Saturday, July 15, 2006

State Universities Diss the General Assembly

In pushing for domestic partner benefits, the state's two major universities have thrown down the gauntlet to the General Assembly. Both the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky have, through their words and actions, basically told state lawmakers where to get off.

When U of L's board of trustees approved a domestic partner benefits plan at its meeting earlier this week, it ignored past concerns expressed by several state lawmakers in a letter to University of Kentucky President Lee Todd in 2002. The letter addressed a policy then under consideration similar to the one approved this week by U of L.

Now, UK spokesman Jay Blanton has joined the rebellion by telling the Lexington Herald-Leader, "I don't think there are political considerations with respect to this decision." The remark was carefully prefaced by the disclaimer that the university respects "the opinions of legislators"). Yeah, right. They respect their opinions, it's just that their opinions don't make any difference in the university's decision.

No comments: