PURPOSE

This policy provides guidelines and eligibility requirements for the Tuition Exchange program available to eligible professional staff members of Drexel University.

APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to all eligible full-time Professional Staff Members, including full-time Professional Staff Members affiliated with a collective bargaining unit, including Drexel Affiliates as negotiated.

IMPLEMENTATION

Implementation of this policy is the responsibility of the Department of Human Resources in collaboration with the Office of Enrollment Management.

ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT

The Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer is the Drexel University official responsible for the administration of this policy.

POLICY

The Drexel University Tuition Exchange Program awards up to 20 scholarships for Eligible Dependents of Eligible Employees, who complete an application, with the ability to swap access to scholarships with other participating Tuition Exchange Program institutions.

DEFINITIONS

Eligible Dependent is defined to include a dependent child who:

1. qualifies as a dependent of an Eligible Employee for federal income tax purposes for the period for which the TEP scholarship is sought;
   1. Born to the Eligible Employee;
   2. Adopted by the Eligible Employee;
   3. Under the Legal Guardianship of an Eligible Employee prior to the commencement of the academic year.
2. is a first-time entering freshman to the Import Institution;
3. has met the established requirements for admission to the participating Import Institution; and
4. once admitted to the Import Institution, continues to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the Import Institution; and
5. has not reached their 25th birthday by the first day of classes of the academic year for which the TEP scholarship is sought.

Eligible Employees are Professional Staff Members who have at least five (5) years of consecutive full-time service with Drexel University prior to the first day of classes for the term for which a Tuition Exchange scholarship is sought. Approved sabbaticals and approved leaves of absence will be counted toward years of employment.

Full-Time Employee is an employee who is regularly scheduled to work forty (40) hours per week or 100 percent appointment.

Import Institution is defined to mean a college or university that is a member of the Tuition Exchange, and is attended by an Eligible Dependent recipient of a TEP scholarship.

Professional Staff Member is defined as an individual employed in any non-faculty category by Drexel University, including an individual who is deemed to be either exempt or non-exempt under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and/or applicable state law.

Tuition Exchange Program (TEP) refers to a reciprocal scholarship exchange program for eligible dependent children of eligible full time Professional Staff Members.

Tuition Exchange refers to the consortium of colleges and universities that have agreed to participate in the TEP.

University refers to Drexel University, but does not include its affiliated entities.

PROCEDURES

1. Scope of Benefit
   1. A maximum of 20 new TEP scholarships will be awarded by the University each academic year. Due to the limited number of Drexel Tuition Exchange Program scholarships each academic year, not all Drexel Tuition Exchange Program applications will result in certification to apply for a Tuition Exchange Program scholarship at an exchange institution. The number of scholarships is divided between ten (10) Faculty members and ten (10) Professional Staff Members, totaling 20 candidates for each new academic year. The selection process is based on employees' seniority level and eligibility is a minimum of five (5) years of consecutive full-time service. The Tuition Exchange Program is not a Drexel benefit that is automatically awarded. The Tuition Exchange Program is a competitive scholarship program for which Eligible Dependents of Eligible Employees may compete.
   2. Drexel Tuition Exchange Program scholarships to participating Tuition Exchange Program Institutions ("exports") may or may not cover full tuition at a four-year undergraduate program. Any difference between the Drexel Tuition Exchange Program scholarship and actual tuition at the participating institution, plus costs for room and board and any other fees, must be paid by the Student's family or covered by other sources, if eligible and available. For each eligible student, Drexel Tuition Exchange Program scholarships will not exceed a maximum of eight (8) semester units or the completion of the baccalaureate degree, whichever comes first.
   3. Drexel Tuition Exchange Program export scholarships are not given for graduate or professional study, non-degree study, study abroad or work toward a second undergraduate degree. Summer session programs are also excluded from this scholarship. Drexel Tuition Exchange Program export scholarship recipients must remain in good personal, academic and financial standing with the institutions they are attending. If the recipient does not meet these standards, then the Drexel Tuition Exchange Program scholarship will be withdrawn.
2. Additional Conditions
   1. The number of students that Drexel exports (sends to other Tuition Exchange Institutions) must equal the number of imports (dependents of other Tuition Exchange member institutions coming to Drexel). If Drexel does not have 20 students to import, the number of Drexel exports must be limited to the number of imports.
   2. The Student or eligible Drexel Professional Staff Member must notify Drexel Human Resources, in writing, of their acceptance or rejection of an offered scholarship by April 1st of each year.
   3. The Tuition Exchange Program scholarship itself is not taxable. However, Federal tax law requires that scholarships or grants which exceed the cost of tuition, fees, and books (such as a scholarship for room or board) are taxable. For more information, please consult your tax advisor.
   4. In the event that an employee ceases to be employed by Drexel University while their dependent is receiving the Drexel Tuition Exchange Program scholarship, the Drexel export Student will be permitted to complete the academic year, but at the conclusion of that academic year, will no longer receive a Drexel Tuition Exchange Program scholarship.
   5. Dependent children of Drexel University Professional Staff Members who die while employed at the University shall be eligible for the Tuition Exchange Scholarship for a maximum of eight (8) semester units or the completion of the baccalaureate degree, whichever comes first. To be eligible, dependent children of deceased employees must have 1) begun their course work before the employee's death, or 2) officially enrolled at the importing institution at the time of the employee's death.
   6. If a Drexel employee should become ineligible, Drexel must inform the hosting importing institution of the change in eligibility, and the Student may complete the then-current academic year. After completion of that academic year, the Tuition Exchange scholarship will cease. If the Student withdraws from the participating Tuition Exchange Program institution while receiving the Drexel Tuition Exchange Program scholarship, the Student must inform the Drexel Tuition Exchange Program Liaison Officer within 30 days of such withdrawal.
   7. If both parents and/or guardians of the Student are Drexel Professional Staff Members, those persons may not combine their years of service. Approved sabbaticals and approved leaves of absence will be counted toward years of employment. However, each Professional Staff Member retains their right to independently participate in the Drexel Tuition Exchange Program.
   8. The maximum number of eligible dependents per Drexel employee is two at any time. Recipients of Tuition Exchange Program scholarships are not eligible for grant-in-aid or tuition remission from Drexel University while they hold Tuition Exchange Program scholarships. In the event that a Drexel employee has a dependent currently utilizing a Drexel Tuition Exchange scholarship and has another dependent entering to compete for the upcoming academic year, the second dependent will be ordered below the last recipient (first on the waiting list).
   9. Qualified Family Members of Eligible Employees are able to continue the Tuition Exchange Program to the same extent that the scholarship was awarded prior to their retirement. For eight semesters or four years, whichever comes first, provided that the Qualified Family Member has met the importing University admission requirements and the retired Professional Staff Member meets the retirement criteria set forth in the "Retirement Eligibility and Benefits" Policy.
3. Recertification
   1. Although the Drexel Tuition Exchange scholarship is given with the intention that the Student will hold the award for eight (8) semesters, the Student's eligibility must be recertified and renewed by the Drexel Office of Human Resources each academic year. A written notice (via email is accepted) is due in January each year for the upcoming academic year. Employees must confirm in writing their intentions to renew the scholarship. Human Resources will submit this written notice electronically to the host institution, relaying the Student's intention to continue with the Tuition Exchange Program as an Export Student for Drexel University.
   2. Drexel University and the Tuition Exchange Program reserve the right to modify or terminate this program at any time.

AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT NOT AFFECTED
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary stated in this policy, nothing herein is intended to alter the at-will status of any Professional Staff Member. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University at all times retains the right to terminate any at-will Professional Staff Member at any time for any lawful reason, or for no reason at all.