Tuition benefit likely to be expanded in April

A long-discussed expansion of the tuition waiver benefit for University of Colorado employees is on track to take effect in April, in time to allow for enrollment in summer courses.

The expansion would allow the transfer of the current nine-credit benefit from the eligible employee to a dependent child, spouse or partner. E. Jill Pollock, vice president of Employee and Information Services, presented an update on the matter at Faculty Council’s Jan. 26 meeting at 1800 Grant St. in Denver. Faculty Council passed a motion last March recommending such an expansion of the tuition waiver benefit.

Many had hoped that the number of credits would be increased, too, from nine to 12. Pollock said that still might happen in the future.

“This is the foot in the door in a bad economy,” Pollock told the council. “There are a lot of things I’d like to do with this (benefit) to make it more attractive and usable. That’s not going to happen this coming year because we don’t have the funds for it.”

A midcycle approval of the change to the policy would enable an effective date of April 1, Pollock said, allowing for summer enrollment. Summer enrollment is key for usage of the benefit because the tuition benefit may not be used during the fall or spring semesters at CU-Boulder. A space-available restriction applies to usage of the benefit on all campuses.

Details of the benefit, should university leadership approve it in March, are in this fact sheet.