The University System of Georgia Board of Regents has developed a new required insurance plan for all graduate students receiving a Full Time Waiver as part of their graduate assistantships, all undergraduate and graduate International Students, and all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in programs that require proof of health insurance. The new required insurance plan will be take affect in August 2006 with a one year contract with option for renewal for five years. This new insurance plan was developed by the Board of Regents (BOR) to help graduate students at the four major research universities; however the new required insurance plan puts the international students and students at smaller universities, such as GC&SU, at a disadvantage. The group of students that will be most affected by the new required insurance plan will be International Students. Previous to the new required insurance policy each college and university developed an insurance plan that benefited their International students with benefits specially designed to meet their needs. Under the new insurance plan International Students will pay more for fewer benefits. While this initiative was suppose to lower the costs for all students involved, the cost of the insurance is extremely high. The annual cost of insurance for a student is $810 a year but before your insurance benefits began you must first pay the $250 deductible. This brings the new insurance plan to a total of $1060 ($810 cost of the insurance + $250 deductible) a year. Please sign this petition in order to stop the new require insurance plan for all international students, graduate students with assistantships, and students with majors that require them to have health insurance. If we do not do something about the new require insurance plan who will Sign your name and be heard!