Task Force on Health and Well Being: Interim Report
January 2004
In September 2003, President Tilghman appointed a Task Force on Health and Well
Being and asked it to recommend answers to the following three questions:
1. How should Princeton meet the needs of its students for medical and mental health
care, and to what extent should it also meet health care needs of its faculty and staff?
2. What programs, services and facilities should the University provide to promote the
health and well being of its students, faculty, and staff, including programs of
preventive health, health maintenance, nutrition, recreation, stress management, etc.?
3. How can the University improve the balance between family and work, for example,
by offering additional day care and other family support services to members of the
University community?
The task force was asked to answer each question in the context of a comprehensive plan
for enhancing the health and well being of all who study and work at the University. It was
asked to focus on needs currently not being met or likely to emerge in the years ahead.
The members of the task force, whose names are listed at the end of this interim report,
include three faculty members, four undergraduates, two graduate students, six administrators,
and two co-chairs: Janet Dickerson, vice president for campus life, and Robert Durkee, vice
president and secretary of the University. The task force is very ably supported by the staff
members whose names are also listed below.
The task force was asked to complete its report by the spring of 2004 if possible, but to
be prepared to carry over into the fall of 2004 if necessary. This interim report describes the task
force’s progress over its first four months of work. It summarizes what the task force has learned
so far and some of the topics it has begun to consider. It identifies areas in which it believes the
University is doing well, as well as areas where it believes significant improvement is needed.
The report is organized into the following sections:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Overview
Suggested Guiding Principles
Initial Findings and Recommendations
Major Needs and Challenges
Work Plan for the Spring
Overview
This has been an especially hard-working task force. It met for the first time on
September 22, with President Tilghman in attendance, and then held subsequent meetings on
October 13, November 3, December 15, and January 12.
-2-
At its second meeting, the task force organized itself into three working groups: one on
student-related issues (undergraduate and graduate), chaired by Molecular Biology Professor Liz
Gavis; one on faculty and staff-related issues, chaired by Vice Provost Joann Mitchell; and one
on work-life issues, including child care, chaired by Psychology Professor Eldar Shafir. Each
member of the task force served on at least one working group, but many either served on more
than one or attended meetings of groups in addition to the one to which they were officially
assigned. During the course of the fall, the student group met 4 times; the faculty-staff group
met 7 times; and the work-life group met 4 times. The group providing staff support to the task
force met 8 times.
From its earliest days, the task force sought suggestions from members of the University
community. It received comments following the announcement of its formation (on the
University homepage and in the Princeton Weekly Bulletin), and through the “ideas and
suggestions” feature on the task force’s website (www.princeton.edu/hwbtf). One or both of the
co-chairs made presentations to the President’s Cabinet, the Trustee Committee on Student Life,
Health, and Athletics, the Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC), the
Undergraduate Student Government (USG), and other groups, and other members of the task
force also met with interested members of the community. Brief e-mail surveys were sent to all
graduate students and all post-doctoral fellows and one of the undergraduate students on the task
force asked participants at the November 4 FluFest (sponsored by University Health Services)
for their ideas and suggestions.
As background for its work, the task force reviewed extensive information about
University Health Services, the Student Health Plan, the University’s faculty-staff benefits
program, Dining Services, Dillon Gym, and the Stephens Fitness Center. It reviewed data
collected by Health Services and the Student Health Advisory Board. Some members of the task
force discussed plans for focus groups and surveys with representatives from the Princeton
Survey Research Center. Some visited the Princeton Fitness and Wellness Center (an affiliate of
the University Medical Center at Princeton) and Momentum Fitness Center, both of which are
located off of Route 206 just north of Princeton. Some met with the directors of the U-Now and
University League nursery schools.
The initial goals of the task force were to: (1) develop a set of principles or values that
might guide the University in its consideration of issues related to health and well being; (2)
learn as much as possible about programs currently being offered or planned, and about the
extent to which these programs appear to be meeting—or not meeting—the needs of students,
faculty, and staff; (3) begin to develop initial findings and recommendations; and (4) identify
major needs and challenges that will require further investigation and deliberation this spring.
Suggested Guiding Principles
The task force believes that as an educational institution and a residential community,
Princeton University should seek to provide a campus environment and a range of programs that
sustain and enhance the physical, psychological, and emotional health of undergraduate and
-3graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty, and staff, and that assist them in achieving an
appropriate balance between work and personal/family life.
Among other things, this requires:

An affirmative effort by the University to create a campus environment that is
safe, secure, supportive of those in need, and as free as possible of preventable
health risks (as achieved through health education programs, disease detection
and prevention and management of chronic illnesses, environmental safety
programs, and other measures).

A commitment by members of the campus community to conduct themselves in
ways that sustain their health and well being as well as the health and well being
of others. As a community we depend on faculty and staff with supervisory
responsibilities to look out for the health and well being of those they supervise,
and on more senior students to serve as appropriate role models and help provide
a healthy campus climate for students who are newer members of our community.

Providing undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral fellows with
readily available information about medical, wellness, and fitness issues or other
matters related to their health and well being; providing faculty and staff with
readily available information about the University’s benefits programs and other
services related to health, fitness, and well being; and providing all members of
the community with information about ways to improve individual and
community health and well being, including information about health
maintenance, disease prevention and management, early detection of chronic
illness, and the benefits of regular exercise, good nutrition, and personal renewal.

Integrative strategies of preventive health care and wellness that encourage
healthy living. The task force believes that such strategies will have a long-term
positive impact on the ability of students to learn and to participate fully in
campus life, of faculty to teach and conduct research, and of members of the staff
to support the educational mission of the University and achieve fulfillment in
their work.

For students, the University should encourage healthy patterns of living (which
includes appropriate housing and healthy dining options); provide informed
access to affordable, timely, and quality care for physical, psychological, and
emotional health (including care for students who are on campus outside of the
academic year and for dependents); and provide high quality health education
programs, reliable evidence-based information, and assistance about medical,
lifestyle, and health and fitness issues.

For faculty and staff, the University should provide adequate wages and a
competitive benefits program that includes access to medical (including mental
health) care and programs that support healthy lifestyles, improve fitness and well
-4being, and provide needed family/life services. Providing access to appropriate
services and programs requires the ready availability of information about such
services and programs and constant attention to the different circumstances and
life stages of different members of the University community and to such
considerations as affordability, work schedules, and ease of access. Special
attention should be paid to those whose household incomes place them at risk of
significant financial hardship.

The University should assist students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty, and staff to
obtain high quality and affordable child care through a combination of Universityprovided and/or contracted day care, referral to outside day care providers,
identification of emergency care options, and other services, and should adopt
policies that assist mothers and fathers to meet their child care responsibilities as
well as their workplace commitments. The University also would be well served
by providing assistance to members of the campus community in identifying and
arranging high quality elder care and other family care services.

