Farnsworth Asks Lower Health Fee, Urges Stronger Faculty-Student Ties

The University will reduce undergraduate and graduate medical fees, if the Corporation approves a new health plan formulated by Dr. Dana L. Farnsworth, Director of University Health Services.

In addition to lowering the present $37.50 University medical fee, the Farnsworth plan would insure students against any medical expenditures incurred during the entire year, not merely during the school year.

Married graduate students would be among the main beneficiaries of the new system. Under current regulations, many students are subject to so-called "double coverage," since they carry outside insurance for themselves and their families and must still pay the compulsory University fee. The proposed plan would seek to combine both the University fee and any outside charges for family insurance in one reduced fee.

Council Supports Plan

The Graduate Student Council voted 15 to 0 Wednesday to announce its support of the Farnsworth program. The Council plans to send Farnsworth a letter, expressing its position that the present University medical fee works a hardship on many married graduate students and arguing that they should be exempted from the University fee.

Since the Farnsworth plan, if adopted, could not go into effect for at least two years, the Council plans to present Farnsworth with a plan of its own in order to give married students at least partial exemption in the interim period.

Criticism Rising

Graduate student criticism of the present health program has been mounting for a number of years. At the beginning of last year, about 50 students signed a protest petition and presented it to the Council.