University to continue offering benefits for part-time employees

April 21, 2010
Eliminating benefits for part-time employees is no longer one of the options being considered as Purdue looks for cost-saving measures to avoid a projected $67 million budget deficit by 2013.
 
It is anticipated that part-time employees will not see changes to their benefits beyond those recently announced for TIAA-CREF retirement and any future adjustments to medical benefits.  Existing benefits for disability, life insurance, PERF retirement and fee remissions for part-time staff would continue as before.
 
"Our part-time employees provide important contributions to all aspects of university life and learning," said President France A. Córdova. "We want our part-time employees to know they are valued."
 
Córdova said Purdue still must address the annual cost for medical benefits. Together, the University and employees pay $150 million toward employee care each year. The goal is to bring down the overall costs of medical benefits before adjusting the University's and employees' share of medical premium costs.
 
Luis Lewin, vice president of human resources, is chairing a committee looking at ways to minimize health care costs. He meets with the Sustaining New Synergies steering committee this week and will present to the Health Plan advisory committee in May. A rate plan will be presented to the Board of Trustees in July.
 
An open forum for part-time employees is being planned. Information about ongoing budget review efforts across the University is available at the Sustaining New Synergies website.