Rule 3344-61-11 | Educational assistance benefit for employees and their qualified dependents.
(A) Overview
(1) Cleveland state university understands that investing in employee learning and development benefits both the employee and the university. Learning and development opportunities attract new talent, retain existing employees, boost employee engagement and job satisfaction, develop leaders and promote a value-based campus culture.
(2) In addition to investing in our employees, Cleveland state university also supports investing in employees' eligible dependents.
(B) Eligibility
(1) Both full- and part-time employees are eligible for educational assistance.
(a) Full-time employee. For purposes of this policy, a full-time employee is defined as an employee in a regular or funds available position who is regularly scheduled to work forty hours per week.
(b) Part-time employee. For purposes of this policy, a part-time employee is defined as an employee in a regular or funds available position who is regularly scheduled to work twenty or more, but less than forty hours a week.
(c) Both full- and part-time employees are eligible for educational assistance the semester following their hire date.
(2) Employee eligible dependents. Both full- and part-time employees' dependents are eligible for educational assistance.
(a) Dependent. For purposes of this policy, dependent is defined as an employee's legal spouse and an employee or spouse's natural or adopted children who are age twenty-six or younger.
(b) Employees' eligible dependents are eligible for educational assistance the semester following the employees' completion of twelve months of continuous service.
(C) Educational assistance benefit overview for full- and part-time employees.
(1) The university shall cover one hundred per cent of the in-state portion of all instructional and general fees up to eight credit hours of undergraduate or graduate courses per semester or for continuing education courses up to the equivalent cost of eight undergraduate credit hours per semester, for courses offered by CSU. The executive MBA and accelerated MBA programs are reimbursed at the normal graduate rate.
(2) Maximum benefit. There is no lifetime maximum benefit for eligible employees. Eligible employees are limited to educational assistance benefits for up to eight undergraduate or graduate credit hours per semester, or the equivalent of the cost of eight standard undergraduate credit hours for continuing education programs per semester.
(D) Educational assistance benefit overview for employee's eligible dependents.
(1) Educational assistance benefit overview for full-time employees' eligible dependents. The university shall cover one hundred per cent of the in-state portion of all instructional and general fees for undergraduate courses and fifty per cent of all instructional and general fees charged for graduate and professional courses. Continuing education courses are excluded from coverage under this benefit.
(2) Educational assistance benefit overview for part-time employees' eligible dependents. The university shall cover seventy-five per cent of the in-state portion of all instructional and general fees for undergraduate students and fifty per cent of all instructional and general fees charged for graduate and professional students. Continuing education courses are excluded from coverage under this benefit.
(3) Educational assistance benefits are available to each eligible dependent for the lesser of one hundred forty-four semester credit hours including undergraduate and graduate credits or two academic degrees. Determination of the maximum benefit limit of one hundred forty-four semester credit hours or two academic degrees shall be made by the registrar based on credit hours attempted.
(4) Eligibility for an ex-spouse of an eligible employee is continued for a period up to two years from the date of the divorce if the employee remains continuously employed at Cleveland state university and the benefit limit has not been reached. Benefits shall be determined based on the employee's then-current status in an active full-time or part-time position.
(E) Changes in employment status.
(1) Retirement of an eligible employee. Eligible employees and dependents of eligible employees who have at least ten years of continuous service at Cleveland state university and retire under an Ohio pension program (i.e., OPERS or STRS) or are age sixty and retire under the alternative retirement program (ARP) at the time of separation from Cleveland state university will remain eligible for educational assistance benefits regardless of registration status at the time of the employee's retirement.
(2) Permanent disability of an eligible employee. Eligible employees and dependents of eligible employees who become permanently disabled who have at least ten years of continuous service at Cleveland state university will remain eligible for educational assistance benefits regardless of registration status at the time of the employee's disability. An employee will be considered permanently disabled if they apply for and are approved for disability benefits under the social security administration.
(3) Death of an eligible employee. Eligible dependents remain eligible for educational assistance benefits regardless of registration status at the time of the employee's death. In the event of death of an eligible employee who is a single parent, the deceased employee's eligible dependent remains eligible to age twenty-three.
(4) Extended military leave of absence of an eligible employee. In the event of an eligible employee's extended military leave of absence due to a call to active duty by an act of congress or the president of the United States, eligible dependent(s) of the employee shall retain eligibility to receive educational assistance benefits during the entire duration of the approved military leave.
(5) Reduction of hours and unpaid leaves of absence. If an appointment is continued at less than full-time or part-time 0.50 FTE, or if a leave of absence without pay is granted, eligible employees and dependents of eligible employees remain eligible for educational assistance benefits regardless of registration status at the time of the employee's status change for two full semesters following the date of the change in status and eligibility at the time.
(6) Layoff of an eligible employee. If an appointment of an eligible employee is terminated because of a reduction in workforce (i.e., layoff), eligible employees and their dependents remain eligible for educational assistance benefits for two full semesters immediately following layoff. Eligible employees and dependents of eligible employees must have attended Cleveland state university during the last two academic semesters immediately preceding layoff to be eligible. If the eligible employee is recalled, eligible employees and their eligible dependents are immediately eligible for educational assistance benefits if the employee was eligible when the layoff occurred.
(7) Termination of employment. Eligible employees and dependents of eligible employees who terminate from active employment with the university for any reason not cited within this policy are not eligible for educational assistance benefits. If an employee terminates in the middle of a semester, they will be responsible for paying the full cost, including fees appearing on the fee statement.
(F) Complete educational assistance benefits guidelines and applications may be obtained from the department of human resources.
Last updated April 15, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Supplemental Information