Two universities that are considered leaders in a trend within higher education to offer more work/life benefits for employees have gone in the opposite direction and cut out health insurance for the families of graduate students.
According to an article in the San Jose Mercury News, the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University will still offer health insurance to graduate students but have cut coverage for their families. The universities said extending coverage to students’ families simply cost too much.
In 2006, Stanford provided health insurance to the families of about 110 graduate students, and Berkeley provided it for about 100. According to the article, the cut has forced some graduate students — who typically receive only modest stipends for teaching — to sign up their children for government health-care programs. —Robin Wilson
