Board extends partner benefits
Jennifer Corbett
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: News
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The board voted 7-2 to expand the benefits package to incorporate employee health care benefits for domestic partners.
President James Votruba said this expansion is consistent with Vision 2015.
He added that it acknowledges that different people make different choices, even though not everyone agrees with them.
According to Votruba, extended family benefits have been in the works for about a year and are set to be available Jan. 1, 2009.
"This is a great day for Northern Kentucky University … The (benefits package) will help NKU recruit and retain the best and brightest staff," said Wes Wright, legislative liaison for Kentucky Fairness Alliance.
Votruba agreed with Wright and added the benefits would send a message that NKU is progressive.
Votruba noted this decision helps NKU compete with other schools such as University of Kentucky and Georgetown University - all of which offer same-sex partner benefits.
The board also unanimously passed the 9.68 increase in tuition.
Votruba said the budget cut for the 2008-09 school year is a three percent cut in addition to the three percent cut in the 2007-08 school year, bringing the total cut to six percent, or $3 million.
Votruba added that the university did everything it could to avoid raising tuition including eliminating three programs and 35 jobs.
The university has approached the budget issue with a three-stage budget development process.
The university considered ways to increase revenue beyond tuition and state funds and further divisional and departmental budget cuts.
"The public sometimes believes that what we do, in a very casual and undisciplined way, is say, OK, the state cut us this amount, well we'll get on the backs of students and get on our way," Votruba said.
He added that the reality is that over the last six months NKU has been trying to avoid tuition increases.
"It is a last step," Votruba said.
Renee Pope contributed to this article.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 7
Noah
posted 4/30/08 @ 3:53 PM EST
Well I guess it's Happy Homo Day at NKU. One only has to look at the history of societies which have embraced Jim's progressive outlook to see that it's nothing more than a regression on the way to final destruction. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 5/01/08 @ 4:54 PM EST
Also its not domestic partner benefits...its extended dependent benefits which could cover a partner of either sex or son/daughter or other family member if the person does not have a spouse on the coverage. (Continued…)
Fed Up
posted 5/02/08 @ 3:44 AM EST
Pathetic. Like other liberal left universities, NKU has addopted and embraced the "Gay is the Way" mantra. And the "best and brightest" comment in the article is laughable and insulting. (Continued…)
David
posted 5/05/08 @ 11:06 PM EST
This is a happy day for the faculty and staff at NKU. There are many same-sex couples and unmarried couples at NKU that will see NKU as a place to stay and make grow instead choose to bail. (Continued…)
Standing for Morality
posted 5/14/08 @ 6:44 PM EST
This is a disgrace. It is a blatant slap in the face to the majority of community members that the university claims to be serving. Alumni and community that care about values can no longer financially support the university because the money is ultimately financing gay couples to get healthcare for HIV and other such ailments they are prone to. (Continued…)
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