CEM Tuition Waiver and Remission Policy

Motivation for Policy

The institution operates under a centrally imposed annual tuition waiver budget. To remain at or below this limit, a structured and accountable approach to the allocation and management of tuition waivers is required.

Under this model, the college leadership team will allocate tuition waiver budgets to departments. Departments chairs are then responsible for managing and distributing these waivers to support both Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) and Graduate Research Assistants (GRA).

Because tuition waivers represent a finite and constrained resource, it is essential that departments fully understand and actively manage their commitments. Any research proposal approved at the departmental level must reflect a clear and deliberate decision regarding tuition coverage. Department chairs (or their designees) are expected to ensure that all tuition obligations—whether supported by grants or departmental resources—can be fully met within their allocated waiver budget in any given semester.

Policy Statement

All research grants and sponsored projects must include the full cost of graduate student tuition as part of the proposal budget.

If a research grant or sponsored project does not include the full cost of tuition, the associated academic department must commit to covering any remaining tuition costs. This may be accomplished through departmental funds, tuition waivers, or other approved internal funding mechanisms.

Department chairs should not sign off on any proposals they do not have the means to support.

Responsibilities

Principal Investigators (PIs)

• Ensure that all proposals including graduate student support budget for the full cost of tuition.
• Identify any anticipated shortfall in tuition coverage prior to proposal submission.
• Obtain written approval from the department for any uncovered tuition costs.

Departments

• Review and approve any proposal that does not include full tuition coverage.
• Commit to covering any tuition shortfall through departmental resources or tuition waivers.
• Track all commitments made. This includes all current and future GRA and GTA commitments.
• Establish internal procedures, if desired, for allocating tuition waivers and managing associated costs.

Exceptions

Exceptions to this policy may be granted only with prior approval from the appropriate college-level authority or research office and must include a clear plan for covering any tuition shortfall.