E. Graduate Studies Assistance Program

1. Approval Process

1. Candidates for the program must obtain and complete a graduate assistance form from the provost. The applicant must be pursuing a doctorate in a field relevant to his/her teaching field and/or in a high-need content area for the university.
2. The degree must be pursued from a regionally accredited university.
3. Approval requires satisfactory review by the academic administration and the provost, who will consider teaching evaluations, general performance, overall engagement with the institution, diligence of the applicant in prior degree seeking endeavors, and needs of the institution.
4. A maximum of one new applicant per year will be approved to participate. (The academic administration can request additional approvals based on institutional need.) If an application is received from more than one candidate, factors in selection may include seniority and prioritized needs of the university.

2. Assistance Provided

To participate, applicants must be eligible for low-interest, government-funded student loans. The applicant will apply for and secure these student loans to cover the cost of tuition and fees. The loan will remain in deferment until the participant has graduated. Upon graduation, Rochester Christian University will assume responsibility for repayment of the participant’s student loans under the following conditions:

1. Upon graduation, the participant will begin a 60-month service repayment period to Rochester Christian University. For each month of service, the participant will satisfy 1/60th of his/her obligation for the principal of the loans until the full 60-month obligation has been fulfilled.
2. Upon the participant’s graduation, Rochester Christian University will make the monthly payments on the participant’s student loans as long as the participant remains employed with the institution on a full-time basis for the 60-month service repayment period. Upon completion of the service repayment period, Rochester Christian University will assume responsibility for the participant’s student loans until the loans are paid in full.
3. If the participant leaves the full-time employment of the institution for any reason (including termination) during the 60-month service repayment period, then the institution will make the payments on the participant’s student loans only until the principal is paid for the pro-rated amount satisfied through the service repayment period.

   Example: A participant has a total principal of $20,000 and serves 30 months (50%) of the 60-month service repayment period prior to separation from the institution. Rochester Christian University will pay the student loans until $10,000 (50%) of the principal has been paid. Thereafter, the participant will assume responsibility for the remaining balance and payments of the student loans.

4. If the participant stops-out of the degree program and goes into repayment on student loans prior to graduation or terminates pursuit of the degree, then the participant is responsible for his/her own student loan in its entirety.
5. The maximum dollar amount of assistance related to tuition and fees that the institution will cover for each participant is $28,000.
6. The university will cover the cost of the participant’s tuition and fees only as qualifying expenses. The university does not pay costs for travel, books, research trips, or other expenses related to graduate study.
7. The participant must submit to Rochester Christian University documentation of all charges to his/her graduate account (each semester) and copies of statements from the loan provider. If the amount borrowed for student loans does not match the qualifying expenses of tuition and fees, then the institution will only pay the pro-rated amount of the loan for qualifying expenses on an amortized basis.
8. The maximum amount of course load reduction for graduate work is 24 credit hours (3 credit hours per semester). NOTE: Anyone receiving course load reduction for doctoral studies will not be eligible to receive adjunct or overload pay.
9. Participants receiving course load reduction, or who have received course load reduction and have not yet received their terminal degree, are not eligible to teach on an overload basis or to receive adjunct or overload pay, including with Accelerated Learning. The purpose of this provision is to channel energies toward degree completion. Participants are also prohibited from rendering adjunct teaching services for another academic institution during the period of graduate study and writing the dissertation.

3. Program Process

1. Applications must be submitted by January 30 to the provost and respective dean/director by those desiring to begin graduate work in the subsequent fiscal year.
2. The application must include appropriate details: the name of the university granting the degree, a copy of the acceptance letter to the graduate program, a brief description of the program, a detailed curriculum outline or degree plan, a target date for timely completion of the degree, and a request for load reduction.
3. The provost will notify the applicant in writing of the administration’s decision.
4. At the conclusion of each semester until earning the terminal degree, the approved participant will provide an unofficial transcript or grade report to the dean/director, showing satisfactory academic progress toward completion of the degree.
5. An official file of all interim and final reports, forms, and statements related to each participant shall be retained in the business office.
6. Upon graduation, the participant will order an official transcript to be sent from the institution conferring the degree to the provost at Rochester Christian University.
7. Upon receipt of the official transcript, the provost will notify the participant and the business office in writing that the 60-month service repayment period has begun.
8. The business office will provide written notification to the participant when the 60-month service repayment period has been satisfied.

4. Process for Participants Not Making Satisfactory Progress

1. The dean/director will review the unofficial transcript/grade report each semester it is submitted. Special attention will be given to timely completion of curriculum toward adequate portions of the degree plan to ensure that given similar diligence the faculty member can complete the degree within the standard time agreed upon in the application without extensions.
2. If the faculty member is not making satisfactory progress sufficient to complete the degree within the standard time agreed upon in the application or within a revised time-table approved in writing by the dean/director, the faculty member will be put on notice that eligibility for continued participation in the Graduate Studies Assistance Program is in jeopardy and that the participant will not be eligible for promotion and/or merit-based pay increases until satisfactory academic progress is demonstrated.
3. If satisfactory progress is not shown following the semester after being put on notice, the participant may lose eligibility for course load reduction at the discretion of the dean/director.
4. If the participant has not made satisfactory progress toward the completion of his/her graduate program during the 12-month period after being put on notice, then the university will notify the participant that it is abandoning its support of the academic effort. The participant will no longer be eligible for course relief, and the participant will be responsible for his/her own student loans.