ACS Tuition Exchange Policy

• Policy Statement
• Policies (with User Fees)
• Guidelines for Participants
• Procedures for Campuses
• FAQ
• Timetable
• Participating Institutions and Limits

POLICIES FOR THE
TUITION EXCHANGE PROGRAM OF THE
ASSOCIATED COLLEGES OF THE SOUTH

(REPLACING THE POLICY STATEMENT OF JANUARY 15, 1992)
November 28, 1994

1. Eligibility. Each campus determines the eligibility of children of its employees to participate in the ACS Tuition Exchange. This eligibility is certified to the prospective receiving college(s). Eligibility is limited to children of employees, excluding students who already have baccalaureate degrees. One grant is available per student even if both parents are employees. Current ACS students are eligible to apply. Transfer students are also eligible to apply. Students may not transfer twice within the ACS and receive the tuition exchange benefit. Once admitted to the exchange program a student eligible to continue will remain on the exchange for the lesser of: four years or the equivalent or until the degree requirements for the BA or BS degree are met. If a student in the exchange program loses eligibility, the student and the sending institution will be notified as soon as possible.

2. Admission. Each ACS college retains full autonomy over decisions about admission and retention of its students, including those who may be eligible for participation in the ACS Tuition Exchange. Each participating institution has the right to establish the number of net imports it will receive, the overall number of imports it will accept, and the number of students it will export. An institution that chooses to limit its number of imports has the right to select among potentially admissible candidates in order to meet its own institutional goals (e.g., quality and diversity).

Eligible individuals who are interested in attending an ACS college under the terms of the Tuition Exchange must apply for admission in the normal way, observing all deadlines. The application must include a Tuition Exchange form completed by the appropriate official of the sending college and certifying the eligibility of the applicant for the exchange.

The receiving college will notify the applicant as to the admission decision by December 15 for early admission and by April 1 for regular admission. As soon as possible after that notification, Tuition Exchange applicants will be told whether they have been accepted for tuition exchange, refused exchange, or placed on a wait list for exchange. Applicants with financial need are urged to apply for financial aid.

3. Charges included in the ACS Tuition Exchange. Each college will determine which fees and charges are included in the remission of tuition, and which must be paid separately by the student. In general, tuition means all tuition and fees charged by the college with the exception of room, board and special fees not charged to all students. Each college will establish its own limits on the number of courses or credits which may be included in tuition exchange in any term. Participating students may be required to pay additional charges for courses or credits which exceed these limits.

4. Financial Aid. Each participating student must apply for all state and/or Federal non-need-based tuition specific financial aid for which he or she may be eligible. The amount of tuition remitted under the exchange program will normally be the total due less all tuition specific awards. Federal or private grants received by the applicant may be used for room, board, and book expenses at the discretion of the importing institution. Participants whose demonstrated need exceeds the remitted tuition should discuss the possibility of additional financial aid with the financial aid director of the college they wish to attend. Benefits under the ACS Tuition Exchange program will be treated as an outside scholarship when determining eligibility for additional financial aid.

5. Off-Campus Study.Tuition Exchange May Not Include Tuition for Off-Campus Study Programs, sponsored either by ACS or individually by the college the student is attending. Participating students should check with appropriate officials at the college they are attending to determine which fees and which off-campus programs may be covered by tuition remission.

6. Limitations. Participants in the ACS Tuition Exchange must be full time degree candidates. Only charges for the regular academic year of the college attended are included in the remission of tuition. Tuition remission is available for only a total of four years of study or until the requirements for the BA or BS are met, whichever is less. Attendance for less than one year constitutes one year of the four years available. The institutions the students are attending will determine their eligibility to continue.

7. Withdrawals or Loss of Eligibility. Students who withdraw from or who are not readmitted to the college they are attending under the terms of this program, cannot be assured that they will be included in the exchange should they resume their studies later. If a participating student withdraws after paying the tuition exchange program fee, no refunds are made.

8. Financial Arrangements

• Each participating student pays a tuition exchange program fee of $1,500 per academic year.
• Each exporting institution contributes a matching tution exchange program fee of $1,500 per student per academic year.
• The tuition exchange program fees are pooled centrally in an account held by the ACS Office in Atlanta. Tuition exchange program fees are not refundable.
• Each institution with a net import balance in a given year receives, for each net import, a payment of $7,500. This payment is funded initially from the central pool.
• If the amount required to fund the net importing institution exceeds the total of the tuition exchange program fees, institutions with a net export balance make up the difference with the cost divided proportionate to the number of net exports.
• Any funds remaining in the central pool at the end of a year are rolled forward into the central pool for the succeeding academic year.

9. Review of the Program. The Council of Deans and the Presidents will review the program annually.

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PROPOSED POLICIES
FOR
ACS TUITION EXCHANGE PROGRAM
(with User Fees)

11/28/94

Policies:

1. Each participating student pays a tuition exchange program fee of $1,500 per academic year.
2. Each exporting school contributes a matching tuition exchange program fee of $1,500 per student per academic year.
3. The tuition exchange program fees are pooled centrally in an account held by the ACS Office in Atlanta. Tuition exchange program fees are not refundable.
4. Each school with a net import balance in a given year receives, for each net import, a tuition contribution of $7,500. This tuition contribution is funded initially from the central pool. If the amount required to fund the total tuition contributions exceeds the total of the participation fees, schools with a net export balance make up the difference with the cost divided proportionate to the number of net exports.
5. Any funds remaining in the central pool at the end of a year are rolled forward into the central pool for the succeeding academic year.
6. Each exporting school certifies eligible students according to a timeline established for all students and institutions. Students declare their intent to participate using a standardized form that is submitted to the coordinating office of the exporting institution. The names of the participating students are forwarded to the ACS office in Atlanta, and then distributed to participating institutions. Early decisions are made by importing institutions by December 15, and regular decisions are made by April 1. The ACS office in Atlanta also serves as a clearinghouse to distribute information about admission offers and acceptances.
7. Each participating institution has the right to establish the number of net imports it will receive, the overall number of imports it will accept, and the number of students it will export. An institution that chooses to limit its number of imports has the right to select among potentially admissible candidates in order to meet its own institutional goals (e.g., quality, diversity, and so on).
8. The program will be reviewed annually by the Academic Deans/Vice Presidents who will provide a report and recommendations to the Presidents.

