ISU board approves health benefits plan for 2023

Oct. 22—Indiana State University employees will have no increase in health insurance premiums next year.

On Friday, the ISU board of trustees approved the 2023 health benefits plan, which includes no premium increases for employees.

Diann McKee, senior vice president for finance and administration, said that claims through August were down 11% over the prior year and costs have been lower than budgeted.

That resulted in favorable projections for 2023. "Part of this is driven because we have fewer people on the plan as well," McKee told the trustee finance committee at an earlier meeting.

While ISU faces a projected 1% increase in health plan costs next year, the university is able to absorb that cost, which is about $150,000, McKee said.

The university maintains a self-insured health plan for active employees with about $17.3 million in annual medical and prescription expenditures.

The plan includes wellness incentives and tobacco surcharges.

In an information item, trustees were told that at their December meeting, they will be asked to approve a revised tobacco, vapor and smoke-free campus policy to reflect the fact that as of this past July, all designated smoking areas on campus have been removed.

"We had a handful of smoking shelters," McKee said. "Those have all now been removed."

The only exception is that people will still be able to smoke in private vehicles.

Also Friday, Chris Bayh, an attorney and partner with Barnes and Thornburg in Indianapolis, is now serving at ISU's external general counsel, ISU President Deborah Curtis announced.

Barnes and Thornburg has provided legal counsel to ISU for many years, Bayh said. "I'm the firm's point person for Indiana State."

During the meeting, Bayh discussed policy revisions addressing changes in Indiana law that expand free speech protections on public college campuses. The ISU policies relate to use of university facilities and "right of expression."

The state law prevents public colleges and universities from discriminating against or denying benefits to student groups based upon their religion, political affiliation or ideology, and the new law also bans free speech zones.

The revisions "are to ensure compliance with the new law," Bayh said after the meeting.

The policy change related to facilities adds one paragraph ensuring that individuals may engage in free speech on any outdoor area of the campus unless that area has been reserved in advance.

The Right of Expression policy revision incorporates requirements of the new law.

The proposed changes were presented as information only and will be considered for action at the next trustees meeting.

Bayh is the son of the late former Sen. Birch Bayh and Katherine Bayh.

The Bayh family's contributions to, and connections with, Indiana State University, extend back several generations, and the Bayh College of Education is named after the family.

"Indiana State is a very special institution for our family," Chris Bayh said.

On a related note, Joyce Thompson Mills was introduced as ISU's new executive director of legal services.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com Follow Sue on Twitter @TribStarSue