In matters related to scheduling (in the workplace and for the educational
program), the University should assist members of the community to achieve an
appropriate balance between work and personal/family life.
Initial Findings and Recommendations
One message that has come through loud and clear in the early work of the task force is
the degree to which members of the community are unaware of many of the programs and
services already available to them in the areas of health, fitness, and well being. At the same
time, significant deficiencies and ample room for improvement have also been identified. In this
section of our interim report we will share some of what we have learned, while also outlining
some initial findings and recommendations. In areas where Princeton already offers strong
programs, we aim to suggest ways in which it can build on those strengths. In areas where
Princeton lags behind other universities or employers1 or is falling short of the guiding principles
we have proposed, we aim to identify a range of options and priorities, recognizing that choices
will have to be made and tradeoffs assessed. In most cases we need to do additional work before
we can make final recommendations; we propose a tentative plan for pursuing this additional
work in the final section of this report.
This section is divided into the following subcategories: University Health Services; the
Student Health Plan; the Employee Benefits Program; undergraduates; graduate students; postdoctoral fellows; faculty and staff; retirees; work-life issues; and child care.
1
One member of the task force visited a company that offers its employees a comprehensive health and wellness
program that begins with a culture that encourages exercise and healthy eating during the work day; provides
extensive facilities for physical activity (some free, some subsidized); offers classes in stress management, weight
management, nutrition, etc.; employs trainers on staff and schedules regular visits to the workplace by outside
physicians in various specialties (orthopedics, cardiology) for consultation; provides “credits” (in the form of
reduced cost for health care or vouchers for benefits or services) for certain behaviors—not smoking, wearing seat
belts, biking to work, etc.; and provides incentives to participate in community service. The task force viewed an
account on 60 Minutes of another company that takes a similar approach to employee health and well being.
-5-
University Health Services
University Health Services (UHS) is a fully accredited health care facility that provides a
broad range of health services to Princeton undergraduates and graduate students and their
dependents age 12 and over (and to Princeton Theological Seminary students and their
dependents). In a given year, it will serve 80% of all undergraduates and graduate students.
UHS also provides some health care services for Princeton employees (faculty and staff).
The total staffing of UHS in 2003-04 is 62.92 full time equivalents (FTEs). This includes
physicians (not all full time), nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, registered nurses,
psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and technical
and administrative personnel (including one excellent but less-than-full-time health educator).
UHS’s primary location is McCosh Health Center, constructed as an infirmary in 1925. Physical
therapy is provided at Dillon Gym for non-varsity athletes, while athletic medicine, athletic
training, and physical therapy for athletes are provided at Caldwell Field House.
During the academic year, UHS is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for urgent care
and for inpatient services. (McCosh has 17 inpatient beds and a “parent’s suite “ for parents who
wish to stay overnight while their son or daughter is an inpatient or hospitalized locally.) All
offices are open daily Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., except Tuesday when
they open at 10:15 a.m. During summer and winter break, outpatient services are available
during regular business hours but there is no inpatient care or after hours emergency care.
Students who need care after hours or on weekends are referred to the local hospital, where they
and their insurance coverage are responsible for all costs. This practice can result in significant
charges, especially for graduate students who are on campus during the summer.
Undergraduates and graduate students receive a variety of services for no direct cost,
including medical office visits (primary care and urgent care), mental health services (including
individual or group psychological counseling2, crisis intervention, evaluation for psychotropic
medication, eating disorders evaluation and treatment, alcohol and other drug evaluation and
treatment, and sexual harassment/assault advising), travel planning, immunization and allergy
shots, inpatient stays, sexual education, counseling, and health services (SECH), x-rays, and
some lab tests. Students are charged fees for some specialized services, including some
laboratory tests, contraceptives, vaccines, orthopedic supplies, etc.
UHS provides referrals for off-campus care when necessary and assists students with
health care needs that are not provided by UHS or covered by their insurance. It sponsors a wide
range of health promotion and outreach programs, and conducts regular surveys to assess student
health and well being at Princeton (see below). UHS has a small employee health staff that
provides evaluation, treatment, referral, and review of work-related injuries or illness; conducts
medical surveillance programs (e.g., asbestos program, animal workers program, commercial
driver’s license physicals and drug testing, etc.); manages temporary disabilities; provides lab, x2
The Counseling Center offers free, individual short-term counseling to students up to a maximum of ten sessions
per academic year. Some common issues that are addressed include stress, depression, anxiety, relationship
problems, family problems, loss and/or grief, self-esteem, racism, sexism, and gay/lesbian/bisexual issues.
-6ray, and physical therapy services in conjunction with work-related injuries/illness; and provides
travel planning and immunizations. UHS also offers health promotion initiatives such as cardiac
risk assessments; smoking cessation programs; hypertension, depression, or anxiety screening;
mammography; and others, including the increasingly popular annual flu clinic (FluFest) which
this year offered health and fitness screenings and fitness demonstrations while providing flu
shots to more than 3,500 members of the University community.
As the charts on the next page indicate, the demands on University Health Services have
been increasing dramatically in recent years. The total number of patient encounters increased
from 47,440 in 2000-01 to 60,988 last year (2002-03). Compared to the prior year, last year saw
increases of 13% in sexual health visits; 17% in counseling session visits; 25% in psychiatric
visits; and 111% in inpatient stays for depression, anxiety, fatigue, and psychotic episodes.
There was also an 8% increase in employee health encounters.
The charts also indicate that so far this year, on a year-to-date basis through October,
individual counseling sessions are up another 33%; psychiatric consultations are up 37%;
inpatient admissions for psychiatric reasons are up 127%; after hours urgent care is up 46%; and
employee health visits are up 41%. In addition, demand for high acuity mental health services
has continued to grow, with 15 off-campus psychiatric hospitalizations for serious overdose and
suicidality, psychotic episodes, and severe eating disorders.
Despite these dramatic increases in demand, accompanied by only modest increases in
staffing (+ 0.33 FTE last year), both student and employee measures of satisfaction with UHS
are very positive. The Student Health Advisory Board conducts surveys twice a year using an
instrument designed in consultation with the Survey Research Center at Princeton. For a week
each fall and spring, all students and staff receive a questionnaire to complete anonymously after
their visits. Typically, more than 98% of those surveyed express satisfaction with their visit and
a similar percentage say that, based on the quality of the care they received, they would
“recommend this service and treatment to a fellow student or co-worker.”
UHS periodically conducts surveys of students to assess their health and well being, and
these survey results over recent years provide useful information about the extent to which
students engage in excessive and abusive use of alcohol; suffer from depression; are exposed to
incidents of attempted suicide; suffer from eating disorders; and feel overwhelmed by stress.
When asked to identify the key challenges facing UHS, Dr. Silverman, its director, notes
the physical constraints imposed by the size and design of the McCosh Health Center and the
distance between the health services provided in McCosh and the wellness and fitness programs
offered in Dillon Gym, but his principal concern is inadequate staffing at UHS to provide high
quality:
Mental health services, in particular crisis intervention, psychiatric consultations, and individual
and group therapy;
Health promotion, health maintenance, and educational programs specifically designed for the
many populations served by UHS;
-7-
How much do we do?
Service
Service
(select
(selectservices
serviceslisted)
listed)
FY
FY2003
2003
Encounters
Encounters
Outpatient
OutpatientServices
ServicesEncounters
