given by Furman.
The purpose of the program is to provide for the receipt of a dependent's undergraduate degree at a two-year or four-year accredited college or university. No provisions are made for dependent children to work toward a second undergraduate degree, graduate degree, or to take courses beyond the degree program.
Tuition awards can be used for either full-time or part-time summer school attendance. Awards for partial year attendance will be made on a pro-rated basis.
10. Job-Related Tuition Reimbursement Program (staff only)
The program is available to full-time staff who attend accredited colleges and universities other than Furman University. The Job-Related Tuition Reimbursement Program provides partial reimbursement for courses that improve the employee's ability to contribute to the university in the current position or enhance the employee's chances for advancement to another position within the university.
Eligible courses include (1) job related courses which apply to career opportunities available at the university, (2) courses that lead to an associate, undergraduate or graduate degree, provided the degree applies to opportunities within the university, and (3) "long-term" courses to obtain occupational certifications that relate to job opportunities at the university.
Furman University will reimburse up to $250 per semester (maximum $500 per year) upon satisfactory completion of the course with at least a "C" grade.
Prior to enrollment, the staff member must complete the request for course approval section of the Job-Related Tuition Reimbursement form and submit the completed form to the department manager and the Personnel Department. Only pre-approved courses will be eligible for reimbursement. Once approved, the employee must register and pay for the course in advance, complete the course and retain the receipt and the grade record. The class should be scheduled during non-working hours.
To receive reimbursement, the reimbursement section of the Job-Related Tuition Reimbursement form must be completed and a copy of the receipt and the grade record must be sent to the Personnel Department for processing. A check will be forwarded within two weeks from the date the form is received by the Personnel Department.
...........................