The room fell silent as McCormick Prof. Michael Miksis took the floor at Wednesday evening’s Faculty Senate meeting to criticize Northwestern’s decision to switch healthcare providers for all faculty and staff.
Miksis said the transition leaves workers like him feeling “troubled,” especially following recent medical scares.
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, all medical plans for University employees will be administered by UnitedHealthcare, replacing Blue Cross Blue Shield. NU Human Resources informed affected parties of the change in a statement emailed in June.
At the meeting, many professors echoed Miksis’ sentiments, saying they were left feeling upset and unheard by the change.
“The UnitedHealthcare service has a poor reputation in the marketplace,” said political science professor and Faculty Senate President Ian Hurd. “There’s also the fact that the change was made without any consultation with the faculty.”
This transition has saved the University an estimated $7.5 million, according to Hurd.
McCormick Prof. Ian Horswill said while administrators are facing increased financial and political pressure, the process of involving faculty in the decision making process remains important.
“My sense is, everyone involved is trying to do the right thing,” Horswill said. “Administrators are super busy and super under pressure. Consulting and communicating sometimes get pushed out of the way by the pressures of the moment.”
He also acknowledged non-disclosure agreements may have prevented administrators from communicating the change sooner.
Faculty also discussed maintaining academic autonomy amid federal pressure. Last week, the Trump administration sent a “compact” to nine other top universities asking them to adhere to its higher education priorities in return for preferential treatment in federal funding. They also voted to endorse new members of the NU Senate’s Committee on Cause — a branch responsible for reviewing appeals regarding disciplinary procedures against faculty.
Nonetheless, the faculty’s priorities were clear, as the majority of the meeting was dedicated to the switch to UnitedHealthcare.
“We’re not listened to,” Black studies Prof. Nicole Spigner said. “We should assume we won’t be listened to, we won’t be a part of the process, and strategize around that.”
Several faculty members proposed strategies including a walkout and documenting the switch’s adverse impacts to support the Senate’s claims.
Neurobiology Prof. James Fitzgerald said a walkout, while more impactful than an email, could appear “performative,” providing students with a day off rather than solving the issue.
History Prof. Helen Tilley provided context around the impact of a walkout using knowledge from her experience studying non-cooperation in India — saying that it gives negotiators leverage over the University administration.
The issue of what this transition could mean for faculty, staff and their family members loomed over the assembly.
“This is, for some, life or death,” SESP Prof. Danny Cohen said. “This is about potentially needing to lose coverage or having to change healthcare providers, not only for ourselves but for our loved ones as well.”
Clarification: This story has been updated to better reflect Tilley’s position on a walkout.
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Bluesky: @lucaskubovchik.bsky.social
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