Catholic USF Faculty Union Demands Abortion Coverage
A long time ago, to get federal funding, the Jesuits divested themselves of the university so it is basically run by the board of trustees.
The Faculty Association contract expires in 2011. ... All the ideological religious stuff is completely irrelevant. Neaman told OSV that the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion is irrelevant because the school is not legally a Catholic university.
PrintSAN FRANCISCO, California (LifeSiteNews.com) - A representative of the Faculty union at the Jesuit-run University of San Francisco (USF) has said the union would file an unfair labor practice complaint against the University if it changed the health insurance plan to exclude abortion, reported Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) yesterday.
The University stirred controversy in December when it was revealed that the students' default health insurance package, touted as tailored to the school's needs, included abortion coverage. The University administration quickly amended the plan, saying the inclusion had been an oversight.
In addition, the administration had reportedly notified its faculty that it intended to remove abortion coverage from its Blue Cross plan, which has evidently covered surgical and chemical abortion for several years, by March 1.
But USF Faculty Association president and history professor Elliot Neaman recently told OSV that the faculty union would file an unfair labor practice complaint if the university tries to remove the abortion coverage.
Neaman said that whether abortion involves the death of a child is "not relevant," and told OSV, "You are mixing up morality and contractual obligations."
"The university cannot unilaterally change the contract," said Neaman. "They have to go to the bargaining table. ... The Faculty Association contract expires in 2011. ... All the ideological religious stuff is completely irrelevant."
Neaman told OSV that the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion is irrelevant because the school is not legally a Catholic university.
"A long time ago, to get federal funding, the Jesuits divested themselves of the university so it is basically run by the board of trustees. They cannot apply for an exemption as a Catholic university because they could lose federal funding because of that," he said.
USF has not yet been able to drop the coverage, according to spokesman Gary McDonald, because "altering an insurance plan once it goes into effect is more complicated than we anticipated."
Calls made by LifeSiteNews.com seeking clarification from the University were not returned as of press time.
The University stirred controversy in December when it was revealed that the students' default health insurance package, touted as tailored to the school's needs, included abortion coverage. The University administration quickly amended the plan, saying the inclusion had been an oversight.
In addition, the administration had reportedly notified its faculty that it intended to remove abortion coverage from its Blue Cross plan, which has evidently covered surgical and chemical abortion for several years, by March 1.
But USF Faculty Association president and history professor Elliot Neaman recently told OSV that the faculty union would file an unfair labor practice complaint if the university tries to remove the abortion coverage.
Neaman said that whether abortion involves the death of a child is "not relevant," and told OSV, "You are mixing up morality and contractual obligations."
"The university cannot unilaterally change the contract," said Neaman. "They have to go to the bargaining table. ... The Faculty Association contract expires in 2011. ... All the ideological religious stuff is completely irrelevant."
Neaman told OSV that the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion is irrelevant because the school is not legally a Catholic university.
"A long time ago, to get federal funding, the Jesuits divested themselves of the university so it is basically run by the board of trustees. They cannot apply for an exemption as a Catholic university because they could lose federal funding because of that," he said.
USF has not yet been able to drop the coverage, according to spokesman Gary McDonald, because "altering an insurance plan once it goes into effect is more complicated than we anticipated."
Calls made by LifeSiteNews.com seeking clarification from the University were not returned as of press time.
- - -
LifeSiteNews.com is a non-profit Internet service dedicated to issues of culture, life, and family. It was launched in September 1997. LifeSiteNews Daily News reports and information pages are used by numerous organizations and publications, educators, professionals and political, religious and life and family organization leaders and grassroots people across North America and internationally.
Keywords:
NEWSLETTERS »
Rate This Article
1 - 8 of 8 Comments
Leave a Comment
More College & University News
- Dr. Beena George Named New UST Cameron Dean
- UST Honors Student Sings Her Way to Grad School
- Archbishop José H. Gomez at Franciscan University: In this Time of Mission
- Brother and Sister Plant It Forward at UST
- UST's Macias Accepted to Thomistic Seminar
- UST's Taco Tasting Raises $35,000 for Scholarships
- Hattrup Dissertation Unanimously Passed at UST
- Learning Knows No Age for Grad
- UST Grad Speaker Highlights Leading with Faith, Character
Featured News
- Fr. Paul Schenck: Finding Living Faith on Catechetical Sunday
- The Movie Yellow: Incest as 'Normal' and Cassavates's Slides Into the World of Woes
- The Chicago School Teachers Strike Reveals the Need For School Choice
- The Sexual Barbarians and the Dissolution of Culture
- The Happy Priest Challenges Us to Ask: Who is Jesus to Me?
- Michael Coren on Canadian Public Schools: Teachers, leave those kids alone
- We Cannot Ignore Our Consciences: Cardinal Dolan On Religious Liberty
- In the Face of Danger, Successor of Peter Travels to Lebanon as a Messenger of Peace
- Reflections on the Dignity and Vocation of Women: Who or What?
Louise,
Sure USf does a lot of great things. Yet there is no way I want any of my tuition to ever go to an insurance program that pays for abortions.
What kind of Catholic would I be to pay for a poor kids college and then kill her baby? I could not do both and consider myself a good Catholic. Nor can USF allow this insurance program to continue and consider itself a good Catholic University.
~Paul
Please note it is the union, not USF, that includes abortion in the insurance. Perhaps someone should explore other insurance policies and find the same coverage. Frankly, I can't afford to refuse my employer's insurance - that doesn't mean I would have an abortion. Who does your research?
As a USF graduate whose time there changed my life to a direction of community service I am descended from early Californios, I believe the writers should take a closer look at USF & its contibutions. If the person does not support abortion - don't utilize that benefit. Having as a benefit does not encourage a person to have an abortion. How many pregnant girls have you taken in today??
What am I missing? Student plan includes abortion coverage and "The University administration quickly amended the plan, saying the inclusion had been an oversight.
Faculty plan includes abortion coverage and "USF has not yet been able to drop the coverage, according to spokesman Gary McDonald, because "altering an insurance plan once it goes into effect is more complicated than we anticipated." Sad on all accounts. I'll bet none of their medical plans cover ANY maternity costs. Abortion is just about the only option left. Pray for us.
I wonder if these union members knew where and who they are working for? This has been a problem in a lot of the Catholic institution hiring non Catholic employees. And what makes it worst, the institutions do not explain the rule. So here, the union is imposing their will on the management.
FIRE THEM ALL!!!!!!
The time for sacrifice is here. The University needs to take back it's Catholic Heritage and Tradition. The school needs to be returned to the Jesuits, to the roots of our Catholic faith.
They need to trust and pray in faith that the Lord will provide even without federal monies.
Jesuits and California perfect together
Greed is a sin that a lot of Catholic universities have fallen for. We should pray for all Catholic universities that have fallen for greed.