Acting for diversity
The Central Michigan University administration decided to extend health benefits for same-sex domestic partners.
The benefits policy, which begins Oct. 1, is a broader policy that covers eligible CMU employees who "carry the burden of responsibility for" a person, who is not "recognized in any other setting."
Kudos to administrators, who fairly extended this plan for their employees.
The change affected six staff members at CMU.
Benefits include a tuition waiver, a Student Activity Center membership and health, dental and vision insurance.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
Therefore, CMU employees who "carry the burden of responsibility for" a person should rightfully share their benefits to maintain a non-discriminatory university.
In 2004, Michigan residents voted to ban gay marriage. This blocked public bodies from allowing gay workers to provide health benefits to their partners. In addition, a Michigan Supreme Court ruling in May determined universities could no longer offer same-sex domestic partner benefits.
CMU joins other state universities, such as the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University and Michigan Technological University, in having a same-sex benefits policy.
When faculty come to CMU, they expect to be treated fairly and equally, and that is exactly what this broadened benefits policy does.
In addition, quality faculty members could have been lost if this policy had not been administered.
A staple of CMU's mission is the acceptance of diversity on campus, and this policy reinforces that.