Encounters(includes
(includesoutpatient
outpatientmedical
medicalappointments,
appointments,walk
walk
ins,
ins,travel
travelplanning,
planning,and
andallergy
allergyand
andimmunization
immunizationvisits)
visits)
24,076
24,076
Sexual
SexualHealth
Health(SECH)
(SECH)
*
3,173
3,173 *
Athletic
AthleticMedicine
Medicine(includes
(includesMD
MDencounters,
encounters,athletic
athletictraining
trainingencounters,
encounters,and
and
physical
physicaltherapy
therapyatatDillon)
Dillon)
22,137
22,137
Inpatient
InpatientDays
Days
**
1,598
1,598 **
Individual
IndividualCounseling
CounselingSessions
Sessions
***
5,338
5,338***
Psychiatric
PsychiatricSessions
Sessions
†
1,042
1,042†
Radiologic
Radiologic Procedures
Procedures
1,999
1,999
Employee
EmployeeHealth
HealthEncounters
Encounters
††
3,099
3,099††
TOTAL
TOTALUHS
UHSENCOUNTERS
ENCOUNTERS
60,988
60,988
**
**
**
***
***
††
Represents
Representsaa13%
13%increase
increaseover
overthe
theprior
prioryear
year
Represents
Representsaa111%
111%increase
increaseinininpatient
inpatientstays
staysfor
fordepression,
depression,anxiety,
anxiety,fatigue,
fatigue,and
andpsychotic
psychoticepisodes
episodes
Represents
Representsaa17%
17%increase
increaseover
overthe
theprior
prioryear
year
Represents
Representsaa25%
25%increase
increaseover
overthe
theprior
prioryear
year
FYTD
FYTD2004
2004
Total
Total
FYTD
FYTD2004
2004
%
%increase
increaseover
overFY
FY
2003
2003
FY
FY2003
2003
Total
TotalEncounters
Encounters
Individual
IndividualCounseling
Counseling
Center
Centersessions
sessions
1554
1554
33%
33%
5,338
5,338
Psychiatric
Psychiatric Consultations
Consultations
304
304
37%
37%
1,042
1,042
Total
Total Inpatient
Inpatientadmissions
admissions
to
to UHS
UHS
Inpatient
Inpatientadmissions
admissionsto
to
UHS
UHSfor
forpsychiatric
psychiatric
reasons
reasons
200
200
12%
12%
1102
1102
25
25
127%
127%
76
76
Urgent
Urgentcare
care visits
visits
4028
4028
21%
21%
13,465
13,465
After
After Hours
Hoursurgent
urgentcare
care
530
530
46%
46%
1646
1646
Employee
EmployeeHealth
HealthVisits
Visits
1203
1203
41%
41%
3,099
3,099
Service
Service
-8Nutritional counseling for students with eating disorders and metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes)
and for student athletes in training;
Physical therapy for non-varsity athletes and for musculoskeletal injuries unrelated to athletics;
Employee health services, including screening, early prevention, and disease management, as
well as urgent care to a growing number of employees;
Urgent care staffing on evenings and weekends;
Expanded mental health and health education services during the summer;
R.N. and nurses’ aides coverage for the 17-bed inpatient service;
Administrative services, in particular student health plan customer service, information
technology, support for medical record keeping, data bases, data collection;
Permanent and temporary professional clerical support, to reduce use of student aides which can
jeopardize patient confidentiality.
Student Health Plan
Every student is required (under state law) to have health insurance coverage while
enrolled at Princeton. This health insurance covers off-campus care. This includes specialty
care not provided at UHS, hospitalization, and emergency room treatment when UHS inpatient
service is not open (e.g., summers and breaks).
Undergraduates may elect to enroll in the Princeton University Student Health Plan
(SHP)—just under 45% have enrolled this year—or choose to waive out of automatic enrollment
by providing evidence of comparable insurance (typically a parent’s policy). All graduate
students are enrolled in the SHP. Students’ dependents, including spouses and unmarried
children under 19 years of age, are eligible for coverage; as a result of recent action by the
University, same sex domestic partners are also eligible. Covered dependents age 12 and older
may receive services at McCosh. UHS employs 1.75 FTE staff members to provide information
and customer service associated with the SHP—a staffing level that UHS believes is inadequate
to provide sufficient customer service, outreach, and education to students about the plan.
The plan itself, offered through United Healthcare, has a $250 per student/$500 per
family annual deductible, covers office visits for a $10 co-pay, and covers 80% of most expenses
after the deductible, although the coverage for outpatient mental health care is only 50% per
visit, up to a maximum of 24 visits a year. (A typical mental health visit costs $150.) The plan
provides $125 in preventive dental coverage; students can purchase additional dental coverage,
or a vision care plan, at additional cost. (This year over 700 students elected the additional
dental plan and over 500 elected the vision plan.)
The SHP is self-financing, so pricing is designed to produce sufficient revenues to cover
the costs of the program. The fee for students this year is $730 per year or $365 per semester.
(Post-enrolled graduate students may purchase coverage for one year at a higher fee of $629 per
semester.) The fees for dependents are steep:
Standard Plan ($250 deductible):
$2,840 per year for one dependent
$4,505 for two or more dependents
-9High Deductible Plan ($1,000 deductible):
$2,630 per year for one dependent
$4,080 for two or more dependents
The total number of dependents enrolled this year is 87. Of these, 28 are under 12 years old and
therefore do not have access to McCosh.
Employee Benefits
As part of faculty and staff members’ total compensation packages, the University offers
a comprehensive benefits program that addresses many needs related to health and well being.
These benefits include:
Health care plans
Prescription drug plans
Dental care plans
Vision care plan
Expense account plans (pre-tax deductions
for health care and dependent care)
Life insurance plans
Group long-term care plans
Disability plans
Retirement plans
Vacation time/holidays
Staff recognition programs
Children’s tuition assistance
Staff education assistance
Employee Assistance Plan3
Retiree health insurance
Retiree e-mail accounts
Discounted gym memberships
Library membership
Housing programs (mortgage and rental)
Day care programs and resource list
Flu shots/mammograms
Discounted pool memberships
Discounted auto, home insurance
By far the two most expensive benefits programs are those related to retirement and
health care. For all eligible employees (regular employees who work 50% duty time or greater
for five months of the year or more), the University contributes 9.3% of their base salary up to
the Social Security taxable wage base and 15% above that base. There is no required employee
contribution. For 2002, the University contributed $30.4 million to this plan on behalf of its
employees. Employees may make additional pre-tax contributions of their own to a tax deferred
annuity (403(b)) plan; in 2002, employees contributed a total of $14.5 million in pre-tax dollars.
The total cost of providing health/prescription drug/dental/vision benefits to active
University employees and retirees in 2002 was more than $35 million. By policy, the University
covers roughly 80% of these costs, including all the costs associated with the prescription drug
plans. Employees have a choice of health plans, most of which require a contribution from them;
they also have access to a vision plan and a choice of dental plans for which they pay the full
cost. In 2002, the total University contribution for health benefits amounted to just over $29
million, while employees contributed just under $6.3 million. Except for a catastrophic coverage
plan for which only employees are eligible, all plans are available to spouses, other dependents,
and same sex domestic partners.
Under this plan the University contracts with Family and Children’s Services of Central New Jersey for an on-site
counselor 3 days a week and backup counseling off-site to provide employees with diagnostic and referral services
for mental health or substance abuse problems and assistance with emergencies and crisis situations. Human
Resources is seeking additional funds to provide on-site counseling 5 days a week and additional off-site counseling.
3
- 10 -
As an educational institution, the University attaches high priority to its tuition grant
program for the children of employees that provides an annual grant for a child’s study at any
accredited 2- or 4-year college or university for full-time undergraduate study. The annual grant
covers half tuition and mandatory fees up to a maximum annual benefit that is currently set at
$9,900. The University also assists employees with their own educational expenses under a plan
that covers 85% of tuition and mandatory fees up to a maximum of $3,000 per fiscal year for up
to 2 courses per term and 6 courses per year.
Undergraduates
In an interview in the December 17, 2003, Princeton Alumni Weekly, Vice President
Janet Dickerson described recent initiatives: (1) to increase the University’s capacity to respond
to growing mental health needs, in part by adding staff to the counseling center; (2) to expand
health education, including education about stress; and (3) to make additional headway in
reducing alcohol abuse. The initial findings of the task force suggest that these remain priority
areas of concern and that more needs to be done in all three of them.4
In discussions with undergraduates, in suggestions submitted through the task force
website, in responses to earlier surveys, and in the deliberations of the task force (especially its
working group on student issues), the following topics emerge as areas of high priority:

