Colleagues,
As most of you know, the University recently changed the way in which it provides health insurance to graduate students and post-doctoral scholars. I mention this because one consequence is a significant change in the fringe benefit rates associated with graduate students and post-doctoral scholars on sponsored projects beginning in FY 2016.
Fringe benefit rates for sponsored projects in any one year are based on actual expenses from two years earlier. Thus, the increase in University expenses associated with the change this year will first appear in FY 2016. The actual expenses for FY 2014 will not be known until next fall, but the Office of Financial Analysis projects that the fringe rate for FY 2016 will be 33%.
I am working with many members of the administration to reduce the financial impact of the health insurance changes on PIs and the University. Unfortunately, even if we are successful, the fringe rates in FY 2016 are likely to be remain at approximately 33%. The budgeting and costing guide on the website of the Office of the Vice President for Research (http://osp.uconn.edu/budgetprep.php) now reflects the Budget Office’s best guess concerning fringe rates for FY 2016 and beyond.
Kent Holsinger
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Kent Holsinger
Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Biology Vice Provost for Graduate Education
and Dean of The Graduate School
For more information, contact: The Graduate School at 860-486-3617