Editor’s Note: Views expressed in guest columns and letters to the editor reflect the views of the author, not the views of The State News.
MSU rightfully is committed to the health and safety of our students, but a recent administrative action requiring mandatory health insurance for all undergraduate students was enacted without the authority of the MSU Board of Trustees.
Mandatory health insurance represents a significant financial burden for many undergraduate students. Students who do not acknowledge having health insurance will automatically be enrolled in an Aetna-sponsored plan, and the $1,500 direct cost of the insurance will be added to their tuition bill annually. This cost is imposed on students and families who most likely already are struggling to afford a college education.
This policy was presented to the board as an informational item and not discussed in public session or voted on by the board. In the spirit that fees are a public action item of the board, I believe that the mandatory health insurance requirements should have been discussed with the board in further detail.
I urge President Lou Anna K. Simon and her senior administration — a team that has lead the university admirably in so many aspects — to rescind this policy until more research in the matter is completed, dialogue between all interested parties has occurred and a proposal, if any is brought before the Board of Trustees for action.
Melanie Foster, MSU Board of Trustees
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