Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1974 Version B [PAGE 544]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

536

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Present Amount Change +$2 — + $2 — $2 + 2 0 + $2

[April 17 Proposed Amount $24 15 $39 $56 2 $58 $97

Hospital-Medical-Surgical Fee Health Service . Insurance Premium Total HMS Fee Service Fee Operation and Debt Service, Service Fee Buildings Special One-Time Reserve for Health Service Total Fees per Semester

$22 15 $37 $58 — $58 $95

The health insurance premium of $15.00 included in the proposed $39.00 Hospital-Medical-Surgical Fee is effective through August, 1974. However, the status of price controls on health-care costs is uncertain. If a change in the insurance premium is recommended, it will be submitted separately for Board consideration. The funding arrangements described above are intended to forestall an immediate increase of $4.00 per student per semester or summer session and to provide time to explore other funding alternatives. The establishment of the proposed rate increase would be subject to the applicable regulations of the Federal Price Commission and Cost of Living Council. The Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor for Campus Affairs have also recommended a change in one aspect of the Hospital-Medical-Surgical Fee refund policy. By action of the Board of Trustees on September 16, 1964, students not desiring coverage under the Hospital-Medical-Surgical Fee for the period between the close of the summer session and the beginning of the first semester may secure a refund of one-half of the fee upon written request. That provision was incorporated into University oolicy at a time when it was the practice to close the Health Service during the period in question. Since the Health Service is no longer closed during this period, and since it is the intent for all enrolled students to participate equally in sharing the cost of supporting the facility, it is no longer equitable to refund one-half of the fee for the summer session. It is therefore recommended that, beginning with the 1974 summer session, no portion of the Hospital-Medical-Surgical Fee be subject to refund, with the exception of the insurance portion of the fee as is provided under the rules for refunds within the first five days of instruction. I concur in these recommendations and recommend their approval. In accord with the Board's policy, Chancellor Peltason had invited student spokesmen who wished to comment on the recommendation to appear before the Board prior to action by the Trustees. Present were Mr. Kenneth King of UGSA (Undergraduate Student Association at Urbana) who indicated that his group favored the recommendation as a shoTt-term compromise but recommended exploration of other sources, in particular, general revenue funds or further diversion of Assembly Hall reserves for this purpose in the future, and Miss Sue Wood of the Health Service Advisory Committee who favored the recommendation. In addition, a letter from the Graduate Student Association in Urbana was presented, expressing opposition to an increase in the fee and favoring restoration of full State funding in support of the McKinley Health Center. Chancellor Peltason indicated that, if inflationary trends continue, it will probably be necessary to recommend a further increase next year. He stated that the recommendation at this time constituted a minimal increase, noting the present dependency upon reserve funds diverted from the Assembly Hall.

On motion of Mr. Livingston, the recommendation was approved with the following amendment to the text: At the end of the paragraph beginning "In addition, the Chancellor has recommended that $2.00 of the regular $58.00 service fee of the first semester..."; "This shall not constitute an established practice but is subject to annual review."