Support Staff Policies & Procedures
Course Fee Courtesy Policy for Support Staff
Policy1
Applies to: Regular full-time University support staff, flexible appointees with 60 full-time equivalent (FTE) service months, and official retirees of the University
The University provides financial assistance to enhance the educational development of a support staff member's spouse and dependent child(ren). (For faculty and academic staff employee eligibility, see the Faculty Handbook.)
Summary of benefit: Course Fee Courtesy consists of credit of an amount equal to one-half of the applicable Michigan resident on-campus undergraduate course fees at Michigan State University. This reduction in tuition is not applicable while enrolled at any other institution.
- Course fees shall be defined as the amount associated with credit hour enrollment and shall not include the registration fee or such fees, taxes and charges as may be collected for third parties.
Only one Course Fee Courtesy Application needs to be completed for the entire undergraduate degree (120 credits attempted unless the student leaves the University and readmission as a student is required). Applications should be submitted online to Human Resources in accordance with the following deadlines:
- Fall semester - June 1
- Spring semester - October 1
- Summer semester - March 1
Effective date of benefit: The benefit becomes effective for the spouse and dependent child(ren) of eligible support staff who have met the eligibility requirements prior to the second week of the semester.
Eligibility requirements: The staff member must be full-time or have a flexible appointment and have 60 FTE service months to be eligible for Course Fee Courtesy. Eligible spouse and dependent child(ren) are defined as follows:
- Spouse shall be defined as the legally-recognized spouse of an eligible staff member.
- Dependent child(ren) shall be defined as:
- All legally dependent children of eligible staff who are qualified dependents for federal income tax purposes, and
- Such children who have eligible staff as their legal guardians, who are qualified dependents for federal income tax purposes. If both parents are MSU employees and eligible for Course Fee Courtesy, the dependent child(ren) remain eligible for only one-half of the undergraduate course fees.
- Student academic eligibility: Student applicants must be admitted or readmitted to Michigan State University in accordance with the normal requirements for admission or readmission.
- The student must be enrolled in an Agricultural Technology or a degree-granting program leading to a first baccalaureate degree (no-preference students are eligible).
- Credits attempted must not exceed 120. Credits attempted will be calculated by adding to the student's total credits earned (which includes transfer credits, P grades and CR grades) the total of credits for repeated courses and/or for courses in which the student received Deferred, Incomplete, N, No Credit, 0.0 and/or Repeated Credits.
- If the dependent child(ren) or spouse drops courses or withdraws from school during the refund period, any refund applicable to the Course Fee Courtesy will revert to the University.
- Extenuating eligibility: Spouse and dependent child(ren) of eligible staff on approved leave of absence will be eligible for Course Fee Courtesy.
- The spouse and dependent child(ren) of an eligible staff member or retiree retain eligibility in the following situations:
- If the staff member is a recipient of Long-Term Disability benefits,
- If the staff member dies while actively employed or while a recipient of Long-Term Disability benefits, or
- If a retiree dies.
Termination of eligibility: Except as stipulated above, the Course Fee Courtesy for spouse and dependent child(ren) will be discontinued at the conclusion of the semester in which employment of the eligible faculty, academic staff or University support staff member is terminated.
Footnote:
1"Michigan State University discontinued benefits for MSU recognized same-sex domestic partners in order to comply with the Michigan Supreme Court's ruling in National Pride at Work, Inc. v. Governor of Michigan, 481 Mich. 56 (2008). Accordingly, references to MSU recognized same-sex domestic partners in this policy have been rendered invalid."
Procedure
Application for Course Fee Courtesy:
Employee: Applies for Course Fee Courtesy online in the
EBS Portal in accordance with established deadlines. (see Summary of benefit, above)
MSU Human Resources:
- Verifies eligibility.
- Forwards the electronic application to the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) for verification of the student-applicant's eligibility.
Confirmation of Eligibility and Notification:
MSU Human Resources: Determines employee eligibility and forwards the online application to the Office of Financial Aid for determination of student-applicant eligibility. Employee and student will both receive e-mail notification of application's approval or disapproval.
Refer questions to: Julie Rorick, MSU Human Resources (telephone 517-884-0177, e-mail rorick@hr.msu.edu)
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