Rule 3341-5-09 | Dependent fee waiver.
(A) Policy statement and purpose
It is the policy of the university to support and promote the education of dependents of its employees.
(B) Policy scope
This policy applies to BGSU administrative and classified staff, part-time faculty, and faculty administrators. It does not apply to employees covered by collective bargaining agreements, who should refer to the appropriate agreement.
(C) Policy
(1) Full-time permanent faculty/staff member
(a) Eligibility. For the purposes of this policy, a permanent full-time faculty/staff member is employed on a full-time basis for a minimum of nine months per year (including an individual employed full-time at the university but compensated by another agency such as ROTC or a granting agency). The employee's dependent is eligible to utilize the fee waiver the first semester following the full-time date of hire.
(b) Benefit. Dependents are eligible to utilize this benefit the first semester following the employee's full-time date of hire. Dependents may either complete a course on an audit or grade basis. The fee waiver applies to courses that are eligible for credit hour(s) only at BGSU. The dependent fee waiver will waive the in-state instructional fees only, as defined in this policy.
(i) Dependent children. The fee waiver is limited to one hundred per cent of the in-state instructional fee through the end of the calendar year in which the dependent child turns twenty-four whichever comes first.
(ii) Dependent cohabitant spouse. The fee waiver is limited to one hundred per cent of the in-state instructional fee.
(c) Definition of eligible dependent. The employee's cohabitant spouse is defined as a person to whom you are legally married, as defined by the state of Ohio, and a marriage certificate must be on file with the office of human resources. An employee's dependent child is defined as unmarried, a stepchild, a legally adopted child, and/or a child for whom either the employee or the employee's spouse is the legal guardian or custodian and is considered an eligible dependent by IRS section 152. A birth certificate or other court documentation must be on file with the office of human resources. Note: If an employee does not claim the dependent child on their income taxes for the year in which they are requesting the dependent fee waiver, the application will be denied.
(d) Procedure
(i) The employee completes the online dependent fee waiver application, which is located in the my.bgsu.edu portal.
(ii) The supervisor is notified electronically for approval. The application is then electronically forwarded to the office of human resources for processing. A dependent fee waiver application must be completed for every semester in which the dependent is registered for courses.
(iii) An incomplete dependent fee waiver application will not be processed by the office of human resources. It will be pushed back to the employee for completion.
(iv) No applications will be processed for retroactive semesters and therefore it must be received in the office of human resources by the last date of the semester applied for. Anyone submitting a dependent fee waiver application after the semester begins will be responsible for any late fees.
(v) The dependent enrolls in coursework through the office of registration and records.
(vi) A dependent may not receive fee waiver benefits as both an employee and as a dependent in any academic year.
(vii) Dependents seeking accommodations for reasons related to equal employment opportunity regulations should have the member of their family who is receiving the benefit contact the office of human resources.
(e) Responsibility for fees
(i) A dependent child is responsible for all fees, except the in-state instructional fees.
(ii) A dependent is responsible for all applicable fees that are incurred as a result of adding and/or dropping courses, regardless of the reason.
(iii) BGSU will pay for each class only once. If a dependent enrolls in a class and fails the class, or wishes to retake it, any cost to retake the class will be covered by the dependent.
(f) Payroll taxes
(i) Undergraduate fee waiver benefits are not subject to taxation as long as the dependent child is considered an eligible dependent under IRS section 152.
(ii) Graduate-level dependent fee waiver benefits are subject to taxation to the employee.
(g) Reciprocity
There is no reciprocity benefit for benefits.
(2) Part-time employees
There is no dependent fee waiver benefit for part-time employees.
(3) Post-doctoral employees
There is no dependent fee waiver benefit for post-doctoral employees.
(4) Widow/widower or child of a deceased permanent full-time staff member
(a) Eligibility. The child of a deceased permanent full-time staff member (deceased while actively employed at BGSU) is eligible to receive the fee waiver benefit. The dependent(s) must be the dependent(s) of the staff member at the time of death. The spouse of a deceased staff member is eligible for the same fee waiver benefits available for spouses of active employees at the time the benefit is accessed. This benefit is available until the spouse remarries.
(b) Benefit. The child of a deceased staff member will receive the same benefit being offered to dependent children of active employees at the time the benefit is accessed, as long as the child is considered an eligible dependent by IRS Section 152. The student may attend classes at main campus or at any branch campus or center.
(c) Procedure. Contact the office of human resources.
(d) Responsibility for fees. Refer to paragraphs (C)(1) to (C)(1)(e) of this policy.
(5) Cohabitant spouse/child of a retired staff member.
(a) Eligibility. An employee who has retired with ten years of continuous full-time service from the university. Retirement is defined by the retirement program in which the employee is enrolled. The cohabitant spouse or child(ren) must have been dependents at the time of retirement.
In addition, a permanent full-time staff member who has left or will leave their university employment due to their own incapacitating injury or illness may be treated as if they were a retiree for purposes of this policy only. Eligibility will be determined by the president or the chief human resources officer in their sole discretion.
(b) Benefit.
Child. The child and/or children of a permanent full-time retired staff member who has completed ten years of continuous full-time service at BGSU and retires from BGSU and were the dependents of the staff member at the time of retirement are eligible for the dependent fee waiver. The benefit will be the same benefit as being offered to dependent children of active employees at the time the benefit is accessed, as long as they are an eligible dependent child under IRS section 152.
(c) Please note that when a dependent fee waiver is requested, the policy in force at the time of submission will be adhered to.
(d) Procedure. Refer to paragraph (C)(1) to (C)(1)(d) of this policy.
(e) Responsibility for fees. Refer to paragraph (C)(1)(e) of this policy.
(6) Collective bargaining agreement
This policy does not apply to any employee who is a member of a BGSU-recognized bargaining unit. Instead, the fee waiver provisions of the relevant collective bargaining agreement will apply.
(7) Courses/programs provided under a contract with a third-party
BGSU will provide a fixed amount for tuition for courses/programs provided under a contract with a third party. Any tuition or fees in excess of the fixed amount will not be covered. This section does not apply to courses/programs delivered pursuant to the reciprocity agreement with another Ohio public institution of higher education or if the employee or retiree was actively enrolled in the course or program before fall semester 2023.
Last updated July 11, 2023 at 9:39 AM
Supplemental Information
Amplifies: 3341
Prior Effective Dates: 3/17/2015, 8/14/2015, 10/28/2015, 3/3/2017