The Graduate Student Organization senate voted unanimously Wednesday to censure Syracuse University administration for its actions regarding the recently announced changes to student health insurance.

The change was introduced to the university Monday, March 16, when Dean of Student Affairs Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz presented SU’s new health insurance plan at a Student Association meeting. Students whose health insurance doesn’t currently meet the minimum standards of the Affordable Care Act will be required to switch to a university plan through Aetna Student Health beginning in the 2016–17 academic year.

In addition, teaching assistants, research assistants and graduate students and employees will be required to switch to the Aetna Student Health Plan. This change will be “incredibly impactful” and “potentially hugely problematic,” said Patrick Neary, GSO president.

The current employee plans, of which there are three, are highly ranked in quality and details of what they cover, including reproductive health and birth control access, and mental health and transgender-related healthcare, Neary said.

“They go above and beyond, so we’re wondering, are we going to see those eroded?” Neary said.

There is also confusion regarding specific requirements and cost increases affecting international students having to switch to the new plan. There will be about a  $700 price increase for international students who are on plans through HTH Worldwide which do not comply with the Affordable Care Act. International students will also face technical questions involving the new plan’s travel coverage, Neary said.

In an April 2nd open letter to Chancellor Kent Syverud, the GSO senate said that it’s “appalled at the lack of transparency” from the administration leading up to the health care policy change, and that details of the plan are currently “unacceptably unclear.”

“Where were the proper open forums on this huge decision? We could have weighed in with these concerns,” Neary said. “It’s a month away from the end of the semester, and next semester we’re all getting hit by this. The fact that we still don’t have answers is reprehensible.”

In its letter to Syverud, the GSO insists information regarding the change be made public and no further actions be taken to implement the plan without GSO Senate input.

At a meeting last Wednesday, the GSO discussed whether these changes reflect a need for collective bargaining and unionization. Neary said that unionization could establish positive means for negotiation with the university and give members more of say in health insurance, pay and contract changes.

The GSO is currently collecting input from TAs across campus and will be discussing the possibility of unionization at their next meeting on April 8.

Published on April 3, 2015 at 5:53 pm

Contact Lydia: lawilson@syr.edu