The legislature will be interested in the cost of the tuition waiver benefit to the university and the potential displacement of paying students. A cost analysis is being done by Pat Pitney s office. It was pointed out that the university does receive income from people who use the tuition waiver. Fees, books, and other costs are born by the employee or dependent. It was questioned rather or not employees and dependents displace paying students.
Departments pay for employee tuition waivers as a small percentage of the staff benefit rate.
Pat Ivey explained that the employee tuition waiver is between 0.17 and 0.46 percent of the staff benefit rate. There is a tuition waiver account that tracks how much is used. Another account tracks spouses and dependents separately. Spouses and dependents are not held to the same six credits per semester and twelve credits per year limit that employees are limited to. Pat Ivey said that Jeannie Phillips and Jim Johnsen are preparing the tuition waiver benefit report.