NIU civil service employees might find that completing or continuing their education is easier and more affordable than they thought.

The university is offering tuition waivers for the spring 1989 semester to all university full- and part-time civil service employees and the dependent children of the full-time employees.

NIU civil service employees, including retirees and survivors of deceased employees, can apply for the waivers and obtain more information through the personnel office located in Lowden Hall, room 101.

According to NIU personnel office records, 260 tuition waivers and 74 tuition contribution requests (waivers for the children of employees) were awarded for the 1988 fall semester.

Carolyn Leifheit, an administrative secretary for NIU’s personnel office, said many of the employees take advantage of the waiver as an opportunity to continue their education for “personal growth,” completion of their degree or fulfillment of job requirements.

“Many of them (university employees) take classes while they are still working for the university,” Leifheit said.

She explained that many of the employees will take one class during their lunch hour and complete their remaining coursework in the evening. However, some employees run into the problem of a course not being offered in the evening and must have supervisory approval to take classes during working hours.

“Occasionally, we have supervisors who won’t approve because there’s no way for the employee to make up the lost time, but it’s usually pretty rare,” Leifheit said.

Civil service employees include the university’s cooks, secretaries, janitors, electricians and other non-faculty employees. The waivers, however, are not available to student employees of the university or graduate assistants.