As already indicated, stress, depression, suicidality, and alcohol are major issues
for undergraduates, as are greater accessibility to and affordability of mental
health care. (As noted earlier, students are limited to 10 counseling sessions a
year at the counseling center. When they are referred into the community their
coverage is limited to 24 sessions and they must pay half the cost of what is
typically a $150 per session charge.)

Fitness: Improvement of fitness facilities and offerings, including renovation,
expanded capacity, and additional hours for Dillon Gym, the Stephens Fitness
Center, and the pool, and increased physical therapy for non-athletes.

Nutrition: Greater information and counseling about nutrition so students can
make healthier food choices; more awareness of students’ food needs; more
options overall (organic, vegetarian, vegan, etc.); more nutritious options during
breaks and over the summer and at all times at Frist,5 especially for late meals.
4
While the task force does not discuss issues related to the excessive and abusive use of alcohol at any length in this
report and is not entirely clear how fully they fall within its purview, it is acutely aware that these are serious
problems at Princeton as at other colleges and universities and that they have a significant impact on the health and
well being of many on campus—on those who drink to excess or abuse alcohol and on others who are affected by
their actions. While important steps have been taken in recent years, much more needs to be done and we encourage
the University to persist in its efforts to identify creative and more effective ways to deal with this set of issues.
5
The task force recognizes that Dining Services has made significant improvements in recent years in expanding its
offering of healthy food options and in responding to student concerns about nutrition, but clearly there is interest in
making further progress, in cooperation with UHS staff.
- 11 -

Eating Disorders: Better information about eating disorders and better counseling
and support for students with eating disorders.

Communication/Education: Better communication with students about UHS
practices, policies, and offerings and about the Student Health Plan, and
additional educational programs to increase students’ “health care literacy”—
including better information on how not to spread disease on campus. One
student suggested making health kits available to students with colds to help
prevent them from spreading the illness to roommates and friends.
Graduate Students
The University has taken a number of steps in recent years to improve the well being of
graduate students, including most recently the construction of additional housing (with more
planned for future years) and the introduction of an expanded shuttle system linking graduate
student residential areas to the campus. But more remains to be done, and in our surveys,
conversations, and deliberations, the principal issues related to health and well being that
emerged for graduate students included the following:
6

Student Health Plan: Issues include the frequently prohibitive cost of dependent
coverage, including coverage for children;6 the costs of seeing outside specialists,
including mental health counselors, and of prescriptions; the costs of contraceptive
devices and drugs (which are not covered under the plan); and the unavailability of
services at UHS after hours and on weekends during the summer. While the SHP covers
basic medical services, graduate students have to pay extra for expanded dental coverage
and vision care. The dentists in the dental plan are not in the Princeton area, which
introduces transportation issues.

Dillon Gym: Issues include crowding at peak hours; interest in longer hours for the gym
and for the pool; a need for more help from instructors and fitness/wellness planning
advice; shortages of certain equipment (treadmills); and a desire for dedicated badminton
courts and more squash courts. Students also expressed an interest in taking (perhaps
even requiring) physical education classes at affordable costs and at convenient times and
locations.

Dining: Issues include lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables; lack of information
about healthy options; and inadequacy of dining options during breaks.

