The Associated Press

ATHENS, Ohio - Employees of Ohio University's on-campus medical clinic say they're concerned that it may be turned over to a private operator because it could mean an end to the benefits that made them come to work there.

Clinic employees and their families don't have to pay tuition at the university. That benefit applies to more than 100 people who work at the clinic.

One, Vicky Erdy, a licensed practical nurse, said, "I think to a lot of people those benefits are important, and that's what's brought a lot of the people to the university to work."

Annual tuition for a full-time student at the institution is about $6,000.

The clinic is run by the university's College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Officials of the school said that discussions of putting the school in private hands is only exploratory and that even if changes are made, tuition benefits in some form still may be available.