Concept of benefits for domestic partners gets good reception

A resolution that would recommend homosexual and unmarried heterosexual domestic partners be eligible for spousal benefits received favorable comments at Friday's monthly meeting of the Community College of Southern Nevada Faculty Senate.

Although one senator said he wasn't aware of any discrimination against gays and lesbians at the Community College of Southern Nevada, most of those who spoke out on the subject thought it was a good idea.

A vote will be taken March 19.

Philosophy professor Geoffrey Frasz offered the resolution supporting a policy change being developed by the Campus Environment Committee's Human Rights Task Force.

Linda Foreman, professor of human behavior, chairs the task force and was inspired to create a domestic partners benefit policy by the brutal slaying of a gay student in Wyoming last year.

Though the original intent was to protect gays and lesbians, Foreman added a clause to the resolution Friday that would include unmarried heterosexuals who have formed a domestic partnership.

Frasz also said the resolution to be considered in March will include a request that community college officials adopt a non-discrimination policy on its campuses that includes "sexual orientation."

Last week UNLV adopted such a policy.

Such non-discriminiation policies are needed before homosexuals can take advantage of benefit packages, said Reva Anderson, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Nevada.

Employees would not apply for benefits for their partners without such a policy, because they would fear for their job security if they admit having a domestic partner of the same sex, she said.

Well over 100 American universities and colleges, public and private, provide medical and other benefits for domestic partners of their staffs.

In Nevada, the benefit package for college faculty members is provided by the state, and it may require action on the state level to enable a change in the benefit policy, possibly even legislative action, Foreman said.

Faculty Senate Chairman Al Balboni said any change in the benefit package will be a "long, long, long" process.

But it's a process Frasz said the college should lead.

"To what extent to we (at CCSN) want to be followers?" he asked.

He said changing the policy could attract quality faculty applicants from around the country.

More than that, Senator David Hernandez said, it's a moral issue.

"Don't we have a moral obligation to take a stand?" he asked.

Joanne Vuillemot, who is on the Senate's Salary and Benefits Committee, says the financial impact would be negligible.

While health insurance is provided for the employee, the employee must pay for dependents.

The grants and aids benefits, which allows spouses to take classes at the school, might cost the college.

"But we don't think it would be significant," said Vuillemot.

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