Child Care: Issues include the availability and affordability of full-time child care,
especially for very young children and the availability of short-term flexible child care on
As indicated earlier, even with a $1,000 deductible, the cost of dependent coverage per year is $2,630 for one
dependent and $4,080 for two or more. With a $250 deductible, the costs are higher. These costs are much higher
than the costs for dependent coverage under the health care plans offered faculty and staff and the SHP imposes
higher out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., coinsurance). Since most graduate student stipends are in the range of $17,00019,000 a year, dependent coverage can account for roughly a quarter of a student’s pre-tax income.
- 12 campus, again especially for very young children. Beginning in February, the well-baby
coverage under the Student Health Plan will be improved to cover up to 6 well-baby
visits up to 2 years of age as well as all required immunizations (currently only the
immunizations are covered) although the plan still only covers 80% of the cost and
students still must pay the $500 family deductible.7
Issues related to dependent health coverage and child care raise fundamental questions
about the University’s underlying philosophy regarding the children of graduate students. There
seem to be a number of University policies and practices that were initially designed to
discourage graduate students with children from applying to Princeton or to discourage graduate
students at Princeton from having children. While progress has been made in recent years, the
task force believes that Princeton should become a friendlier place for graduate students with
children. Beyond suggesting a need to address issues of dependent health coverage and child
care, this also suggests a need for thorough review of other policies and practices that may have a
negative impact on students with children, including policies related to housing, scheduling,
maternity/paternity leave, admission, the awarding of fellowships or assistantships, etc.
Post-Doctoral Fellows
Each year there are approximately 300 post-doctoral research fellows on campus. As the
term implies, these are scholars who have completed their Ph.D.s and have come to Princeton to
gain additional experience at early stages of their careers. Most post-doctoral fellows are in the
sciences and engineering (principally in Molecular Biology).
There are two categories of post-doctoral fellows, with very different access to health
care and other benefits. “Research Associates” are University employees who are eligible for the
same benefits as other members of the staff. This includes eligibility for the full range of health,
dental, and vision plans, retirement contributions, basic and supplemental life insurance, etc.
Currently there are 220 research associates at Princeton. “Visiting Research Fellows” are
individuals who have won outside research awards, for example, from the National Institutes of
Health. They are considered “visitors” to Princeton, not employees, and therefore are not
eligible for most benefits, although they are eligible for basic health care coverage (but not dental
and vision plans or the health expenses account) and basic life insurance.
Information from post-docs suggests that a major issue for them (beyond the disparate
treatment of the two categories of fellows) is the low salaries that make it difficult for them to
obtain adequate housing, health care, and child care or to afford gym permits. They have
suggested that perhaps they should have access to the medical and mental health services
provided at McCosh.
7
One of the issues the task force continues to explore is the number of graduate students who need child care. We
know that this year there are 19 graduate students in the Student Health Plan who have enrolled a total of 28
dependents under the age of 12 in the plan, and that there are 28 graduate students with children in University
housing, totaling 37 children. We don’t yet know how much overlap there is between these two numbers, the ages
of the children, or how many other graduate students may have children and be neither in University housing nor
have dependents enrolled in the SHP.
- 13 Faculty and Staff
The University employs almost 6,000 members of the faculty and staff. Of these, just
over half are the responsibility of the Office of Human Resources; almost 40% (including
approximately 1,000 faculty members) are the responsibility of the Dean of the Faculty; and
roughly 7.5% are employed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Among the total
number of employees, 58% are male and 42% are female; 69% are in administrative/professional
positions that are not eligible for overtime (exempt), while 31% are in non-exempt positions.
There are 5 unions on campus with approximately 800 members.
The faculty-staff working group has proposed that the University do a better job of
providing information to employees about the benefits and services available to them and about
ways in which they can improve their health and well being (increased health care literacy). It
has commended UHS for its FluFest & Cirque de Sante program, and encouraged other onsite
detection and prevention programs,8 including programs for blood pressure, weight control, skin
cancer, and cholesterol, along with mammograms. It is working with the benefits staff and the
Office of Risk Management to understand more fully the University’s experience with its health
care and prescription drug programs. It is exploring different ways in which the University
might provide additional work-life assistance and services (see “work-life” section below). It is
also considering ways in which healthier eating options can be provided on campus.
Comments received by the task force proposed improved and lower cost athletic/fitness
facilities and offerings for faculty and staff; greater access by faculty and staff to services offered
by UHS; additional weight management and stress reduction programs (including yoga classes),
including some near the workplace; and greater availability of healthy food.
The faculty-staff working group has developed a lengthy agenda of topics that it wishes
to pursue further. That list includes the following:
Health Care:
Health care plans – options available, reducing costs (including for dependents), new
options
“Health literacy” – information on accessing the health care system; information in
different formats to inform employees of options
Partnerships for health service delivery with University Medical Center at Princeton
Expansion of Health Services for Employees and Retirees On-Site (or in close proximity):
Nutritionist
Annual physicals
Preventative health information and education (smoking cessation, weight management)
Dental examinations
Vision examinations
8
In addition to providing more than 3,500 flu shots, UHS checked the blood pressure of over 750 people and found
that more than 50 had sufficient indication of elevated pressure to recommend follow-up visits with their doctors.
Last fall UHS also sponsored a six-week smoking cessation program for all employees and a “HeartSmart” program
designed to identify risks for heart attack and stroke.
- 14 Physical therapy
Periodic health assessments
Employee Assistance Program (counseling; anger, stress or conflict management)
Preventative Health Care:
Information and education
Incentives for taking advantage of programs
Healthy eating options
Meditation/Yoga
Eldercare Assistance and Information
Long-Term Care Insurance
Affordability
Information regarding need for and availability
Leaves/Work Schedules
Flexible work schedules
Compressed work weeks
Sabbaticals
Shared sick leave (allowing employees to donate unused sick time to co-workers)
Released time for exercising
Parental leaves (maternity/paternity); should current policy be expanded?
Establish a Work-Life Services Office
Living Wage
Financial Management
Budgeting
Emergency loans
Financial planning
Retirement planning
Housing that is Affordable and Convenient to Campus
Education and Tuition Benefits (for employees and their children)
Continuing education program (cost)
Eligibility for non-degree programs (e.g. G.E.D.)
Literacy
English as a Second Language (E.S.L.)
Learning disabilities and differences
Reimbursing vs. advancing course costs
Expanded professional development opportunities
Expanded Recreational Options
- 15 Partnerships with local health clubs
Classes
Fitness programs
Sites (bringing certain classes (e.g. yoga) to departments)
Hours for facilities and classes
Cost of passes (free or sliding scale)
Support Groups (e.g. working mothers, smoking cessation)
Concierge Services (i.e. aid in arranging services such as babysitting, sick children, plumbing,
home care/repair services)
The faculty/staff group has begun to identify best practices at other area employers and
other colleges and universities and has made a site visit to two local fitness/wellness centers.
The 45,000-sq-ft. Princeton Fitness and Wellness Center is affiliated with the University Medical
Center at Princeton. It provides workout equipment and pools; offers more than 150 classes in
over 40 disciplines; offers healthy food and beverages and child care on-site; has certified
physiologists and trainers, a registered nurse, and a nutritionist on-site: offers screening programs
and physical and occupational therapy; offers acupuncture; and shares space with a spa that
offers therapeutic massages and other services. The center is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. The neighboring Momentum Fitness Center
is a smaller facility that offers a somewhat smaller array of services. It invites corporate
memberships that reduce the cost for employees of the corporate member. (There is no fee for
the corporate member.) The working group proposes that the University explore possible
affiliations with local fitness providers that are of interest to members of the faculty and staff.
Retirees
Princeton has just over 1,900 retirees (including surviving spouses), of whom almost 15%
are under age 65. More than three-quarters live in New Jersey (67%), Pennsylvania (8%), and
New York (2%). Retiree medical plans vary depending on the age of the retiree and the date of
retirement. The University contributed $6.5 million last year toward the retiree medical plans,
plus another $3 million in prescription drug costs. The task force will be looking into retiree
