The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

1. (1) Assistance--Financial aid provided by the department to its employees for education expenses.
2. (2) Department--The Texas Department of Transportation.
3. (3) Director--The director of the Human Resources Division or the director's designee not below the level of section director.
4. (4) Employee's executive officer--An employee's district engineer, division director, or office director, or that person's designee.
5. (5) Executive director--The executive director of the department or the executive director's designee not below the level of assistant executive director.
6. (6) Good standing--Meeting of all performance standards in an employee's most recent performance evaluation and not being on probation.
7. (7) Hardship--A serious illness, family emergency, or extenuating circumstance that is beyond the control of the employee and that reasonably precludes the employee from complying with an assistance agreement.
8. (8) Institution--A college or university accredited by a major regional academic accrediting agency for institutions of higher learning, such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
9. (9) Program Selection Committee--A committee that is appointed by the executive director and that selects employees who will participate in the full-time master's program.

Source Note:The provisions of this §4.61 adopted to be effective March 21, 2002, 27 TexReg 2064.