Thursday, October 11, 2001

Benefits being considered for same-sex partners
By Kristin Campbell
Staff Reporter

TCU employees could receive same-sex domestic partner benefits if a proposal is approved by the Cabinet and ultimately the Trustees, said John Weis, assistant vice chancellor for human resources.

The possibility of extending insurance and tuition benefits to same-sex partners of employees is ready for review by the TCU Cabinet because the Retirement and Insurance Benefits committee has already researched the program, Weis said.

Weis said nothing has been approved and eligibility criteria is yet to be determined.

He said the benefit package, which has been modeled after other existing policies on other college campuses, primarily Southern Methodist University, may include tuition benefits, health, life and accident insurance coverage for same-sex partners.

According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Web site, over 4,300 employers offer domestic partner health benefits, including 155 colleges and universities.

David Jenkins, a social work professor, said his committed partner already has benefits through his employer but he would be in favor of TCU offering partner benefits so his partner’s children could receive reduced tuition benefits.

Marcy Paul, Women’s Resource Center coordinator and eQ Alliance co-advisor, said she would be affected by such benefits.

She said she thinks having partner benefits for gay and lesbian couples at TCU is long overdue. She said she questions whether the responsibility of defining marriage and family belongs to government in the first place.

“Do we want the government defining who is a couple or a family?” Paul said. “I’m not sure I buy into that.”

According to the HRC Web site by 1998, only 25 percent of the nation’s 102 million households fit the traditional definition of a family — a husband and wife living with their children. It also reported that Census 2000 counted 601,209 same-sex unmarried partner households in the United States. The 1990 Census reported 145,130 same-sex unmarried partner households reported.

“Old benefit models that rely on marriage to determine who is eligible for coverage ignore dramatic changes in the American family in recent years,” the site reported.
According to the HRC Web site, benefits comprise 40 percent of overall employee compensation. As a result, a significant portion of overall compensation is unattainable for gay and lesbian workers if domestic partner benefits are not offered. The same is true for unmarried heterosexual couples who choose not to marry, the site reported.

Weis said enrollment in the benefits programs at other universities has been minimal because few people actually take advantage. An estimate of eligible TCU employees was unavailable.

“Cost is not an issue because of the small number of people added to the coverage,” he said.

He said it could also give TCU an advantage in recruiting employees.

Rice University implemented same-sex and heterosexual domestic partner benefits in 2000.

Elaine Carrasco, benefit coordinator at Rice University, said for employees to be eligible, they have to sign a notarized affidavit verifying they are in an intimate relationship and have lived together for at least one year. The partner must be the employee’s primary beneficiary for life and jointly responsible for debts.

She also said a domestic partner registration certificate is required, along with verification that the partners are not related by blood and that neither of them are legally married.

Carrasco said Rice has not had any problems with employees abusing the benefit system and that it has been successful. She said approximately 10 employees are receiving partner benefits.

“This benefit program is important and helpful in attracting and retaining quality professors,” she said.

Olivia Holguin, SMU benefits specialist, said SMU employees will be eligible Jan.1 2002 to receive medical and dental insurance and reduced tuition benefits, but their benefit coverage plan is not finalized.

Cornell Thomas, special assistant to the chancellor, said he is supportive of providing partner benefits.

“It’s not a financial issue,” he said. “It’s just the right thing to do.”

Thomas said Chancellor Michael Ferrari is supportive of the benefit program.

A similar plan was passed at Drake University during Ferrari’s tenure as president.

Kristin Campbell
k.a.campbell@student.tcu.edu