Rationale for State-Assisted 
Health Insurance for Graduate Assistants

• On January 24, 2000, the UF Faculty Senate formed a Student Health Care Committee to gather student health insurance data for UF and other SUS universities for comparison with peer institutions. Information was gathered from administrations, student organizations, Web sites, and other sources
• In the early part of the year, Graduate Assistants United (GAU) and Board of Regents (BoR) representatives were negotiating over the issue of health insurance coverage for graduate assistants, who are OPS employees of the state universities. The BoR was not supportive of a health insurance plan or subsidy for any students, citing a Florida law prohibiting such benefits for OPS employees. Negotiations reached an impasse and the issue was sent to arbitration.
• In March of 2000, an arbitrator (Special Master) found in favor in the GAU position.
• The UF Student Health Care Committee set as its goal that all graduate, post-graduate, and undergraduate students should have access to affordable health insurance coverage (primary, catastrophic and pregnancy). The committee further recommended that the Florida SUS should strive to be a model for other states in providing affordable, accessible health insurance for its students, especially for graduate students. We should not be satisfied with being at the mean or median, with being just average.
• Data indicated that most peer institutions defray at least part of the health insurance premiums for graduate student employees. Of those surveyed, 39 AAU institutions appeared to defray about 80% of the premium costs. For Florida universities to continue not to offer or allow assisted coverage puts our state universities at a competitive disadvantage for recruiting the best and brightest graduate students.
• Graduate assistants are highly trained, technically skilled, and hard working. They are the foundation of much of the SUS system's cutting edge research and provide valuable and competent assistance to faculty in teaching laboratory skills and beginning undergraduate courses. Their supervised teaching also provides them with valuable experience as they prepare to become the next generation of faculty for our state and national higher education system. These high-level services are provided to the SUS at a bargain price.
• Providing subsidized health insurance would allow SUS institutions to recruit better graduate students, which in turn will increase the quality and quantity of research performed, and the competence of students and graduates at all levels. More federal and corporate grant dollars will be acquired, and the status and rankings of SUS universities will be enhanced. This is a wise investment opportunity that will spin off many economic benefits.
• On June 2, 2000, the Advisory Council of Faculty Senates (ACFS) representing the Florida SUS voted to request that the BoR work to develop an affordable and accessible health insurance program for graduate assistants. This document is supporting material for that recommendation.
• The Advisory Council of Faculty Senates (ACFS), the UF Student Health Care Committee, and Graduate Assistants United (GAU) offer their assistance and support in this endeavor.
• The following summary of general information obtained in the preliminary data survey is provided to give an estimate of the scope of the opportunity. More specific and complete data can be obtained upon request. For future planning, there may be considerable advantage in negotiating group coverage of more than just graduate assistant employees, to take advantage of lower premiums offered by group coverage plans. Folding graduate assistant coverage into existing plans for faculty may offer similar advantages.

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