Eastern University prides itself on providing faculty and staff a competitive compensation package. One aspect of this package is a faculty and staff child tuition benefit of $4,000 per child per year for up to four years to offset the cost of a college education. The faculty or staff member's child can attend any college or university, including Eastern University, and receive the tuition benefit. If a staff member has three children in college one year, the staff member receives a $12,000 tuition benefit. This money is not taxed to the individual staff or faculty member.
Eastern University pays the benefit directly to the university where the staff/faculty member's child is enrolled or if the student is attending Eastern, it reduces the amount of tuition owed by the faculty/staff member. The university then charges this payment to a benefits account. This benefits account is then allocated back to the various colleges and departments based on total salaries in the college or department.
Required: Evaluate the pros and cons of the present university accounting for tuition benefits. What changes would you recommend making?