medical plans and other health and well being issues related to retirees in the coming months.
Work-Life Issues
Most companies that are considered especially good places to work offer their employees
assistance in balancing work with personal and family life and offer on-site help with a broad
range of personal matters, ranging from identifying elder care options to assisting with financial
planning to seeking discounts at local auto dealerships to arranging for on-site pickup and
delivery of dry cleaning. These are sometimes referred to as “concierge” services. (These
companies also typically provide accessible and affordable child care, which we discuss below.)
Many companies offer more opportunities than Princeton does for compressed work weeks,
telecommuting, job-sharing, and other flexible scheduling options that can help employees
balance work and family commitments. Concierge services can be especially helpful for lower-
- 16 income employees who have little flexibility in their schedules and may be working second jobs,
and who may not be able to afford the fee-based fitness programs that are part of an overall
health and wellness strategy.
Work-life services can be provided by outside agencies contracted for this purpose.
Several area employers use the Carebridge Corporation, which offers confidential consultations
and referral services 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. It offers assistance in areas such as
marital relationships, alcohol and drug problems, stress management, family and parenting
relationships, depression or anxiety, grief and loss, financial pressures, difficult emotional issues,
spousal/child/parent abuse, and work relationships, and offers parenting and adoption
information, assistance with college planning and other schooling concerns, advice on time
management, and guidance on elder care issues and services. The Office of Human Resources is
exploring the possibility of contracting with Carebridge or another similar organization to
provide these kinds of work-life services for Princeton employees.
Child Care
Last fall, the following paragraph appeared in the Toronto National Post in an article
about President Tilghman:
Life for women at Princeton remains far from perfect and, in some cases, the school lags
behind other public and private institutions in so-called family friendly policies. For example,
Princeton does not have its own on-site day care. Dr. Tilghman says starting one is a priority—
especially considering they already exist at U.S. corporations and other universities. “We are
not trailblazers on that one,” she acknowledges.
Also last fall, the Task Force on the Status of Women Faculty in the Natural Sciences and
Engineering issued a report that called for the creation of affordable child care as a critical
element in a larger strategy to recruit more women and help them to succeed. In a survey of
faculty members, the task force asked what changes at Princeton would make a significant
impact on the climate for women, and the second most frequent suggestion was to improve child
care. (The first was to hire more women.) Many faculty expressed frustration at not being able
to get a slot at the two programs for pre-school aged children that have a University affiliation
(U-Now and University League), and at the hours of coverage and the age ranges of children
accepted to these programs. They also said that they would value “emergency day care” that
would cover children on school holidays, bad weather days, and when they are sick.
Our task force heard similar messages. Faculty, staff, graduate students, and post-docs
expressed great concern about the availability of affordable child care, especially for very young
children, and about the need for back-up or emergency care when regular care is not available
(including summers). They also expressed great interest in greater flexibility in terms of starting
and ending times—many child care providers start too late for employees on early shifts or end
too early to permit full participation in late afternoon seminars, lectures, and departmental
meetings on campus—or in terms of allowing part-week participation (especially for graduate
students and post-docs who may not be able to afford full-week tuitions and may be able to
provide stay-home care for some of the week). Faculty and staff in communities without full-
- 17 day kindergarten programs expressed interest in programs that would supplement the part-day
programs their communities offer.
Members of the child care group surveyed graduate students about child care, met with
graduate students to ask for suggestions, reviewed the University’s list of child care referrals
(maintained by the Office of Human Resources), contacted several local providers of child care
to learn about their programs, and recommended that a member of the University staff be
designated as the official coordinator for child care matters. (Alison Nelson, manager of benefits
and compensation in the Office of Human Resources, is filling this role on an interim basis.)
Members of the working group also met with representatives of the two Universityaffiliated day care programs:
U-Now: This 34-year-old independent not-for-profit corporation is located, rent-free, in
a University building at 171 Broadmead. It has six classrooms and takes children from 3 months
through pre-kindergarten (age 4). It operates from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. from September through
June (all enrollments are full-day/full-week); it also offers two-week summer sessions in July
and August for children who have been enrolled during the academic year. It has its own
governing board and is open to University and non-University families. By agreement with the
University, it gives preference to University-affiliated children. Of the 80 children enrolled this
year, 81% are affiliated with the University; University families account for 87% of the families
with children enrolled. This year there are also 57 children on the waitlist, with 67% of them
from University families. The annual tuition for children 3-10 months or 11-17 months is
$13,400; for all other ages it is $11,110. These charges are at the upper end of the range of
charges in the Princeton area; they reflect the high quality and low turnover among the teachers
at U-Now and policy decisions to retain class sizes at manageable levels. Financial aid is
available from the University; this year the amount was $84,000, which was distributed to 8
graduate students, 6 members of the biweekly staff, and 1 member of the monthly staff. When
asked if they would be willing to increase the number of children they admit, the leaders of UNow said they would not; beyond the constraints of space, they believe that they cannot preserve
an appropriate environment with more than 80 children. When asked about the adequacy of their
existing space, they said that while they like the proximity to campus, the availability of parking,
and their playground, the design of the building itself is problematic; they would much prefer to
be on one floor and in a space designed for young children.
Under the terms of U-Now’s agreement with the University, all 80 spaces could be filled
by University-affiliated children.9 One of the reasons the percentage of spaces filled by
University families is not higher (and one of the principal causes of frustration for Universityaffiliated parents unsuccessfully seeking placements) is that admission decisions for each
September are made in the previous January, long before newly entering graduate students and
many newly appointed faculty and staff members know they will be at Princeton the following
fall. If U-Now cannot defer its admission process until later in the spring, it may be possible for
9
This could not be accomplished immediately without rescinding the other existing admission preference—for
currently enrolled children and their siblings—but it could be phased in over a period of time. We were told that
some parents of children at U-Now prefer a school where not all the children are affiliated with the University.
- 18 the University to reserve some spaces each year for University-affiliated applicants who are not
able to apply under the existing timetable.10
University League: Founded by University families in 1949, the University League
Nursery School is also an independent, not-for-profit organization that has rent-free access to six
classrooms and two playgrounds at 171 Broadmead. It offers a morning cooperative program for
children ages two-and-a-half to 4 (from 8:30 to 11:30) and then three non-cooperative programs:
lunch (to 1 p.m.), extended day (to 3:15), or all-day (to 5:30). All programs are for 10-months.
Like U-Now, U-League gives priority to University-affiliated families. As of December 2003,
they constituted just over half of the participating families (61 out of 110). Out of 53 children on
the waiting list, 7 had University affiliations. Because the morning is a cooperative program,
parents help out in the classrooms (typically about once a month for three hours). Many also
contribute 12 hours per year on work committees, which reduces their tuitions. Tuition varies
with length of program, and all University families pay a discounted rate. A University family
would pay $882 a month for the all-day program ($954 if not participating in the work program).
At the other end of the spectrum, the monthly cost of the minimum two-day-a-week morning
program would be $175 ($219 without the work program). The University provided $24,000 this
year in scholarship aid to be administered by the school. Although neither the school nor the
University has documentation regarding the distribution of these funds, the school believes that
20% of these funds are earmarked for graduate students and the rest are to be allocated first to
biweekly staff, then to other staff, and then to faculty. This year some $20,000 of this allocation
was returned to the University unspent.
The University League’s admission procedures (and attendant frustrations) mirror those
of U-Now. Admission decisions are made in January and all spaces for the following year are
filled by March 1.
Based on its discussions so far, the child care working group has suggested that the
University give serious consideration to the following steps, regardless of any other measures
that may be necessary to meet the University’s child care needs:
10

