Others pointed their criticism directly at the University Benefits Committee that approved the changes, saying that a diverse group of faculty were not consulted in making the recommendations. Only one tenured member of the FAS, Government professor Daniel P. Carpenter, sat on the committee.

Sociology professor Christopher Winship, another member of the Faculty Council, wrote in an email that, "There would be broader support for administrative initiatives and policy changes if the administration sought faculty input earlier on."

At the faculty meeting, Garber attributed the policy change to rising healthcare costs and a national trend toward greater cost-sharing between employers and employees.

Faculty members, however, maintained that the national trend should not matter.

“Harvard should be setting an example rather than following a trend,” Dench said.

—Staff writer Dev A. Patel can be reached at dev.patel@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @dev_a_patel.

—Staff writer Steven R. Watros can be reached at steven.watros@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveWatros.