A modification in a University System of Georgia (USG) policy may mean less out-of-pocket costs for staff and faculty who want to go back to school.

During its November 2017 meeting, the Board of Regents voted to amend its policy for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), a supplemental benefit intended to encourage professional development.

TAP provides a tuition waiver to full-time, benefits-eligible employees who have maintained this status for at least six months within the USG. The latest revisions allow USG employees to receive a waiver for the full tuition under TAP-eligible programs, and expands the number of academic programs eligible under the program.

A document outlining the recommended changes and prepared for the Board of Regents stated, “Professional development is important because it is a means by which employees maintain and enhance their knowledge and skills related to increasing their productivity and contribution to the University System of Georgia.”

Candice Bovian, the work-life specialist in Human Resources, is the TAP coordinator for Georgia Tech.

“Programs like TAP show the University System is willing to invest in its people,” she said. “With rapid changes in how work gets done, I think we can all understand the importance of participating in lifelong education opportunities.”

Jade Sims, a senior admission counselor in Undergraduate Admission, earned a master’s in education from Georgia Southern University in December.

Sims said she wouldn’t have even looked into graduate school without the TAP benefit.
“It relieves a huge burden on taking out student loans or even needing to leave my job to complete graduate school,” she said.

Over the two years it took to complete her program, Sims found it more challenging than she expected to balance full-time work with school. “Luckily, I chose a program that respected that many of its students had full-time jobs. For anyone looking into taking on this feat, I would say that researching a program that respects that balance is just as important as the degree itself.” 

Currently, Georgia Tech has nearly 350 employees enrolled in TAP. With this announcement, Bovian said she expects to see that number grow.

Georgia Tech Human Resources will offer a workshop on tuition assistance on March 28. More information about the supplemental education benefits are available at ohr.gatech.edu/benefits/education.