Resolution to Support Domestic Partnership Benefits

Whereas policy statement 802.01 of the Board of Regents Policy Manual aspires

to prohibit discrimination “on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, creed, national origin, age, or handicap” in “any program or activity conducted by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia or any of its several institutions now in existence or hereafter established” but does not include a prohibition on the basis of sexual orientation; and

Whereas the University System of Georgia and North Georgia College and State University are committed to a policy of non-discrimination ensuring equal opportunities of employment and resources being made available to all their students, staff, and faculty; and

Whereas North Georgia College and State University is committed to encouraging cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender diversity in faculty, students and staff; and

Whereas North Georgia College and State University is committed to continuing to improve the positive campus climate at NGCSU to enhance to morale of our students, faculty and staff members;

Therefore, the Faculty Senate supports a formal request to the Board of Regents that it:

1. include “sexual orientation” in its commitment to non-discrimination in Board Policy 802.01 and
2. adopt policies and procedures which treat married couples and domestic partnership couples in an equal manner and ensure that system-wide benefits are available to both married couples and domestics partnership couples.