It is unclear whether the decision is a direct result of the fiasco last year when the university rescinded an offer to Jodi O’Brien to become dean of the college of arts and sciences. Marquette rescinded to the offer to O’Brien, a lesbian, because of “concerns relating to Marquette’s ‘Catholic mission and identity’ and their incompatibility with some of O’Brien’s scholarly writings.”
The university is still working out the details of the benefits. A word to the wise for the faculty and staff at Marquette–keep a close eye on those details! When my own university began offering domestic partner benefits several years ago, it used a very old and outdated standard for extending benefits that had been in place for library privileges, etc. It took some work, but the standard was brought closer in line with that of other universities and private employers in the area.
-Tony Infanti
