Faculty Senate calls for moratorium on benefits plan

Senate leaders said professors have not had time to examine the new benefits plan, set for implementation in mid-March. The Faculty Senate Executive Committee passed a resolution Friday calling for a moratorium on the implementation of benefits changes until faculty and staff have had more time to discuss the proposals. Faculty Senate Chairperson and Education Professor Peter Kuriloff said many professors feel they lack the time to examine properly and understand the proposals. The University's benefits plans proposal -- published in the February 11 Almanac -- is currently in the discussion stages. The plans call for changes to be in place by the time next year's contracts are signed in mid-March. Although the Faculty Senate resolution does not stipulate how much additional time members would like for discussion, Kuriloff said he anticipates the Senate's benefits team will need until the third week in March -- the Executive Committee's next meeting -- to examine the proposals. Kuriloff added that the proposals were originally scheduled to be made public at the end of last semester, which would have allowed for more discussion time. "There is grave concern? that we didn't have a enough time to do a detailed analysis of the proposals, especially the health care proposals which are difficult to understand," he said. Kuriloff added that there are uncertainties about the new costs of health care plans and the performance of one of the health maintenance organization companies. The resolution also expresses dismay over the elimination of graduate tuition benefits for spouses and dependents of University employees. Faculty and staff had expressed a desire to have that benefit "grandfathered" rather than eliminated. Vice President for Human Resources Clint Davidson explained at a benefits information session last week that while only 122 people use the graduate benefits for spouses and dependents, the cost is $1.3 million each year. Kuriloff said many faculty members agree that it is not the "wisest" of benefits because of the small number of employees who actually use it. He added, however, that since some faculty were drawn to the University by the promise of graduate tuition benefits, it is unfair to take them away. Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Professor Haim Bau said the Engineering School faculty members he represents were very disappointed by the loss of the tuition benefits, which attracted many of them to the University. "Some people made career choices based on the availability of these tuition benefits, and that was why they came to University of Pennsylvania," Bau said. The resolution also expressed faculty concerns that the benefits plan failed to set up principles for future changes. Bau explained that if there are no predictions about future benefits, it will be difficult for employees to do long-term financial planning, adding that there is concern about the possibility of future benefits cuts. "By asking people to chip in more for health care and eliminating graduate tuition benefits, it seems there is a gradual erosion of benefits," Bau said. Kuriloff echoed Bau's concerns, explaining that some faculty fear the cuts are just the tip of the iceberg. Although the resolution does not explicitly mention equity issues, Kuriloff said he will raise the topic in meetings with University President Judith Rodin and Executive Vice President John Fry later this week. He added that professors have expressed concern that employees of unequal salaries are forced to pay the same health insurance premiums. Fry said he had not yet seen the resolution and could not comment as to whether the Senate's request will be granted. He added that he will meet today to discuss staff and faculty response to the proposals, and he assumes the resolution will be discussed at that meeting.

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