California Institute of Integral Studies

NEW! STUDENT EVENTS CALENDAR

Click HERE

This calendar is updated in real-time -- please save the link, and refresh regularly. Events posted on this calendar are intended for CIIS students only unless also published elsewhere to attract alumni or other community members, as determined by host organizer. The calendar link is also available in the Canvas Hub.

This event calendar is hosted by the Student Affairs Office and individual events are hosted by specific CIIS programs/offices who are responsible for making updates to the calendar and events content. Please contact event host directly with questions, etc.

STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICE

E-mail: studentaffairs@ciis.edu
Phone: 415-575-6158  |  Fax: 415-575-1264
Hours: 9am-5pm, Monday - Friday

Like Student Affairs on Facebook

Click here => New Student Orientation

Click here for COVID-19 Updates and Resources

 *For more information and immediate inquiries it is best to please email to schedule an appointment.

Student Affairs Staff (from Left to Right)

Fraylanie Aglipay, Sandra Williams, Francisco Gomez, Jody O'Connor, Hedi Vafaeenia, Yunny Yip

As of August 15, 2020, CIIS will no longer be providing university-sponsored health insurance. This was an extremely difficult decision to make, and was based on the continuing rise of our health insurance costs (last year’s increase being 67% for graduate students and 127% for undergraduate students) and the uncertainty of whether or not we will have partner and dependent coverage under our plan.  Throughout our conversations with our brokers, we learned that CIIS has high usage of our plan, which in turn is likely to cause our rates to rise and our coverage to potentially change (such as removal of partner and dependent coverage).  We did not feel comfortable continuing with this pattern, in addition to having a timeline which required us to announce rates only after approval from the California Insurance Commission (which in past years has been late in the summer, leaving students little or no the time to shop for alternate plans).  After analyzing all of the issues with the health insurance we have been offering, we feel that such aspects do not serve students well and we plan to focus our energy in supporting students in finding alternate robust plans.

Students should begin to explore alternate plans.  Note that students will be eligible to add a new health insurance plan starting in August (even though it may not be open enrollment) because their current plan (ours) is ending.  This is called a Qualifying Life Event (QLE).  Options may include exploring an employer’s health plan, checking on the possibility of joining a partner’s health insurance plan, or investigating options within Covered California.  Also note that students can continue to have financial aid cover the cost of health insurance; students should speak with the Financial Aid Office and be prepared to provide proof of payment and coverage.

Covered California will be the main option for many of our students.  Covered California is the health insurance marketplace for California established under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The exchange enables eligible individuals and small businesses to purchase private health insurance coverage at federally subsidized rates.  We consulted with insurance brokers and conducted research in order to compare our current plan with Covered California’s options.  Covered California offers plans that are as robust as our current CIIS plan; for the majority of our students, Covered California will also be more affordable than CIIS’s plan due to subsidies based on income.

Medi-Cal offers free or low-cost health coverage for California residents who meet eligibility requirements.  When you complete a Covered California application, your eligibility for Medi-Cal will automatically be determined.  You can apply for Medi-Cal benefits regardless of your sex, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status.  However, international students on F-1 visas may not be eligible.

We have created a Covered CA page on the HUB in Canvas that includes the attached flyer and an informational powerpoint on enrolling in their plans (including Medi-Cal and other subsidized plan).  Students who are having difficulty finding a Covered CA plan can contact Adam B Lewis of Lewis & Kesmodel Insurance Services, Inc. at Adam@lk-ins.net for assistance.

International students who are seeking health insurance coverage and who may not be eligible for Covered CA plans can explore international student health plans through our prior broker, Gallagher Student Health.  Students can find more information at https://iss.gallagherstudent.com/.

Please do not hesitate to contact Yunny at yyip@ciis.edu for support or assistance.

 The new CIIS Bookstore operates completely online  and can be visited at CIIS.textbookx.com.

 Benefits of the CIIS Online Bookstore:

• View a personalized page featuring all your courses and required course materials 
• Save an average of 60% off list price at the Marketplace
• Select from new, used, eBook, and rental options
• Free shipping offers on most orders over $49
• Sell your books back on our website at any time of the year- you name the price

CIIS has decided that, in the interests of preserving the health of our students, families, and community, we will not hold our traditional Commencement Ceremony this year.

Yesterday, the CDC issued guidance that large events scheduled for the next eight weeks be canceled. The ceremony is only slightly after that.

Alternative options to celebrate your accomplishments are being explored and will be communicated as more information is available.  We know how important the ritual and experience of Commencement can be, and look forward to finding ways to honor you and your degree while keeping our community safe.

Thank you for your understanding during these challenging times.

March 16, 2020