Author: Jeremy Candelas
On Thursday February 5th, Cornell students were notified of a $350 fee for the 2015-2016 academic year. All students who are not currently enrolled in Cornell’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) will be required to pay this fee. In an email sent out to the Cornell community, President Skorton stated that some “70 percent of undergraduate, 30 percent of professional and 10 percent of graduate students” were likely to be affected by the new policy. Skorton also announced that Vice President Susan Murphy would be holding meetings in the coming weeks to discuss the changes. Times and locations of said meetings are yet to be announced by the Cornell Administration.
During a Student Assembly meeting on Thursday, President Skorton acknowledged that “the fee [would] be a burden for some,” but nonetheless maintained that it was necessary for “the common good.”
Several Cornell students are frustrated with a lack of transparency from the Cornell administration, demanding to know how the money will be spent to benefit the community. Adding fuel to the fire, several students have speculated that the money is being used to fund the Gannett expansion scheduled for 2017. In September of 2013, Vice President Susan Murphy revealed that they would need to raise a total of 55 million dollars January 2015 in order to complete plans to expand and renovate Gannett.
Photographed by Jeremy Candelas
Slope took to the streets to find out how students perceived the new ‘SkortonCare’ fee:
Daniel Jacobson ‘18 calls the decision to charge students not enrolled with SHIP “unnecessary,” arguing that it is “punishing people who want to use their own health insurance.” He continues, saying, “the cost to attend Cornell is already so high – I don’t need the additional expenses simply because I want to use my own health insurance.”
However, Christian Brickhouse ‘17 had something else to say. “I’m against the reactionary backlash that’s happening and feel that we need to weigh the merits of it before decrying having to pay more money without actually understanding the situation. It has it’s merits. It’s not the worst thing ever invented. Could it be better? Maybe, but it’s certainly not terrible.”
Students further voiced their opinions over social media:
yikyakapp.com
yikyakapp.com
@Cornell now fining all students for having their own health insurance. $350/yr #classy #cornell #healthcare
— Jake Wolf (@jakewolf51) February 5, 2015
Lol @Cornell is making us all pay a fee of $350 if we don’t buy Cornell’s (terrible) health insurance even if we have our own… #scamalert
— Alice (@OnceUponAnAlice) February 5, 2015
A Facebook event, #FightTheFee has also been scheduled for Monday, February 9th at noon, at Willard Straight Hall. As of Sunday afternoon, the protest had nearly 1000 students registered to attend.