Ask U-Now and U-League to expand slightly the number of children they accommodate,
perhaps with some allocation of additional space within 171 Broadmead.

Review the amount of financial aid provided by the University and the criteria for making
awards, especially at U-League to be sure the funds are fully spent; lift the restriction on
the percentage of aid that can be provided to graduate students.

Explore ways to increase the likelihood that newly arriving University-affiliated parents
will be able to obtain spaces for their children by modifying the admission timetables or
reserving some number of spaces into the late spring or summer.

Explore longer hours; longer summer programs; more flexible enrollment options,
including options to enroll mid-year or to begin with summer enrollment.
Another problem is the inflexible division of the school into age groups. This means that parents may remain on
the waiting list even as spaces become available, because the spaces are in another age group.
- 19 -

Improve communications with the University community about the preferences given to
University families at U-Now and U-League and the availability of financial aid.

Consider improved connections between both organizations and the University, including
possible OIT support; help with emergency preparedness planning; inclusion of U-Now
and U-League representatives in discussions about creating other child care options
(including a separate infant-toddler program that could serve as a feeder program for both
organizations); and strengthen ties to undergraduates interested in working with young
children.

Identify a University resource center or individual to assist those seeking child care of all
kinds (during the academic year and during the summer) and to act as a liaison to UNow, U-League, and any other University-affiliated child care resource that might be
created. Both U-Now and U-League report that many students, faculty, and staff call
them looking for general child care information. This center or person could also work
with Athletics on the Dillon Gym summer camp program.
The working group also identified the following issues that require further investigation:
11

Should there be a tuition subsidy program for child care similar to the University’s tuition
subsidy program for higher education?

Should the University enter into agreements with area child care providers to provide
discounts to University families or to give University families preference in admission?

Should the University create a new on-campus child care facility (most likely to be
managed and run by a professional outside child care corporation), and if so, where, at
what size, and with what range of programs and admission policies?11

Could the University alleviate some child care concerns by providing more flexible hours
and more affordable housing closer to campus?

How should the University modify its practices and policies regarding child leave, parttime appointment, tenure review, and dissertation completion to allow students and
faculty to meet their responsibilities as parents as well as they meet their commitments as
teachers and scholars?

