Letter of support for domestic partner benefits at UA

INSTRUCTIONS:

Dear Colleagues,

We write as members of Outreach, the University of Arizona's organization for

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered faculty, staff, and graduate students,

and our supporters, to solicit your signature of support of our efforts to

implement benefits for domestic partners of employees of the University.

If you are in agreement with the principles set forth in the letter below

and will permit us to use your name, please respond (below) to this email

indicating as much. Please let us know exactly how you wish to be identified -- that

is, the exact spelling of your name and title. Our goal is to collect as

many signatures as possible, so please circulate this request to any

faculty, staff, or graduate students whom you feel may be interested. Our intention

is to use the petition in meetings with University administrators and in

future conversations or negotiations with politicians and community

representatives.

Our thanks for your time and consideration.

Fenton Johnson, Associate Professor, Creative Writing Program

OUTReach member and supporter of domestic partner benefits

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LETTER:

We the undersigned declare our support for the University of Arizona's

implementation of benefits for domestic partners.

By way of underscoring the importance of this initiative, we note that the

University has placed diversity among its highest priorities, and has

identified recruitment and faculty retention as among its most critical

issues. Currently, however, it is Pima County's only large employer, public

or private, that does not offer partner benefits. Of its peer Pacific-10

schools, all except those in Oregon offer partner benefits. In the past

and

in its current Diversity Action Report the University administration has

acknowledged the importance of partner benefits, even as it has not received

significant attention for over two years. The University cannot expect to

recruit and retain top faculty, staff, and graduate students when it is

unable to compete on this critical issue.

Above and beyond faculty/staff/graduate student recruitment concerns, we

note that partner benefits offer the most basic illustration of the University's

commitment to the value and equality of its LGBT employees. To continue

without such benefits constitutes a statement that the University accepts

those employees' second-class status.

We urge President Likins and the University administration to give partner

benefits its immediate attention, and to expedite efforts that promise to

lead to their implementation.

Sincerely,

TO SIGN, CLICK HERE AND PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND TITLE: