Why doesn’t Milwaukee Area Technical College provide healthcare for its students?Chris Clark, a full-time student at the MATC Oak Creek Campus, in his second year obtaining an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts wants to know, “Why isn’t there any healthcare provided for students at such a prestigious school.”
After becoming ill last year without health care services because he works part-time, Clarke asked why isn’t there a clinic on campus, and healthcare coverage for students. After doing an informal survey of 400 students at all four MATC campuses, Clarke stated, “A large percentage of people surveyed were without healthcare also.”
With a disability due to an injury while working at his former job and the possibility of becoming sick while at school, Clarke said, “It would be convenient for students to not have to seek medical care from clinics which are unaffordable, if the school would provide these services as they did in the past.”
After canvassing other area colleges, Clarke found out that many offer medical care and health insurance to their students. “If a school as small as the Chippewa Technical College can tend to their students’ medical needs, why can’t MATC?” asked Clark.
He approached Jerry O’Sullivan, the West Allis Campus Student Life Coordinator; Archie Graham, Student Life Director; and Theresa Barry, Vice President of Student Services. They all agreed to help with the proposal for both healthcare and medical care facilities for students.
In March, 1,000 students were surveyed to find out how many students want MATC to provide healthcare. Of those surveyed, 75% were female, 73% already had insurance, 50% were not opposed to paying a fee of $25-$50, 84% preferred having a walk-in clinic, and 67% agreed they wouldn’t mind having healthcare services on or off campus.
On April 9, a teleconference committee meeting was held with Alicia of the Chippewa Valley Technical College to get ideas about what medical care services their school offers to its students, and the processes of developing healthcare insurance and medical care.
The Healthcare Committee board will meet again after further investigation as to what kind of services are available, and whether medical facilities can be provided on or off campus. Other factors involved will be whether students will want to be charged a mandatory base rate for health insurance and medical care.
