Policy Statement
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance and direction to the academic units of the College of Public Health (COPH) as it pertains to the use of tuition remissions. Tuition remissions are used strategically and in ways that are congruent with, and advance the mission of the COPH and its constituent academic programs. Tuition remissions are one mechanism available to assist the COPH in meeting its enrollment and revenue goals, and attract and retain students with exemplary academic, special skills, or need congruent with the mission of the COPH, or eligibility for a specific remission program guaranteed by law or policy.
The UNMC COPH will establish goals and make a determination regarding the distribution of tuition remissions among constituent programs. COPH Academic units will adhere to the principles, procedures and processes outlined in this policy.
The policy ensures compliance with federal and state laws and University of Nebraska Board of Regents policies and regulations, and provides a standardized approach for the use of tuition remissions for all constituent programs in the COPH. The policy adheres to, and supports the UNMC-wide policy on tuition remissions.
Definitions
For the purpose of this policy, tuition remissions shall be understood to be synonymous with mechanisms such as tuition waivers and scholarships that represent the reduction of tuition in meeting the mission of the academic unit, for specific reasons and based on specific eligibility requirements.
This policy does not govern the use and distribution of funded scholarships.
Policy Oversight
The COPH Assistant Dean for Finance is responsible for providing oversight for all activities related to the use of tuition remissions, including but not limited to establishing an annual budget for tuition remissions, reconciling the annual budget for tuition remissions. The COPH Assistant Dean for Student Affairs is responsible for monitoring the use and distribution of tuition remissions, ensuring compliance with all federal, state, University and UNMC rules and regulations pertaining to tuition remissions, and periodically reviewing and as necessary revising this policy.
Categories of Tuition Remission
Remissions Defined by Regents Policy
- Non-Resident Tuition Scholarship (NRTS): Remissions awarded to non-resident students. The amount of remission may vary by student and by program within the COPH, but cannot exceed the difference between resident and non-resident tuition. Awarding of NRTS follows the criteria established by Regents Policy (RP 5.8.3).
- Graduate Tuition Remission: The NU Graduate Tuition remission program provides for the exemption of tuition for twelve credit hours per semester of instruction for all graduate assistants having appointments of one-third or more FTE. (BOR Policy 5.8.2, revised August 16, 2019).
- University of Nebraska Employee Scholarships: Awarded to University employees or their dependents for up to 15 credit hours each academic year per Regents Policy (RP 3.2.6).
- Yellow Ribbon Tuition Waiver: Awarded to non-resident students who are veterans and eligible for the Post 9-11 GI Bill®. Remissions defined by the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.
Remissions Defined by State Law
- Military Reserve Tuition Waiver: A 50 percent tuition waiver for an active reservist (see https://veterans.nebraska.gov/reservist-tuition-credit-program).
- Line of Duty Dependent Education Benefit: (NE Statute 85-2304). A waiver for the children of law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty, in the amount of the tuition and fees remaining after subtracting awarded federal financial aid grants and state scholarships and grants.
Remissions Defined College of Public Health
- COPH Tuition Remissions: COPH remissions are awarded to students enrolled in any of the COPH academic programs under a contractual agreement with a third party or other special circumstances as approved by the Dean or their designee.
Procedures
Eligibility Requirements and Selection Criteria for Tuition Remission Programs
The University defines minimum eligibility requirements for tuition remissions. However, specific selection criteria as defined by the COPH may be more, but not less, stringent than University minimums. The COPH will have specific and measurable written selection criteria for awarding the various types of tuition remissions. The criteria will be congruent with the COPH criteria outlined in this policy. The Assistant Dean of Student Affairs will ensure that each student has met all requirements before awarding the tuition remission.
Application Procedures and Selection Processes
The COPH will have in place published documentation pertaining to application and selection processes used by the COPH, including at a minimum, information advertising available remission programs, processes for application, criteria for selection and notification, and terms for renewal (if applicable). This documentation will be reviewed annually by the COPH Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, in consultation with the UNMC Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success, and amended as necessary.
Recordkeeping, Monitoring & Reporting for Tuition Remission Programs
The COPH will ensure that each student has met all requirements before awarding the tuition remission, and document each tuition remission award on the UNMC Remission/Scholarship Disbursement Form (see Appendix A), for annual approval by the Dean of COPH and submission to the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, which will share access to the form with the UNMC Office of the Controller.
The Assistant Dean of Student Affairs is responsible for maintenance of recordkeeping in consultation with the COPH Assistant Dean of Finance and will at a minimum include the maintenance of copies of the UNMC Remission/Scholarship Disbursement Forms for each student awarded any form of tuition remission for a given academic year. These copies will be stored in a secure electronic repository with shared access for other key COPH stakeholders.
In addition, under the direction of the Assistant Dean for Finance, the COPH will develop an annual projected tuition remissions budget. The Assistant Dean for Finance will retain copies of the reconciled actual tuition remission budget, completed at the close of each year’s admission cycle. Should the actual tuition remission budget exceed the projected budget by 10 percent or more, the Assistant Dean for Finance will also notify the UNMC Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance according to UNMC policy.
The COPH Assistant Dean for Finance and the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs will be responsible for communicating the final tuition remission related data on an annual basis to the UNMC Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, which will ensure a source of common access to the data by the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance and the UNMC Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success.
Tuition Remission Limits
Tuition remissions cannot exceed tuition charges for the given health profession education program, and cannot be applied to non-tuition charges. A refund of tuition remitted is prohibited.