CONTRACT
Continued from Page 1
resented by the federation. Rmi said.
"It's been nn issue for a long time." she said I
think it bad to do with cost. and certainly one per
spective we heard was that as less than half-time
employees. GTFs were not entitled to health insur
ance.
"Of course, we know that it doesn't matter if you
work full, half-time or loss than half-time l\ver\
body deserves health insurance.” she said.
There are a number of reasons the Uni varsity
hasn't provided health insurance loC'.TKs in the
past, said Steadman Upham. vice provost and
dean of the graduate school.
"This is not the kind of thing one jumps into
without moving in the direction over a period of
years," Upham said.
Upman said that the level of University contri
bution toward health insurance is not wholly new.
because the University has been providing health
insurance contributions since l'lK'i He denied
that the University administration feels that ns
half-time employees. GTFs are not entitled to
health insurance; a State Employee Benefits
Board's ruling — which prohibited state agencies
from providing health insurance to part-time
workers — has prevented the University from
offering those benefits to GTFs. During contract
negotiations. University administrators worked
around the ruling through a technicality: In the
new contract, the University will provide a contri
bution to health insurance — instead of purchas
ing the insurance — and will give the money to
the union, which will purchase the health insur
ance plan, he said.
"The University administration values GTFs
very highly — they provide nn extremely impor
tant function at the U of O," he said.
Beginning in January, the University will pro
vide funds for GTFs to be covered under the
union's health insurance plan, amounting to $30
per month of employment. They will tie given $‘K).
S1H0 or $27o toward the cost of the plan, depend
ing on whether they teach one. two or three acad
emic terms.
The agreement also will provide interest-free
loans to help GTFs pay the difference between the
University's contribution and the insurance pre
mium i usis Teat King assistants with three-term
appointments vs ill have deductions taken from
their paychecks to cover the insurance premiums
during the summer months, and assistants who
tench fewer than three terms can use the loans
toward paving for full-year coverage
Medical insurance coverage through the plan
will b<> mandatory during the term of employment
unless a GTF provides proof of other insurance, in
which case he or she w ill receive a refund from the
University
The plan is believed to he one of the best in the
nation among similar employee groups, said Allan
l.umnius, president of the federation. Most other
graduate student nsscx iations only offer health
insurance to teaching assistants who i an pav for it.
or who work a certain percentage of full-time
hours per week In contrast, the University plan
offers health insurance to all members of the fed
••ration, he said
Health insurance companies have said that the
plan is very reasonably priced, as the union's plan
is substantially below market costs. Kau said.
There are drnwbai ks to the agreement, however
The plan does not provide health insurance for
spouses or children, and graduate teaching assis
tants who want to provide coverage for their fam
ilies must pav the difference between the t ost ol
their premiums and their family's premiums
Teaching assistants with unmarried partners must
apply for an associate membership through the
Union to provide coverage for their partners
The contract also includes no wage increases,
and some members of the federation have said
they wished the plan could offer wider coverage.
"Realistically, it's a modest plan We would like
it to be more comprehensive." Kau said "Hut. it
was originally sought because it's low-< ost, and it
will fit in within the budget of an ordinary l i l t
Having something is better than trv mg to afford
premiums way beyond what G I Fs can afford
Graduate teaching assistants earn an average of
$500 per month. Lummus said.
In reaching the agreement, the GTF federation
had to choose whether to place a priority on
receiving either a pnv raise or health insurance
benefits. The union leadership decided to direct
its efforts toward ri« eiving benefits, l Ipham said.
LOAN
Continued kom Page 1
A key aspect of the program,
Wessells said, is that students
will now be able to repay their
loans based on their individual
post-graduation earnings. Wes
sells said he doesn't know how
the government will implement
this aspect of the program, but
that it will aid students interest
ed in lower-paying jobs.
The program is expected to
save taxpayers S4..'t billion
nationally through the fiscal
year 199H. Locally, the program
TUESDAY
s
p
A
G
H
E
T
T
I
ALL
YOU
' CAN
EAT
EVERY
TUES!
includes
Garic Bread
11:30 am
to
10pm
P1ZZ*
V£T£$
ITALIAN KITCHEN
2673 Willamatt*
484-0996
will disburse about $25 million
in loane to-an estimated 8,500
University students every year.
The IJ.S. Department of Edu
cation estimates nearly 400
schools will offer direct loans by
the 1994-95 school year, and by
1998-99, most schools nation
wide will participate.
Currently, students at the Uni
versity complete financial aid
applications and send them to
the central processor in Iowa
City, Iowa. The University then
receives the information elec
tronically from Iowa City and
determines the students' finan
clal aid eligibility
if the student is eligible fur a
loan, he or she receives u loan
application form and must take
it to a (rank, which then decides
whether it wants to lend to the
student A guarantee agency
will then toll the bank whether
it will guarantee the loan, after
which the bank will send a
check to the student.
For the new program, a stu
dent will have to fill out a single
application at the University.
The financial aid office will
then determine the student’s eli
gibility and make the award.
WINTER
TERM DUCK
CALL HAS
STARTED.
• Need help planning your winter
schedule?
• Confused by changes in group
requirements?
The Office of Academic Advising can help.
Counselors available for drop-in appointments
8:30-4:30, Monday-Friday
I 164 Oregon Hall 346-3211
SAFE
Continued from Page 1
In instant i's where partners
would like to use a dam that
is transparent, or if a dental
dam is not available. Duekor
said that Saran Wrap is a suit
able substitute that conies in
.1 \ arietv of colors
At the forefront ol an\ safe
se\ dis< ussion is the condom,
which has a variety of uses
besides the obvious Judith
Nam.isle demonstrated that a
condom i an be cut to form a
dam Also, the lip of a t on
dom can he plai tsl ov er a nip
pit* if i uts on that area or
lactation make mouth In
breast contact a hazard
A i ondoin is also used by
lesbians who share their pen
etration type se\ toys with
each other, said Hunker, who
demonstrated how to plat e a
i ondom on sui h a tov
Natnaste tail the four fin
gers tiff of a latex glove, slit it
along one side, resulting in n
makeshift dental dam with a
built-in spot to put the
tongue.
Another use for the ion
dom is to place it over the
entire hand for use in hand
penetration of orifu es if there
are t uts on the hand A latex
glove is also good lor that
purpose. Dueker said
Having fun with these
items, as well as communica
tion about them, is essential
for sex in the age ol AIDS,
Dueker said She emphasized
the need for a sense of humor
and passed around items
such as flavorful oils that i an
he applied to the latex to
stress tin' fun side ol safe sex
Although the subjet t matter
in a v be uncomfortable lor
many, the 1 DMA, which host
ed >i similar let tore lor men
last week, believed the need
to inform people on how to
enjoy safe and protet ted sex
outweighed the negatives
Willamette University College of law
representative
Davit! Kenaty will discuss
HOW TO GET INTO LAW SCHOOL
4 pm - 5:30 pm •Wednesday •Nov. I7
at the l’re-Liw Center, 164 Oregon Hall
Sponsored by the Pre law Society
EMU CULTURAL FORUM PRESENTS
spqe*ilflUt.*:;LS
Souls of Mischief
Monpay. November 22
EMU BALLROOM
Ueten to KVWA’e PhatTrax
£-11 pm Friday©
Tickets on sale now at local record stores.
5tudent tickets at EMU Main Desk.