Enrollment in Credit Programs Policy Changed
Effective July 1, 2008, the Enrollment in Credit Programs Policy (#2.35) has changed. This policy outlines academic credit hour limits for staff enrolled in academic coursework and impacts autumn term registration.
The employee tuition benefit allows staff to enroll in a maximum of 10 credit hours per academic term. Changes to this policy establish only two exceptions to the credit hour maximum limit:
- Program Exception: Only available in very specific cases if an academic department requires that students in their degree program take courses in a lock-step sequence to be enrolled in the program. Academic programs that merely suggest a particular sequence or number of hours do not qualify.
- Staff requesting a program exception to the credit limit for the upcoming academic term must submit the request to OHR six weeks prior to the beginning of the academic term.
- No-Fault Exception: Any two terms during which staff may take more than 10 credit hours of coursework. An appeal form requesting approval of this exception by OHR is no longer required.
Staff who violate the 10 credit hour maximum a third time will lose tuition assistance for the current term of enrollment and be required to pay the entire fee for that term.
Staff who are approved for a program exception or use one of the two no-fault exceptions are financially responsible for the fee for hours totaling more than 10.
Staff taking classes during regularly scheduled work hours must complete the Request for Course Enrollment during Regularly Scheduled Work Hours form at hr.osu.edu/forms/#tuitionassistance. This form was created to facilitate a conversation between the employee and manager to determine if a flexible work schedule can be utilized to accommodate coursework while ensuring that job responsibilities are met. The employee and manager should retain a copy of the form; it no longer needs to be submitted to OHR.
For additional information, review this policy at hr.osu.edu/policy, or contact the OHR Customer Service Center at service@hr.osu.edu, (614) 292-1050, or 1-800-678-6010.