We petition to the Cornell University administration and ISSO, Cornell University to withdraw its decision to make SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan) compulsory for international students. Bellow are arguments for why SHIP should not be made compulsory for international students.

Arguments on Cornell's Rationale to make SHIP compulsory for international students on campus.

·"There is aggressive marketing from private insurers, some of which use the Cornell name in their advertising."Argument for point 1: That is how markets run. Why should there be an enforced monopoly if there is aggressive marketing from private players? This is reason for SHIP's owners to improve their marketing rather than making it compulsory for international students.

·"Private insurers will continue to market potentially dangerous insurance products to international students".Argument for point 2: Many internationals can avail the benefits of family and country specific insurance plans that work in the US. These plans can not be counted as 'dangerous insurance products' for internationals as many of them have the same coverage as SHIP. Other than this, if there are such 'dangerous insurance products' that exist, it is the ISSO's responsibly to inform students against using such plans through emails, seminars and information sessions on campus rather than making it compulsory for internationals.

·"There is confusion over the benefits of self-purchased plans (e.g. students thinking they have better benefits in their plans than they actually do) &Many of the plans purchased have exclusions written into their policies which prevent the students from receiving the maximum benefit that the policy offers. &Students are put at risk when they do not have the right level of protection."Argument for point 3, 4 and 5: The ISSO can create more awareness aboutSHIP's health benefits OVER the health benefits of international insurance products through information sessions. It should be the student's and her/his family's decision to choose whichever plan they feel is most suited to them.

·"students are looking at cost rather than cost-benefit."Argument for point 6:if a private insurance satisfies each of the 7 points of "Your health insurance plan MUST" listed on SHIP website, and actually costs less than half the cost of SHIP, how does the SHIP have a better cost-benefit? Some parents may rather have a cheaper plan with less coverage and actually pay for uncovered services because of the low probability of the need of such services. This evaluation should be left to the choice of parents.

· " As a part of their visa requirements, international students often need proof of health insurance well before they arrive at Cornell. If SHIP is mandatory, those proof of insurance letters can be issued earlier, at the time that the student requires them."Argument:private insurance can provide the same.

Proposed by:

Tanvi Chheda, international student at Cornell University

Enrico Bonatti, International At-Large Liaison, Student Assembly of Cornell University

Shivang Tayal, next year's International At-Large Liaison, Student Assembly of Cornell University