ship

UC Berkeley students recently received reminders to complete their Student Health Insurance Plan, or SHIP, waiver by July 17. That is, to avoid paying the $75 late fee. In total, students pay 16 or more fees in addition to their tuition, according to the campus registrar's website.

Gray. The color of the fog and mist over the water, clouding my view of everything I have ever known. I fear that one day I will forget. I don’t want to forget.

UC Berkeley students report long lines for flu shots offered by the Tang Center after the University of California issued the flu vaccine mandate in October. 

The ASUC Student Advocate’s Office has received nearly 60 applications to its Cal-Pays Copay Fund, which supports students with chronic conditions and disabilities, since its launch April 3.

Defunding essential resources often makes it feel as though our value is dependent on the contributions we can make (such as academically) without raising the bottom line.

CA Gov. Newsom signed SB 24 into law Friday, which requires all student health centers at public state universities to provide medication abortion by 2023.

The UC Berkeley Financial Aid and Scholarships office cares tremendously about the financial and personal wellness of our students.

It was a week before tuition was due last year, and I was waiting for my scholarships to disburse so that I could be certain I wouldn’t be dropped from my classes. I’d received a financial aid office email every few days telling me that my awards had been adjusted.

The unfortunate reality is that SHIP claims — aka use and cost to the plan — have increased annually for the last three years. The result of those rising claim costs is that SHIP premiums have to increase to account for them. This reality was evident throughout all the health insurance bids the campus received.

The changes to SHIP coverage in the fall may be inevitable — so the campus must inform students about possible disruptions in coverage, rather than releasing dismissive press releases. If UC Berkeley truly values the health and wellbeing of every student, it must actively support students through the large and frustrating changes that next year will bring.