How out of touch is UK?

The text of today's Family Foundation press release:

For Immediate Release
September 12, 2006 A.D.

Contact: Martin Cothran
Phone: 859-329-1919

LEXINGTON, KY— The family advocacy group that successfully pushed for the marriage protection amendment two years ago is asking why the state’s flagship university is considering a policy that undermines marriage. “You would think that state institutions like the University of Kentucky would realize by now where the state’s taxpayers stand on issues like this,” said Martin Cothran, senior policy analyst for The Family Foundation of Kentucky.

The question of whether to offer benefits to unmarried, sexual partners is being considered by a university committee. “How UK handles this issue will determine just how out of touch they are with the people who make the University’s existence possible,” said Cothran.

Some officials and employees of the university are arguing that such a policy is necessary to compete with other universities for staff. “The assertion that a policy giving benefits to unmarried, sexual partners makes a school more competitive is supported by no study I have ever seen,” said Cothran. “What evidence do the supporters of this policy have to point to showing that these policies help? This is not a matter of good employee benefits policy; this is a matter of a few people with a political agenda on social policy.”

Cothran said The Family Foundation is considering its options in the next legislative session. “Our message to policy makers will be that any taxpayer-supported institution that does not treat marriage as a privileged institution should not itself be treated as a privileged institution.”