Robin Holmes met with the Board of Trustees on Friday to discuss proposals for changes to student health insurance through the university and changes to the student conduct code, particularly with regard to sexual assault.
Under the current system, all students pay a mandatory health center fee of $161 per term, with a $15 charge incurred every visit and with costs like that of an ambulance left uncovered. Holmes and Michael Eyster, senior associate vice president for student life and executive director of the University Health Center presented the new proposal, which is called UO Care. This system will offer three choices of coverage to provide students with options as to how much coverage they want.
The ideal standard for comprehensive coverage is called “platinum,” and that’s the coverage around which the options are built. For example, students who enter school with comprehensive coverage under their parents’ or their own policies will be able to opt into a baseline $110-per-term Health Support Fee. Students who have policies that provide some, but not “platinum” coverage, will opt into the UO Care Supplemental plan, which costs $175 but eliminates the $15-per-visit cost. This covers health services in the Eugene and Springfield area. For students who want worldwide and year-round coverage, the UO Care Comprehensive plan will offer “platinum” coverage for $690 per term.
Trustee Kurt Wilcox asked if providing more money to Health Center staff would be a priority in any potential changes. Holmes responded that those negotiations are with a union that encompasses seven institutions across the state.
“As we’re thinking about where money is going, that would be the place,” Wilcox said.
Holmes then went on to discuss the changes to the student conduct code which have been tested out, to improve the way the office of affirmative action can handle sexual assault. This includes eliminating the need for a student that brings forth allegations of sexual misconduct to testify in court and turning the appeals process over to one officer in charge. Holmes said she will be available if a student thinks the findings by the officers are unwarranted.
Additionally, Holmes said she would like to see changes in student-funded legal services, which provide services to students in need of defense, but not those who bring forth allegations. She also brought up ways to discourage a student accused of sexual misconduct from closing their own inquiry by transferring to another school, such as placing their transcript on hold.
All of the policies were limited to discussion and none are set in stone yet. Voting on the proposals will take place at the June 4 and June 5 meetings.