United Healthcare Senior Vice President of Student Resources Dale Burns and Student Health Insurance Administrator Anna Casteel presented details on the costs university health insurance at Wednesday’s Ohio University Student Senate meeting.
For the upcoming academic year, the university health care will increase from about $2,150 per student to about $2,900 per student, pending benefit changes.
“Medical costs are constantly increasing and there are new state regulations, which are the driving force for student cost increase,” Burns said. “We had to raise the cost in order to not remove any amount of coverage for the students.”
Casteel said she would like to express the importance of the Student Health Insurance Improvement Committee, who work to improve student insurances at Ohio University.
The other presentation was by Athens City Council President Chris Knisely, who discussed the purposes and duties of city council.
Knisely said the city is looking to focus on making sidewalks more accessible to pedestrians and construction projects. Knisley emphasized the importance of OU to Athens.
“We would really love to have more students get involved,” Knisley said.
Student Senate passed a bill that will support the completion of Athens’ street initiative.
“This is a great opportunity to show the collaboration of the city and the university,” Student Senate President Maddie Sloat said.
The bill would support Athens complete street initiative to mandate that future streets created are accessible for all forms of transportation, •including bicyclists and pedestrians. The initiative would improve existing roads to fit the criteria outlined in the •complete-street guidelines, according to the bill.
Student Senate passed nine resolutions at the meeting.
The first resolution approved transportation costs for a networking trip to Washington, D.C, which costs about $670. There was also an approval for flight tickets costs for John Francis, a speaker for an upcoming Student Senate event, at a cost of about $480. There was also an approval to pay for a hotel for Francis, which will cost about $200. The last budget resolution was approved to purchase a $150 Amazon gift card cost for the photographer for Student Senate headshots.
There were three new members elected to council. Jayden McAdams and Sam Carryer were elected as senators to the Senate Appropriations Commission (SAC). Joseph Kolawok Abon was also appointed as a Graduate College Senator on the Academic Affairs Commission.
Student Senate also passed two resolutions to update chapters of rules and procedures for Off-Campus Affairs Commission and Minority Student Affairs Commission.
