Columns:: University Council will consider domestic partners policy at first meeting

since 12/15/98

Columns::September 16, 2002

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Campus News

University Council will consider domestic partners policy at first meeting

By Larry B. Dendy
ldendy@uga.edu

A request that President Michael F. Adams ask the regents to consider a proposal to extend benefits to “domestic partners” will come before the University Council at the council’s first meeting of the academic year Sept. 19 at 3:30 p.m. in the Chapel.
The council’s Executive Committee voted to put the request on the meeting agenda after it was forwarded by the council’s Faculty Benefits Committee. The proposal asks the board of regents to consider adopting policies and procedures that ensure equal treatment and extend equal benefits to married couples and “domestic partnership couples.”
The proposal originated with a group called the Domestic Partnership Coalition of the University System of Georgia. The coalition is composed of faculty and staff members at university system institutions around the state. It is not part of, nor sanctioned by, the regents.
Adrian Childs, a UGA School of Music faculty member, is leading the coalition’s efforts at UGA. Childs gave Executive Committee members a packet of background information on domestic partnerships.
According to the information, university system benefits, such as group health and dental insurance, sick leave and access to educational and recreational facilities, are available only to “dependents,” who are defined as spouses and children of employees. The coalition wants the university system to consider expanding the definition of dependents to include domestic partnerships for the purpose of extending benefits. The coalition is not asking University Council to endorse the proposal. Childs told the Executive Committee that the coalition wants the council to ask Adams to forward a resolution to the board of regents requesting consideration of the extension of benefits to domestic partners.
The University Council is composed of elected faculty, staff, student and alumni representatives. Council meetings are open to the public, but only elected council members may speak or vote.

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