10.17 Employees Registering as Students

1. Governing Regulations

The procedure is governed by System Regulation 31.99.01 Employees Registering as Students and System Regulation 33.05.01 Use of Public Funds for Employee Training or Education.

2. General

A full-time budgeted Texas A&M Forest Service employee is eligible to register at an educational institution for courses during normal work hours, in accordance with the following provisions.

3. Eligibility

3.1 Full-time, budgeted Texas A&M Forest Service employees are eligible to register for and attend classes as students at an educational institution subject to the following conditions:

1. An employee registering for and attending classes outside of normal work hours may do so without approval from the division director or department head, except when they plan to seek reimbursement for the tuition expenses.
2. An employee registering for and attending classes during normal work hours must obtain prior written approval (see section 4 below). Request must:
   1. Include a plan to make up the time or to use annual leave or compensatory time. Exceptions to this requirement must be justified and approved by the Director.
   2. Be for classes that are relevant to the job, part of a degree plan that is relevant to the job or required by the agency.
3. Class attendance must not interfere with the accomplishment of the employee’s duties or the work of the agency.

4. Approval Process

4.1 Before each semester/term, an employee who desires to enroll in and attend classes during regular work hours must request written approval through the chain of command in accordance with section 3.1.b. using the Request to Attend Classes During Normal Working Hours form.

4.2 If approved, the employee may register for and attend classes. A copy of the form must be submitted to Employee Services to be filed in the employee’s personnel file.

4.3 If disapproved, the employee may not attend classes during work hours.

5. Reimbursements

5.1 For employees that want to pursue a degree for advancement within the agency, please refer to Administrative Procedure 10.34 Employee Tuition and Fee Assistance.

5.2 If an employee wants to take an individual course (including online courses) at an institution of higher education to meet a job requirement, the employee may be reimbursed for tuition expenses if the following conditions are met:

1. The employee is a budgeted, full-time employee.
2. The course must relate to the employee’s duties following the training.
3. The employee successfully completes the course.
4. The reimbursement is approved by Employee Services staff.

5.3 The requesting employee must provide appropriate documentation of course completion to support the reimbursement request.

5.4 Employees may not pay for this training with an agency procurement card since course completion must be verified and the reimbursement approved prior to making the payment.

6. Non-compliance

6.1 Failure of an employee to obtain the required approvals can result in the following actions:

1. Docking of pay for hours not worked and not made up.
2. Other disciplinary action as provided in System Regulation 32.02.02 Discipline and Dismissal of Nonfaculty Employees.

7. Reporting

7.1 The Financial Accountant in the Payroll and Support Services Department that is responsible for compliance reporting will submit a report to the Legislative Budget Board no later than August 31 when the agency spends more than $5,000 in a fiscal year for training or education program for any employee.