All employees who work thirty or more hours per week and are on contract may have tuition and the media fee waived for themselves, their spouse, and their dependents for courses taken at Northland Pioneer College (NPC). Dependents include family members who live at home and are claimed as dependents on the most recent state and federal income tax return.
Any other employee of the college may have tuition and the media fee waived for up to six credits per semester for themselves, their spouse, and their dependents for courses taken at NPC. This benefit applies to employees during the fiscal year they are scheduled to work or teach. Dependents include family members who live at home and are claimed as dependents on the most recent state and federal income tax returns. This benefit is not applicable to Federal Work Study students.
Course fees, late registration fees, textbooks and/or noncredit-bearing course costs are not waived under this procedure. Credit-bearing courses taken for an audit grade are eligible for a tuition waiver.
A tuition waiver for an employee who is currently on administrative, educational, or sabbatical leave of absence must be approved by the supervisor and the appropriate President’s Cabinet member.
An employee may register for classes that are scheduled during their normal work hours with approval following the Flexible Work Schedule process described below.
If an employee is dismissed, or otherwise separates from service, prior to the first meeting of a course for which a waiver, issued under this procedure, was used the enrolled student may either withdraw from the course or elect to pay tuition and the media fee. Tuition and the media fee may be waived if dismissal or separation from service occurs after the first meeting of the class(es) and the employee, their spouse, or dependent(s) has attended the class(es) at least once.
Current District Governing Board members may also have tuition and the media fee waived for up to six credits per semester.
A member of the Arizona National Guard who received a Purple Heart citation on or after September 11, 2001 or a former member of the Arizona National Guard who was medically discharged from the Arizona National Guard due to an injury or disability suffered under conditions listed in A.R.S. §15-1808 may have tuition and media fee waived for courses taken at Northland Pioneer College.
A member or former member of the United States armed forces who received a purple heart citation, who was a resident of the state of Arizona or was stationed in Arizona at the time of the injury and whose disability rating is fifty per cent or more as described in A.R.S. §15-1808 may have tuition and the media fee waived for courses taken at NPC.
A surviving spouse or child of a peace officer, correctional officer, fire fighter, emergency paramedic, National Guard member, or member of the United States Armed Forces who was a resident of the state of Arizona or stationed in Arizona and who was killed in the line of duty or who died from injuries suffered in the line of duty while traveling to or from duty may have tuition and the media fee waived for courses taken at NPC.
Flexible Work Schedule
A flexible work schedule may be requested to support class attendance during regular work hours. Flexible work schedules may be accepted for noncredit courses if it is determined to have a direct application to the employees’ work duties. A request must be completed before enrollment is finalized. A proposed flexible work schedule must adhere to the following criteria:
- A flexible work schedule will be restricted to one class per semester unless approved by the supervisor and appropriate President’s Cabinet member.
- The requested class is only offered during an employee’s regular work schedule.
- An employee submits a written proposed schedule to meet contracted weekly work obligations. The proposed schedule may include the use of annual and personal leave.
If the supervisor and the appropriate President’s Cabinet member approve the proposed flexible work schedule, the supervisor and appropriate President’s Cabinet member will sign the request for tuition and the media fee waiver and the employee will submit the request and the approved flexible work schedule to the Business Office.
If a supervisor denies the proposed flexible work schedule, the supervisor will submit a written explanation to the employee and the Human Resources Office within five (5) business days specifying the reason(s) for the denial.
An employee who is dissatisfied with the denial of a proposed flexible work schedule may appeal as follows:
- Employee should engage in an informal discussion with their supervisor to attempt to resolve the denial before pursuing a written appeal.
- Employee may submit a written appeal to the Human Resource office. The appeal will be reviewed by Human Resource’s staff, the supervisor will be consulted, and Human Resources will respond in writing within five (5) business days.
- If the appeal is denied by Human Resources, the employee may appeal in writing to the appropriate executive team member who will review the appeal, consult with the employee’s supervisor, and respond in writing within five (5) business days.
- If all prior appeals have been denied, the employee may file a final appeal with the president of the college who will make a final determination in writing within five (5) business days.
