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Pursuant to Chapter 191 of the Public Acts of 1985, full- time employees of the Tennessee Board of Regents and University of Tennessee systems are eligible to enroll in one course per term at any public postsecondary institution, with fees waived for the employee, on a space available basis. The following guidelines are proposed for the uniform administration of PC-191 by TBR institutions and Tennessee Technology Centers, effective July 1, 1985, and shall have no effect on the existing Faculty and Staff Development Programs at the institution or Tennessee Technology Center.
2.5.1 Eligibility
A. All full-time employees (faculty, administrators, and support staff) of the universities, community colleges, technical institutes, Tennessee Technology Centers and Central Office staff are eligible to participate.
B. The status of an employee on the published first day of classes for each term determines eligibility for participation in this program. Any change in status after the first day of classes shall not affect eligibility for that term or the amount of assistance received.
2.5.2 Fees Paid/Type Course Paid/Number of Hours
A. One graduate or undergraduate course which includes tuition, maintenance fees, debt service fee, student activity fees, technology access fees and registration fees is paid per term. Employees are responsible for special course fees, books and supplies, application fees, applied music fees, lab fees, off-campus facility fees, parking fees and traffic fines. "Term" shall mean any period of time in which a student may receive a grade for the completion of a course. It is the intent of this guideline that employees will normally be eligible for one course per term; however, the structure of academic calendars in the summer may permit an employee's eligibility for more than one course. An employee may not enroll in more than one course under the provisions of this guideline if the terms overlap. Furthermore, employees are not eligible for fee waivers at more than one institution per term.
B. Courses under this program must be for credit, and employees must meet the regular academic rules and regulations of the institution offering the course. Exception: fee waivers may not be used for correspondence courses. Auditing a course is allowed if the course is a credit course. Fees will not be waived for programs for which part-time or course by course enrollment is prohibited as determined by the institutions or costs exceed regular courses. Examples include, but are not limited to, programs of law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine.
2.5.3 Payback Provisions
None required.
2.5.4 When the Participants May Attend
A. Supervisors/department heads who approve fee waiver applications should keep in mind that job performance is paramount and must receive priority.
B. Course attendance may not disrupt the employee's work schedule; therefore, employees must request annual leave or appropriate time off to attend courses during work hours.
2.5.5 Accounting/Budgeting Provisions
A. An employee must complete an Application for PC 191 Fee Waiver form (Exhibit EB-7) and receive approval from his/her supervisor prior to registering for a course. Forms are available in the employee's department. After obtaining approvals through the appropriate Academic or Administrative Officer, the form should be sent to the Graduate School for graduate students and to Admissions for undergraduate students.
B. If the employee is attending the employer institution, the expenditure is charged to employee benefits. If the employee is attending another institution, the institution attended charges the expenditure to scholarships and fellowships. The employer institution does not recognize an expenditure when an employee attends another institution.
C. Employees' enrollments will be reported in a new category to be established in Student Information System (SIS).
D. The University of Tennessee and the Tennessee Board of Regents do not exchange funds for employees taking courses between the systems.
2.5.6 Where the Participant May Attend
An employee is eligible to enroll in any Tennessee public postsecondary institution, and/or Tennessee Technology Center.
2.5.7 Restrictions on Space Available
A. Course enrollment will be permitted on a "space available" first-come-first-served basis. No tuition paying student shall be denied enrollment in a course because of state employee enrollments pursuant to this section. Employees may not be considered in the determination of whether a course has sufficient enrollment to be offered.