The faculty held an unofficial meeting at 7:30 p.m. last night in the Cole Assembly Room to discuss President Antony Marx's and the Committee of Six's proposal to add a one-time increase of $400 to the base salary of all staff and faculty members, intended to help offset higher co-pays and additional charges in employees' health care and retirement benefits. This extra money would function as a direct raise for those who opt for family coverage.

"There is no ground for anyone to believe that $400 means anything. Perhaps it's worth thinking more about how that money could collectively be invested," said Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science Austin Sarat, regarding the base salary increase.

The most notable proposed change is the eradication of the zero-cost health plan, which provides basic coverage, in favor of asking faculty and staff with individual HMO coverage to pay for 20 percent of their fees, amounting to about $32 per month. "This shifting of this portion of the coverage creates incentives that help preserve the best system for the future," said Marx. He continued to say that this extra charge would discourage double coverage, where each spouse uses health benefits from their respective workplace.

Regarding post-retirement benefits, Marx asserted that, under the plan, any faculty and staff members who are over 59 years of age and have 27 years of service, or those who have at least 30 years of service, will retain all current coverage, under the "grandfather clause." However, he was concerned most about those who are 59 years of age and have less than 30 years of service. "We need to be cognizant of the needs of those who are closest to retirement but do not qualify for the grandfather clause," he said.

Marx proposed that for such faculty and staff, the College should pay their Medicare B health care costs for a limited time upon retirement. The reimbursement would occur on a sliding scale: five months of coverage paid for those with salaries under $30,000; four months for salaries between $30,000 and $40,000; three months for salaries between $40,000 and $50,000. The money would be paid out as a lump sum upon retirement.

Marx also stated that spouses who survive a faculty or staff member would not be guaranteed the same level of benefit coverage, under the proposed plan. "There is nothing trivial about one's life partner not being covered by adequate support," Professor of English Barry O'Connell said.

The faculty also suggested that Marx should not have to represent the interests of the faculty regarding health care to the board of trustees alone. "I ask the Committee of Six to speak for us. We have elected them to represent us," said Professor of History Frank Couvares.