Can the University develop or identify programs for temporary and emergency care when
schools are closed, when children are sick, etc.? The U-League already invites Princeton
students to participate in their classrooms; can it train them to staff a drop-in care
facility? Should the University also consider assisting parents who need care for their
children between the end of the school day and the end of the work day?
The working group has already met with one highly regarded company that has extensive experience with other
comparable universities and leading corporations.
- 20 -
Major Needs and Challenges
The intent of the task force in the previous sections of this report was two-fold: (1) to
share information with the University community as background for what we hope will be an
extended dialogue over the course of the spring; and (2) to identify a broad range of needs and
challenges that we believe deserve further consideration—and in some cases, action—either by
the task force itself or by the responsible University offices.
In this brief section we also have two goals: (1) to identify needs and challenges that
seem to us of particular importance, especially as measured against the guiding principles we
have proposed and the best practices that we have been able to identify at other universities and
companies; and (2) to begin to sketch out a more comprehensive way of thinking about these
issues. Part of what we want to test over the coming months is the degree to which the
community agrees that these are directions in which Princeton ought to move.
First, with respect to major needs and challenges, we believe they include the following:
(1) For undergraduates, continuing attention to the need at Princeton (as at other colleges
and universities) for adequate, high quality, and affordable mental health care, in
particular for depression and suicidality, and for more effective programs that address the
excessive use and abuse of alcohol, as well as issues related to stress and nutrition. Also
essential is adequate planning for the additional demand on University Health Services,
Dillon Gym, other fitness and recreational facilities and other wellness programs when
the University begins enrolling an additional 500 undergraduates.
(2) For graduate students, better access to mental health care, reductions in the costs of
dependent health care and child care, more family-friendly policies, and expanded
summer coverage at McCosh.
(3) For post-doctoral fellows, expanded access to health care and child care.
(4) For faculty and staff, an expanded family assistance program, active exploration of
concierge-type services and other programs and services that improve work-life
balance;12 improved availability of accessible and affordable child care; and better
information about health and wellness programs and services.
12
The November 2003 edition of Working Mother magazine reported the following, based on the Society for
Human Resource Management’s 2003 Benefits Survey:
47% of the 100 best companies sponsor sick-child care versus 7% nationwide
96% of the 100 best companies offer child care resource and referral services versus 18% nationwide
100% of the 100 best companies offer flextime versus 55% nationwide
94% of the 100 best companies offer compressed workweeks versus 31% nationwide
93% of the 100 best companies offer job-sharing versus 22% nationwide
98% of the 100 best companies offer elder care resources and referral services versus 20% nationwide
99% of the 100 best companies offer an employee assistance program versus 67% nationwide
- 21 (5) For all members of the University community, an expanded commitment to on-campus
disease prevention and detection programs (including continuation of the FluFest), to
fitness and wellness programs (including stress management), and to education about
health and well being, with a concomitant effort to identify resultant savings in reduced
medical treatment costs, greater productivity, lower premiums, etc.
(6) Also for all members of the University community, a significantly expanded and
renovated wellness, fitness, and recreational facility. While Dillon Gym (including the
Stephens Fitness Center and the pool) plays an absolutely critical role in University life,
we do not believe that its current size and configuration can meet existing needs, much
less the needs that we believe will inevitably increase in the years ahead.13
(7) Active exploration of the child care recommendations outlined on pages 19 and 20 of this
report, including the possibility of creating one or more additional University-affiliated
or operated child care programs on or close to campus.
With respect to more comprehensive strategies, we want to describe one option that we
do not believe is worth pursuing at Princeton, and one that definitely is.
The first has to do with the nature of University Health Services at Princeton. We know
that some universities integrate medical specialties and a broader array of care options into their
health services, typically drawing on the communities of doctors associated with neighboring
medical schools, and that in some cases these campus facilities serve faculty and staff as well as
students. In a sense, these universities create their own HMOs for their students, faculty, and
staff. We do not have reason to believe that this model achieves higher levels of satisfaction than
we achieve at Princeton, but we will explore it further, even though our initial inclination is that
this is not a workable model for a suburban community like Princeton without a medical school.
We believe that the right model for Princeton is to strengthen our own health services selectively,
improve our student health plan selectively, explore closer ties with our local hospital (which is
itself engaged in a major strategic planning process to increase its quality and capacities), and
provide better guidance and assistance to help students make better use of community health
resources.
The strategy that we do believe is worth pursuing is one that Dr. Silverman has
championed since his arrival as Princeton’s chief medical officer two years ago: a physical and
conceptual integration of the kinds of health care and education programs currently offered at
McCosh with the kinds of wellness, fitness, recreational, and educational programs currently
offered at Dillon, and then expanded to include other wellness and work-life programs and
13
Dillon provides wellness classes, such as yoga, pilates, tai chi, and massage; wellness programs such as FitSmart
(fitness assessment), weight management, body composition, and personal training; fitness classes, such as womenn-weights, introduction to free weights, adult fitness, introduction to strength training, and staff walking; workshops
on controlling blood pressure, eating for an active lifestyle, reducing body fat, improving flexibility, and body
image; and screenings for body composition, blood pressure, and flexibility. Dillon is able to offer this
programming despite significant constraints of space and budget. One concern of the task force is that many
members of the community appear to be unaware of these offerings. Another concern is that most of the offerings
are not available unless one has a Dillon permit. While permits are free for undergraduates and enrolled graduate
students, they must be purchased by post-enrolled graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty, and staff.
- 22 services and perhaps even child care services of one kind or another. As another member of the
task force put it: there is just too much distance between McCosh and Dillon; what we need is a
multipurpose facility that aims to do for fitness and wellness what Frist has done for campus life.
We have not found this kind of integrated and holistic facility on other campuses, but we have
found analogues at some of the nation’s leading corporations (as described earlier in footnote 1).
This kind of strategy would also include an expanded commitment to providing healthy choices
in University dining facilities (and even vending machines), including at night and on weekends.
It also would include a state-of-the-art health education and health promotion unit on campus to
provide scientifically-based health care information and screening, prevention, and disease
management programs for undergraduates, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty, and
staff.
While we have not discussed at any length the precise nature or design of such a health
and wellness center, it could include some or all of the following elements:
Health care offices, laboratories, and inpatient facilities
Employee health care center
Recreational and fitness facilities
Cardio fitness center
Physical therapy and rehabilitation
Health maintenance and disease management programs, including smoking cessation, weight
reduction, and management of diabetes, hypertension, and stress
Child care (including back-up care, school’s out care, sick child care)
Family services and work-life balance resources and referrals, including elder care information
and referrals and employee assistance
Mind and body programs
Nutritional counseling center
Health promotion and health education center
Work Plan for the Spring
Our work plan for the spring includes the following components:

With the assistance of the Survey Research Center, conduct focus groups with
undergraduates, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty, administrative staff,
biweekly staff, facilities staff, library staff, and retirees. Our intent is to test our initial
findings and recommendations, increase our understanding of needs not currently being
met, explore alternative ways of meeting unmet needs, and prepare for a community-wide
survey that we hope to conduct later this spring. We hope to complete the focus groups
by mid-February; conduct the survey in early April; and be able to share initial findings
from the survey by mid-May as part of a final (or second interim) report.

Contract with a recognized leader in the field of child care that has experience at peer
institutions to help develop a recommended child care strategy through focus groups,
surveys, and other professional assessment of the University’s needs and options.
- 23 
Conduct a user survey at Dillon Gym in February to gain a clearer understanding of who
uses Dillon, when, and for what purposes.

Visit other fitness and wellness facilities in nearby communities (in addition to the two
we have already visited just north of Princeton) and explore options for institutional
memberships.

Visit with 3 or 4 local companies with reputations for excellent health, wellness, and
work/family programs to gain a fuller understanding of their programs.

Meet with selected companies that provide work/life and family services and operate
child care programs to gain a fuller understanding of what they provide and at what cost.

Visit other campuses (e.g., Stanford University) to gain a clearer understanding of
alternative models and best practices.

Invite outside experts to meet with us to discuss options for prescription drug coverage
and to increase our understanding of different models for student health programs.

Collect further information on Princeton’s medical claims experience to gain a clearer
understanding of the degree to which preventive and early detection programs might be
able to reduce the costs of medical coverage under Princeton’s self-insured plans.

Continue to encourage all members of the community to contact us, through members of
the task force or through our website (www.princeton.edu/hwbtf), with their comments,
questions, suggestions, and concerns.
- 24 January 14, 2004
Task Force on Health and Well Being: Membership
Co-Chairs:
Janet Dickerson, Vice President for Campus Life
Robert Durkee, Vice President and Secretary of the University
Faculty:
Elizabeth Gavis, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology
Uwe Reinhardt, Professor of Economics and Public Affairs; James
Madison Professor of Political Economy
Eldar Shafir, Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs
Staff:
Jonathan Baer, Director of Building Services
Lisa Herschbach, Director of Studies, Mathey College
Joann Mitchell, Vice Provost for Administration
Maureen Nash, Vice President for Human Resources
Daniel Silverman, Chief Medical Officer of Princeton University and
Executive Director of University Health Services
Eric Stein, Associate Director of Athletics
Graduate Students:
Rachel Kimbro, Sociology
Ian Parrish, Astrophysics (Plasma Physics)
Undergraduates:
Adam Castano ’05, Molecular Biology
Scott Grant ’05, Chemistry
Elona Toska ’05, Woodrow Wilson School
Tamara Whitaker ’06, Chemical Engineering
Serving as staff
to the task force:
Megan Adams, Director of Risk Management
Janet Finnie, Associate Director, University Health Services
Ann Halliday, Associate Secretary
Karen Jezierny, Director of Public Affairs
Stephen LeMenager, Director of Planning and Administration in the
Office of the Vice President for Campus Life
Alison Nelson, Manager of Benefits and Compensation
Karen Woodbridge, Special Assistant to the Vice President for Public
Affairs