General Policy

In addition to the kinds of leave established by university policy, UGA encourages staff members to take advantage of the university’s tuition remission benefit. The university expects staff members to register for courses offered before or after working hours whenever possible. To enroll in a course offered during regular business hours, UGA staff must request permission in advance and must agree with their supervisor in writing about using lunch or break times or making flex time agreements to cover the absences.

The supervisor may adjust work schedules for staff who wish to attend university classes during normal working hours for their personal benefit. Such release time will not normally be approved if it disrupts the operations of the unit or imposes inequitably upon other personnel. Classified staff who lose time from their normal work schedule to attend such classes will normally make up the time during the same workweek in which the absence occurs so that the unit will not be liable for excess payments as a result of the time being made up in a succeeding workweek. P&A staff who take courses under this provision are expected to maintain the standard minimum workweek and to complete all usual work assignments in a timely fashion.

UGA Academic Leave with Pay is allowed by arrangement with the appropriate director and the approval of the vice provost when a course specifically required for a staff member’s degree (not including general education, elective or frequently offered courses) is offered only during regular working hours during the current academic year. In such cases, the staff member may petition for allowance to take one such course per term during working hours without charge to annual or personal leave, lunch or break times. In general, such courses will be at the 300-level or higher. Staff must make this request by using the Course Permission Form. This allowance will be granted if the request is timely, if the allowance does not interfere with the work of the division, and if the director and the vice provost agree to the allowance.

Verification of a passing grade (e.g., grade report copy, signed note from the instructor) for each allowance course must be submitted at the end of the term. Staff members who withdraw from academic courses taken under allowance must revert to their regular working hours as soon as they have withdrawn and may not apply for an allowance course during the following academic term. Staff members who fail an allowance course lose the right to petition for allowance for one year.

Permission for an equivalent allowance to complete internship, thesis or dissertation research requirements may also be granted upon petition to the appropriate director, subject to approval by the vice provost. Staff must make this request by using the Course Permission Form. The staff member, director and vice provost must agree in advance about measures of progress or work to be completed under this provision each term.