Educational Assistance

Date: December 2023

Supersedes: December 2022, March 2017, January 2011, January 2003

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Purpose

Montgomery County Community College is committed to the continued development of its employees. As part of that commitment, the College provides an educational assistance program to help defray the cost of higher education for eligible employees leading to:

1. Enhanced Performance within current role
2. Promotion to position of higher responsibility
3. Career Development to position outside current area

The educational assistance program increases the College’s attractiveness to prospective employees; helps retain current employees, leads to increased organization loyalty, provides on the job recognition, and allows employees to validate learning in their current job.

The program also adds value to the College as a workplace by improving our overall organization effectiveness while enhancing the attractiveness of the College’s benefits and total rewards program.

Definition

Educational Assistance: Tuition assistance for credited coursework taken at an accredited educational institution.

Policy

The Educational Assistance Policy applies to all full-time regular employees of the College who have completed a minimum of six months of continuous satisfactory employment with the College at the time of their application for educational assistance. Support Staff members should consult the Support Staff Contract Article 23. Faculty should consult the Faculty Contract Article 23.11.

Employees must be actively employed on the day the College issues reimbursement. Employees on a leave of absence are not eligible to apply for educational assistance. Employees who begin a leave of absence after a course has started will be reimbursed a prorated amount based on the course start/end date and the leave of absence period.

Courses are required to be taken through an accredited educational institution. Reimbursement will not be provided for any course taken at another institution for which an equivalent course is offered by Montgomery County Community College.

The rate per credit is based on Temple University's annual credit rates for each new academic year. Expenses for tuition, fees and books are eligible for reimbursement as per noted in the procedures. Travel and other personal expenses are not eligible.

The program is administered by the Human Resources Department.

1. Courses must meet the following criteria:
   1. Relate to improving the employee’s effectiveness on the job.
   2. Assist in preparing the employee for a position of increased responsibility with the College.
   3. Be a required or elective for credit course leading to an undergraduate degree or be a required or elective for credit course leading to an advanced degree or professional certification, such as CPA or JD. The degree or certification must be consistent with the employee’s professional development plans and objectives as approved by the supervisor and area Vice President.
2. Approval for all courses must be obtained by the employee’s immediate supervisor, the area Vice President, and the Vice President of Administrative Services, prior to enrollment.
3. The employee is required to review with their supervisor and obtain prior approval of the anticipated course load to be taken during any academic term. Employees are expected to complete the requirements of school attendance and homework assignments on their own time and not on college time. Care should be taken so that the employee does not commit to the point that their job performance or class work suffers.
4. Employees participating in the program will be notified of the anticipated amount of reimbursement approved prior to the start of their course work after their application is submitted and approved.
5. The employee must receive at least a “C” grade or better for undergraduate courses and a “B” grade or better for graduate level courses or its equivalent (“P” grade in a Pass/Fail system). In courses where no formal grade or measurements are normally provided, the employee must obtain documentation from the institution indicating successful completion of the course.
6. For approved requests for reimbursement, the College will reimburse Administrators and Support Staff up to 70% of the current Pennsylvania resident tuition rate per undergraduate or graduate credit hour for Temple University. Reimbursement is limited to 12 credits per calendar year for Administrators. Full-time Support Staff should refer to Article 23 of the Support Staff Contract for additional details on Tuition Reimbursement. Full-time Faculty should refer to Article 23.11 of the Faculty Contract for details on Educational Assistance.
7. Expenses for tuition, fees and books (100% of the cost for fees and books, up to a maximum of $200 per course) must be validated by receipts and a copy of the final grade or certification must be submitted to Human Resources within thirty (30) days of having completed a pre-approved course, in order to obtain reimbursement. Applicable taxes will be withheld in compliance with state and federal laws as applicable at the time of reimbursement.

Procedures for the Educational Assistance Policy can be found on the College’s Portal under the Human Resource’s Employee Benefits page.