In the News

In the September 28 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education, a very informative article titled "Gay Professors Face Less Discrimination, but Many Still Fight for Benefits" addresses a changing tide in the number of colleges and universities that offer domestic partner benefits. It begins:

Gay and lesbian faculty members may no longer be desperate to hide their true identities in academe, but many are desperately seeking health insurance for their partners.

With anti-gay discrimination fading, obtaining health and other benefits for partners is still a major concern for many gay and lesbian academics. A growing number of colleges and universities have been adding such benefits since they were first introduced in the early 1990s. No full tally exists, but a survey this year by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources found that 40 percent of 544 institutions responding — or 217 — extended health insurance to same-sex domestic partners. The Human Rights Campaign, which describes itself as the country's largest advocacy group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, has identified a larger number: 304 institutions, up from 178 five years ago.

For those of us frustrated with the limbo-status of domestic partner benefits in our own state system, this article is particularly interesting in its detailing of how other states have dealt or are dealing with the same situation.

For the full story, click here.