The first step toward the present policy of providing a 50-percent-tuition discount for employee dependents was taken at the October 19, 1984, meeting of the board of trustees. At that meeting the board passed a policy giving children and spouses of UT Knoxville employees, employed for at least a year, a one-third discount on undergraduate maintenance fees. The Faculty Senate had passed a resolution endorsing the plan on July 9. The waiver, which took effect in fall 1985, was characterized as a benefit for employees and was anticipated to cost UT $577,000 in the first year of operation. The benefit was extended to employees of the Institute of Agriculture and UT Hospital in summer quarter 1984.