If you are employed by the University, you will be eligible to participate in the Plan at the time described in Section 3.2, unless you are adjunct faculty, a student enrolled at the University or a Leased Employee.  Adjunct faculty, students and Leased Employees are not eligible to participate in the Plan.

If you are an eligible employee, you will begin participating in the Plan on the Entry Date immediately following the date on which you complete one Year of Service, provided you are at least age 21 as of that date. Entry Dates are July 1, October 1, January 1 and April 1.

If you are an eligible employee, you will be eligible to participate at the following applicable time:

(a)  If you were a participant when you terminated your employment and you are rehired as an eligible employee, you will become a participant in the Plan on your Date of Reemployment provided your prior Years of Service are not disregarded as described below.

(b) If you had not met the Plan's eligibility requirements when you terminated your employment, or if your prior Years of Service are disregarded as described below, you will become a participant on the Entry Date on which you complete the eligibility requirements, provided that you are an eligible employee as of such date.

Your prior Years of Service will be disregarded for eligibility purposes if you were 0% vested in your Retirement Account at the time of your earlier termination of employment and the number of consecutive One-Year Breaks in Service that you incur before you are reemployed by the University equals or exceeds the greater of five or your total Years of Service with the University. 

If you die while you are employed by the University, your Accounts will be 100% vested, and your beneficiary will be entitled to the full amount in your Accounts. If you die following your termination of employment, but before your vested Account balances commence to be distributed, your beneficiary will be entitled to your vested Account balances. If you die after your benefit has been distributed or has commenced to be distributed, your beneficiary will be entitled only to such benefits, if any, as may be provided under the form of distribution you elected. For example, if you elected installments, any remaining installments will continue to your beneficiary.