Partnership Supporters Enthusiastic

Supporters of domestic partnership benefits reacted positively yesterday to this week's announcement that the University will consider extending such benefits to gay and lesbian faculty and staff members.

Provost Jerry R. Green announced Thursday that he will chair a committee to study domestic partnership benefits for the University's employees.

"I'm delighted to see that they are studying the issue," said Associate Register Thurston A. Smith.

Smith, who heads a network for gay and lesbian staff members at Har- ,

vard, said the University's recent actions showit reconizes the legitimacy of non-traditionalfamilies.

He said even the consideration of the issue wasa "step in the right direction" for theUniversity.

The Harvard Union of Clerical and TechnicalWorkers also welcomed this week's announcement.The union has been advocating domestic partnershipbenefits for the last three years, said unionPresident Donene M. Williams.

Williams said the union has been demanding anextension of spousal benefits to non-traditionalcouples during its contract negotiations.

"It's an issue of basic fairness. There reallyis no reason not to [implement this policy],"Williams said.

While the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian StudentsAssociation has never addressed the issue ofdomestic partner benefits for staff or facultymembers, co-president John Frazier '95 said thecommittee is "a great step and shows a greatprogression."

"The University should do all it can [regardingthis matter]," he said.

Smith said that there are many issues that theUniversity will have to tackle--including taxes,state laws and insurance policies--before anypolicy is implemented.

Nonetheless, Smith said it is only a matter oftime before the University extends benefits to gayand lesbian faculty and staff.

"[It is a] question of when and how, not if,"he said

vard, said the University's recent actions showit reconizes the legitimacy of non-traditionalfamilies.

He said even the consideration of the issue wasa "step in the right direction" for theUniversity.

The Harvard Union of Clerical and TechnicalWorkers also welcomed this week's announcement.The union has been advocating domestic partnershipbenefits for the last three years, said unionPresident Donene M. Williams.

Williams said the union has been demanding anextension of spousal benefits to non-traditionalcouples during its contract negotiations.

"It's an issue of basic fairness. There reallyis no reason not to [implement this policy],"Williams said.

While the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian StudentsAssociation has never addressed the issue ofdomestic partner benefits for staff or facultymembers, co-president John Frazier '95 said thecommittee is "a great step and shows a greatprogression."

"The University should do all it can [regardingthis matter]," he said.

Smith said that there are many issues that theUniversity will have to tackle--including taxes,state laws and insurance policies--before anypolicy is implemented.

Nonetheless, Smith said it is only a matter oftime before the University extends benefits to gayand lesbian faculty and staff.

"[It is a] question of when and how, not if,"he said