U. of Fla. trustees to vote on providing health care to domestic partners

[Thom Little]

The University of Florida's gay and lesbian employees would receive health insurance benefits for their domestic partners if a measure is approved Friday by school trustees over the objections of a state legislator.

If approved at a meeting in Gainesville, UF would be the first public university in the state to provide such benefits. The measure would also cover unmarried heterosexual couples.

Kyle Cavanaugh, UF's vice president of human resources who started similar programs at Rice and Vanderbilt universities, said the expansion of benefits is a step toward luring and keeping high-quality faculty. Almost 300 universities and colleges nationally offer such benefits.

"Primarily, the issue is one of national competitiveness," he said. "We are trying to be as competitive as possible on the national scene."


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