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GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPANTS

The Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) has established a Tuition Exchange Program. Fifteen ACS colleges participate (see below). Students eligible for tuition exchange, because of parental employment at one of the participating colleges, may receive tuition remission at one of the other colleges in the exchange.

Eligibility for the exchange is determined by the college at which the student's parent is employed.

Admission to the college the student wishes to attend will be determined through the regular admissions process established by that college, without regard to the applicant's potential eligibility for tuition exchange. The student should file an application for admission in the usual way, and pay all required fees and deposits for the college he or she wishes to attend.

A certification form for this program must be completed by the college at which the parent is employed each year. Copies of the form are forwarded to the ACS and the attending college.

A $1,500 Tuition Exchange Program Fee must be paid by the student each year. The tuition exchange program fee will be billed by ACS. Payment is due July 15. There are no refunds of this fee.

The Charges Included in the remission of tuition are determined by the college the student is attending. In general, tuition is defined to include all tuition and fees charged by the college with the exception of room, board, and special fees not charged to all students.

Each participating Student must Apply for all State and/or Federal Financial Aid for which he or she may be eligible. The amount of tuition remitted under the exchange program will be the total due less all state, federal or private grants received by the applicant. Participants whose demonstrated need exceeds the remitted tuition should discuss the possibility of additional financial aid with the financial aid director of the college they wish to attend. Benefits under the ACS Tuition Exchange program will be treated as an outside scholarship when determining eligibility for additional financial aid.

Tuition Exchange May Not Include Tuition for Off-Campus Study Programs, sponsored either by ACS or individually by the college the student is attending. Participating students should check with appropriate officials at the college they are attending to determine which fees and which off-campus programs may be covered by tuition remission.

Participating students must be Full Time Degree Candidates. Only charges for the Regular Academic Year at the college attended are included. Tuition Exchange is available for Only Four Years of study or until the requirements for the B.A. or B.S. are met, whichever is less. Enrollment for less than one academic year constitutes one year of the four years. Participating students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress, as determined by the college they are attending, in order to retain eligibility for tuition remission.

If the student is accepted for admission, but denied for the tuition exchange program, the coordinator will notify the student accordingly and indicate to the student that he or she will need to apply for student aid through the receiving institution if assistance is desired.

Questions about the operation of the exchange should be directed to the Academic Dean or the ACS Tuition Exchange Officer at the college where the student's parent is employed.

Participating ACS Institutions: Birmingham-Southem College, Centenary College, Centre College, Furman University, Hendrix College, Millsaps College, Morehouse College, Rhodes College, Rollins College, Southwestern University, Spelman College, Trinity University, University of Richmond, University of the South, Washington and Lee University.

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Process for Campuses Exporting and Importing Students

EXPORTING:

1. Students fill out the college or university application form for the intended college.
2. Students submit above application form to Tuition Exchange Coordinator at the exporting institution with the certification form indicating he/she is applying as a part of the ACS tuition exchange program (see ACS form).
3. The Coordinator makes a record of those college dependents applying elsewhere (along with lists of those applying from elsewhere to the home college).
4. The Coordinator obtains certification on the ACS form mentioned above that the student is an eligible dependent of college faculty or staff.
5. The Coordinator submits the application materials directly to the importing institution's ACS Tuition Exchange Coordinator.
6. When the importing institution admits a student under the tuition exchange and notifies the exporting institution, the exporting institution coordinator records the acceptance of the student and keeps it available for comparison with students his or her institution is importing.
7. By June 1 the coordinator provides statistics on imports and exports and the names of the specific individuals and institutions to the ACS office.

IMPORTING:

1. The importing institution's Tuition Exchange Coordinator records applications under the tuition exchange program.
2. After review, the institution promptly rejects or admits the student, sending notice of declinations from the coordinator to the exporting institution and ACS.
3. As close to the time identified in step 2 as possible, the coordinator notifies the student that he or she is accepted for tuition exchange under the tuition exchange (immediately notifying the exporting institution and ACS). If the student is accepted for admission, but the decision on tuition exchange is postponed, the student should be notified and given a date by which time a decision will be communicated on the tuition exchange program.
4. The coordinator will ask the student participating in the exchange to apply for available non-need-based tuition specific student financial assistance from the state and federal governments (in cases where such funds are made available, the amount rebated toward tuition will normally be reduced by the amount received from tuition specific awards).
5. If the student is accepted for admission, but denied for the tuition exchange program, the coordinator will notify the student accordingly and indicate to the student that he or she will need to apply for student aid through the receiving institution if assistance is desired.
6. The coordinator should make sure that the status of all students applying under TEP is known to the exporting college and the ACS office via copies of communications with the students involved.
7. By June 1 each year the coordinator provides a final summary report to ACS, which will become part of an ACS-wide report circulated to all member institutions.

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RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS

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TUITION EXCHANGE PROGRAM TIME CHART

Participating Institutions and Limits

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