The university has come out against a state senate bill that would deny benefits to the unwed life partners of state workers, including university staff and faculty.
The University of Alaska has argued that offering the benefits keeps them competitive in hiring, and that the cost is minimal.
"At the same time this benefit is important for recruitment and retention, it is very inexpensive," said Jim Johnson, UA vice president of faculty and staff relations, testifying to the State Senate Finance Committee March 9. "The cost is less than 1.5 percent of the university's annual health benefits cost, under 1 percent of the university's overall benefits cost, and about one-sixth of 1 percent of our overall compensation cost."
Senate Joint Resolution No. 20 is sponsored by Fairbanks Senator and car dealer Ralph Seekins, who says when Alaskans voted in 1996 to define marriage as being between a man and a woman, they believed spousal benefits would not be extended to unmarried couples.
As it is currently written, the new resolution would allow Alaskans a vote to cancel those benefits for samesex couples and anyone enjoying interdependent partner benefits. Seekins says this will clarify the people's intent and prevent further court decisions that go against the will of the majority.
Opponents say voters will likely approve an amendment, which they say is unconstitutional.
According to Seekins's testimony, the Alaska Supreme Court heard a case a year before the 1996 marriage amendment was adopted involving two employees of the University of Alaska who wanted health insurance for their same-sex partners, and the court held that the university would have to either stop offering benefits for spouses, or provide benefits for samesex partners of employees. The university chose to offer the benefits.
"Under the university's program," Johnson said, "financially interdependent partners who meet at least 13 criteria are provided health, tuition, and other benefits comparable to those provided to our married employees. "As of November 2005, 111 employees had 147 under the program."
"We don't support this bill, because we fear it would take away our ability to offer benefits, financially interdependent benefits," said UA spokesperson Kate Ripley. "For faculty especially, we're competing on a nationwide market."
The passing of a UAF Faculty Senate resolution opposed to the senate bill spurred a flurry of emails last month between former Faculty Senate President Abel Bult-Ito and Chancellor Steve Jones. On March 4, Jones wrote an email detailing the bill, the actions intended by the university, and in two sentences at the end of his email suggested that the Faculty Senate not advocate in opposition to the bill.
"Advocacy on this issue right now is not advised," wrote Jones. "If and when it moves forward, you will be notified."
Bult-Ito responded by describing Jones's suggestion as "UAF Administration sponsored censorship," and he accused Jones of compromising academic freedom and freedom of speech for political means.
"I believe it to be inappropriate for you and your office to try to pressure governance groups regarding their potential actions related to SJR 20," wrote BultIto in a later email.
When Jones wrote back saying, "I am unable to understand the point(s) you are making," BultIto said that indicated a serious problem.
"If you are unable to recognize or understand that putting political pressure on staff and faculty governance groups is a serious issue that threatens the core of shared governance and academic freedom, I guess I have nothing more the contribute to this discussion," writes BultIto in his final email to Jones.
At the Faculty Senate's April 3 meeting, Bult-Ito proposed a resolution to be drafted on academic freedom, citing the pressure from Jones.
"This is a clear indication that the administration does not want this body to speak out against the amendment," said Bult-Ito at the meeting.
But some have by-passed the university system altogether. Testifying via teleconference in March, Tim Stallard, UAF's Outdoor Adventures Coordinator and founder of Out in Alaska, a gay adventure travel company, asked the committee to kill the resolution.
"It is not UA who is out of touch with economic and social reality," said Stallard, "it is the radical backers of this resolution."
"Regardless of the reasons that Alaskan parents are not married, it is personal and family business, not the state's."
