Mandating Healthcare for College Students?

In absense of universal access to healthcare, policymakers are considering mandated health insurance for college students in Maryland. Lead advocate Delegate Pena-Melnyk (D-PG County) explains that the estimated increased cost of healthcare is not a "deal-breaker" for affordability of higher education. DelmarvaNow.com highlighted a forum on the issue in an article.

Initial estimates claim that healthcare for college students would add an additional $1000 to the cost of tuition. Those whose parents have healthcare could exempt from the plan. Right now, policies vary across different institutions. At UMBC and Salisbury, students can choose to purchase healthcare through the campus, but are not required to have healthcare to attend school or live on campus. At the University of Baltimore, students must have healthcare to attend school full-time. At UMES, students are all charged for a minimal fee for the health center that covers basic care (students can exempt out of this fee if they show proof of healthcare). Additionally, college athletes and international students must have health coverage.

While healthcare is important, even health advocates in higher education put student insurance low on the priority list, behind sex education and immunization, according to Andy Clark of the USM.

Personally, I believe that the requirement is unnecessarily prohibitive for college students to attend institutions of higher education. The only case in which the university should consider requiring health insurance is in the case in which order and safety on campus is significantly at risk in the absence of healthcare for students. College athletes and international students would fall into this classification. It might also be reasonably argued that on-campus students should have coverage, although I would not currently advocate this point.

With that said, should such a requirement be added to the cost of higher education, the cost should be included in the calculation of "cost of education" used for financial aid purposes.  Universities should also focus their collective efforts on providing more affordable optional health coverage for students.

With the expected rise in tuition rates, advocates concerned with accessibility in higher education should focus efforts on recruiting and retaining college students by mitigating college costs, not adding to them.

Salisbury Student Lend a Hand to Community

This past weekend, Salisbury students reached out to community members through a "We Love Salisbury" day.  Students worked together with community members to rake leaves, do yardwork, and cleanup lawns.  Afterwards, community members and students joined together on campus for a barbeque.

The event is part of an effort by the SU SGA to develop strong relations with the Salisbury community, one that has been strained in past years.

(Read the article highlighting the event DelmarvaNow.com newspaper)

USMSC Meeting, November 16

The USM Student Council met yesterday at Towson to discuss a number of issues. Here is a link to my report to the Council.

The Council discussed a number of issues including:

• the impact of decreased state budget revenues on operating budgets for institutions
• efforts to proactively address illegal filesharing on campuses in order to avoid over-regulation by the federal government and/or music industry
• advocacy/lobbying plan for the Spring session
• Annapolis 101- lobbying day for students with the state legislature

I also asked the Council to research and consider a number of issues:

• differential tuition by discipline
• differential tuition increases/decreases for each institution
• mid-year tuition increases
• mandatory healthcare
• in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants

The Council will meet next at UMBC on December 7 to consider candidates for student regent.

Higher Education Finances and What to Expect

Inside Higher Education highlights broad-based budget cuts across the nation. Salisbury President Janet Dudley-Eshbach warns of furloughs and mid-year tuition increases. The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights expert analysis of the tough consequences for higher education in the expected recession over the next two to three years.

The economy is in poor shape, and higher education will suffer. Fiscal pressures will come from a variety of areas:
- decreased state funding support for the operating and capital, due to declining state revenues
- decreased enrollments because of a lack of income and access to loans (both potential and current students); resulting in decreased tuition receipts

Undoubtedly, the more states cut their budgets, the more higher education will be cut. And so, to offset these lost revenues, higher education institutions will be pressured to either cut expenditures and services or significantly raise tuition. Each institution will likely work to balance the two budget-balancing strategies in the way to maintain prestige/quality and accessbility/affordability.

Next month, the Maryland Board of Revenue Estimates will examine the expected revenues for the next fiscal quarter for FY09. Possibly, the Board will identify the need to cut more from the budget. Do recall, the state experienced budget cuts amounting to around $350 million after the last revenue estimates were evaluated (higher education saw a $35 million cut, or 10%). Surely, with the further downturn in the economy over the past few months, we could expect more cuts.

A few things to consider:
- higher education occupies about 21% of the discretionary portion of the state budget (the portion of the budget that is not prescribed through legislative mandate)
- higher education saw 10% of the last round of budget cuts
- higher education is often seen as a non-essential expenditure

So, I presume that while Governor O'Malley has consistently provided significant financial support for higher education, he will be pressured more and more through fiscal realities to significantly cut higher education. In other words, the more money that is cut from the budget in Maryland, higher education will likely recieve an increasing percentage of the budget cut.

So then what happens? Tuition increases or service cuts. Take your pick. This can play out in a few ways:
- mid-year tuition increases
- larger class sizes
- decreased course offerings
- furloughs for staff
- hidden student fees and surcharges
- closed and limited student services (i.e. early closing hours for library)
- decreased and enveloped financial aid
- increased prices on campus sales (i.e. food, textbooks, t-shirts, etc.)
- fewer student job opportunities
- fewer research opportunities
- less research time for faculty


So, what are you willing to sacrifice? How do you suppose me and other policy makers balance affordability and quality?

MHEC Hearing in State Plan on Higher Education, Nov. 19

On November 19, a public hearing on the State Plan for Higher Education will be hosted by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.  The Maryland Higher Education Commission serves as the coordinating body of higher education in the State, guiding community colleges, private institutions, and public institutions.  Check out the MHEC website announcement and the draft document up for comment.

The State Plan is designed to coordinate each sector and set the priorities and mission for higher education in Maryland.  Take some time to at least review the plan and possible provide some public comment for MHEC.

Advocacy Best Practices: UMCP SGA's "Take Action" Site

UMCP SGA has developed a "Take Action" website designed to provide students with opportunities to advocate, information about current events and issues, and links to useful resources. The website is part of President Sachs' efforts to engage students in advocacy efforts across the university.

The website includes three white papers on The Purple Line, Textbooks, and Tuition Policy.  The papers provide great information in a succinct manner.

Kudos Jonathan and the rest of the SGA at UMCP!