Negotiations reached an impasse and the issue was sent to arbitration. The committee further recommended that the Florida SUS should strive to be a model for other states in providing affordable, accessible health insurance for its students, especially for graduate students. We should not be satisfied with being at the mean or median, with being just average. Data indicated that most peer institutions defray at least part of the health insurance premiums for graduate student employees. For Florida universities to continue not to offer or allow assisted coverage puts our state universities at a competitive disadvantage for recruiting the best and brightest graduate students.
Graduate assistants are highly trained, technically skilled, and hard working.
They are the foundation of much of the SUS system's cutting edge research and provide valuable and competent assistance to faculty in teaching laboratory skills and beginning undergraduate courses. Their supervised teaching also provides them with valuable experience as they prepare to become the next generation of faculty for our state and national higher education system. These high-level services are provided to the SUS at a bargain price. Providing subsidized health insurance would allow SUS institutions to recruit better graduate students, which in turn will increase the quality and quantity of research performed, and the competence of students and graduates at all levels. More federal and corporate grant dollars will be acquired, and the status and rankings of SUS universities will be enhanced.