Union Commonwealth University updates employee tuition benefits

Union Commonwealth University has reevaluated its previous tuition benefits for employees and has updated them to give their employees even more educational opportunities for free. Full time and part time employees are both eligible to take undergraduate and graduate courses at the university free of charge, providing they meet certain criteria.

According to an article on Union Commonwealth University’s website, Lynn Smith, who serves as the university’s Vice President of Human Resources, detailed her experiences using these benefits during her employment tenure. She was quoted as saying, “The tuition grant is not just about the monetary amount. It’s a life-altering opportunity. As time went on, I learned you need to be a lifelong learner. It’s very important to have that mindset, no matter what you do in life. There’s always something more to learn.”

Smith has worked at Union Commonwealth University since 2000, and has utilized the tuition grant for employees three times, earning herself an undergraduate degree and two master’s degrees. Her daughter has also earned a degree from Union Commonwealth University thanks to another aspect of employee benefits: free tuition for dependent children of employees.

“There are stories all across campus just like mine. My story is not unique,” said Smith.

The previous version of the employee tuition benefits was much narrower in scope, not applying to as many employees as the current version. Previously, employees had to work for one full year before the benefit kicked in; individuals must now only be employed for six months before they can benefit. Additionally, the tuition coverage used to be capped at 50% of the cost instead of the full amount.

Employees of Union Commonwealth University may take up to 13 undergraduate or nine graduate credit hours per year for free if they are working full time. Part time employees may take up to six undergraduate or three graduate credit hours per year. Some criteria and restrictions apply to this opportunity. Employees must have their class schedules approved by their supervisors to ensure their work won’t suffer, and the classes employees enroll into must also have at least six students attending who are paying for the class. While tuition will be fully covered for employees, they will still have to pay for course materials like textbooks and technology.

This program provides value to employees by offering them the means to continue their education for free while still remaining gainfully employed, but it also provides value to the university itself. Smith noted the ability for the university to retain staff via offering promotions to employees who are pursuing education and learning in their fields. 

Interim President Dr. DJ Washington shared, “We are here to serve the academic needs of our community, and that includes our employees.”

For more information about Union Commonwealth University, visit the school’s website.