As the issue of domestic partner benefits is debated at institutions nationwide, the University remains bound by Commonwealth law which currently does not include such benefits.
Recently, more colleges and universities have granted benefits to domestic partners, said Wendy Repass, a member of U.Va. Pride, the University's largest staff gay rights organization.
Nationally, the top 25 schools offer domestic partner benefits, which places the University at a competitive disadvantage for recruiting and retaining quality faculty members, Repass said.
"Everyone definitely feels strongly that being able to expand health insurance to domestic partners is an equality issue and an issue of fairness," Repass said. "There are people who are in long-term, committed relationships and are not treated the same."
Last week, the University of Pittsburgh began offering expanded health benefits for domestic partners, Repass said. Also, Southern Illinois University and the University of Richmond granted benefits over the summer.
State governments wield the power to offer domestic partner benefits, University President John T. Casteen, III said. Activists such as those who created the DontGivetoUVA.com Web site said they operated under the assumption that the University had the power the change policy.
"The significant change is that most people seem to understand now, as the Web site's creators did not, that the issue is a matter of law, not of University policy, and that the University is obligated to obey the law," Casteen said.
Groups interested in securing partner benefits have targeted legislators to attempt to change state law, Casteen said.
"In our system of government, engagement with those who make the laws is the first step toward change," he said. "Persons who want to extend benefits beyond what current law allows have two options -- persuade the Supreme Court to overturn the law or persuade the Attorney General to interpret it so as to allow partner benefits."
Repass said the University administration and members of U.Va. Pride discussed the issue of domestic partner benefits but specific responses to the issue have not been discussed since the University is not the final authority on the matter.
U.Va. Pride said it will meet with the Charlottesville community and University administration to discuss how domestic partners can attain benefits in the future.
"I think that the whole University community is quite warm to the idea and for good reason," Repass said.
As healthcare is a hot-button issue, many legislators are eager to reform the current system, Casteen said.
"Legislators were aware of it during the last [General Assembly] session," he said. "By some accounts, it persuaded some who were neutral or even sympathetic on the health insurance issue to vote for the enacted law defining marriage."
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