Iowa State University


Inside Iowa State
March 17, 2000

Future uncertain for tuition grants

by Kevin Brown
A three-year experiment to fully fund the P&S Tuition Grant program is facing a $20,000 budget overrun and an uncertain future, P&S professional development committee chairman George Covert told the P&S Council March 3.

While participants this spring will be fully reimbursed, the program currently is not scheduled to continue. Covert and committee member Dan Woodin advised the council to request continued support of the program and creation of a mechanism that responds to the two factors fueling the cost overrun: across-the-board graduate and undergraduate tuition increases and increases in the number of P&S employees using the program.

The tuition grant program has reimbursed P&S employees for up to three undergraduate or graduate credits per semester. The first year, the program, which is budgeted at $99,000, broke even. The second year, tuition grants paid out were $10,000 beyond the budgeted figure; this year that has grown to $20,000. The cost overruns have been covered by a joint agreement between the Provost Office and Office of the Vice President for Business and Finance. The three-year experimental program is slated to end this summer, and because of the state's tight budget situation, may not be renewed. Previously, P&S employees could apply for tuition reimbursement grants from a $50,000 fund provided by the Provost Office and administered by Covert's committee.

"We need to see this program run on a more stable basis," Covert said. "As ISU competes in the job market, an absence of this program would be detrimental (to retention)," he told the council.

"We need a mechanism in place to automatically increase when tuition rises. Currently, tuition increases reduce the purchasing power of the pool of money."

Assistant provost Ellen Rasmussen said the administration is open to a request from the council for the program. She said any information that shows how the program benefits retention and employee satisfaction may have an impact with decision- makers.

Covert said that the tuition grant program is somewhat unusual at a public land-grant university.

"Some have it and some don't," he said. "However, private colleges almost universally offer it. Even private industry offers some type of program like this."

Council members approved an emergency motion giving its executive committee the authority to draft a letter to the provost and vice president for business and finance supporting the tuition grant program.

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