UCA healthcare benefits only available previously to married staff and faculty are now extended to newly legalized gay marriages.
Faculty Senate voted to support extending benefits at its Aug. 21 meeting.
Faculty Senate President Ben Rowley said possible apprehensions that might have prevented the measure at UCA have been lifted.
“This has been a situation in legal limbo for quite some time,” Rowley said. “Many of us – myself included – personally feel that the decision was long overdue.”
Rowley said the changes came quickly after the Supreme Court’s June 26 decision due, in part, to President Tom Courtway’s quick action.
He said Courtway worked closely with the Faculty Senate to ensure the transition went smoothly and to assure all faculty members received equal coverage.
“President Courtway worked with us to resolve the situation for UCA’s insurance-provider specifics as quickly as possible once the Supreme Court decision on marriage equality was handed down, and we appreciate his efforts,” Rowley said.
Associate Vice President of Human Resources and Risk Management Graham Gillis said the overall campus response has been positive.
“This has certainly been a trend across the country, and we knew it was a matter of time before the issue was going to be decided in court,” Gillis said.
On June 26, the United States Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that gay marriage is a constitutional right.
Under this ruling, states may not enforce bans that had previously prevented gay and lesbian couples from getting legally married in the United States.
image via www.nationofchange.org
