Employees Taking Classes During Work Hours
An employee may be permitted to enroll in one VC course each long semester during work hours at his/her place of work provided the course contributes to one’s knowledge of and performance in his/her job at VC. In most cases, the course should be part of an approved certificate or degree program. A maximum of three class hours each week may be used without having to make up the work-time that was missed.
TUITION AND FEE EXEMPTION: With approval of supervising VP/Dean and the President, employees enrolled in college credit courses will be exempt from all course related institutional service fees and tuition as provided in the Vernon College Employee Tuition and Fee Exemption Policy, see Appendix R. The employee must have an Education Plan on file in the Human Resource office. An Employee Tuition and Fee Exemption Policy Form (also see Appendix R) must be submitted to the Human Resource office, then signed by the approving VP/Dean and the President. This signed form must finally be presented to the Financial Aid office and Business office immediately following the employee’s enrollment in the course.
If an employee desires to enroll in courses taught at another location either by VC or another institution, the employee will be released from work only for travel time necessary to arrive at the beginning of class. The employee will not be released from work prior to 4:15 p.m. and only for a maximum of two days each week.
The following guidelines apply:
- Travel time allowed between Wichita Falls and Vernon will be 75 minutes.
This provides the employee 60 minutes road-time and 15 minutes to find a parking place and walk to class. The total allowed release-time from work each week will depend on how often the class meets, but in no case will more than 3 hours be allowed.
Example 1: If the class starts at 5:30 p.m., the employee will not be released from work prior to 4:15 p.m. since 75 minutes are available to get to class.
Example 2: If the class starts at 6:00 p.m., the employee will not be released from work prior to 4:45 p.m.
- Travel time allowed between locations in Wichita Falls will be 30 minutes.
Special situations will also require the approval of the College President. This should be a rare situation affecting few positions at the institution.
The following conditions are applicable to an employee who is granted release-time from work to attend classes:
- Signatures of approval must be obtained from one’s supervisor and the appropriate VP/Dean.
- The course must clearly benefit both the employee and VC. Generally, the course should be part of an approved certificate or degree program.
- The approval form must be filed with the Director of Human Resources prior to the Employee enrolling in the class. See Appendix D
- The employee will not be permitted to take a class on release-time if the course is offered in the evening schedule unless travel time is required to arrive at the class at the scheduled time.
- Release-time will not be granted during summer terms.
- An employee must have been employed at VC a minimum of one year to be eligible for release-time from work.
- Approval will not be granted for a faculty member to miss classes he/she teaches in order to enroll in a class either at VC or at another institution.
- Personal leave cannot be used to take classes during one’s work-time.
- VC reserves the right to limit the time an employee misses work. An employee will be denied the privilege of taking classes during work-hours when job duties are not satisfactorily performed, a failing grade in a course is earned, or the privilege is abused in any way. See Appendix D.