Domestic partner health insurance town meeting planned

The UW–Madison community is invited to a town meeting designed to provide updates and answer questions about the legislative path for domestic partner health insurance benefits.

The session will be held from 4-5:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, in On Wisconsin Room C of the Armory and Gymnasium (Red Gym). Steve Stern, vice provost for faculty and staff and campus coordinator for the benefits issue, will moderate.

There will be updates about Gov. Jim Doyle’s budget proposal, along with information on administrative and student efforts to support the issue. All UW–Madison employees and students are welcome.

The session will help answer questions about the budget process and provide information on how members of the campus community can get involved and voice opinions on the issue.

Campus co-hosts include Associated Students of Madison, the Domestic Partner Health Insurance Task Force and the Wisconsin Coalition for Domestic Partner Benefits.

Doyle’s 2009-11 budget proposal would authorize and fund benefits for domestic partners of all state employees, including those of UW System. UW–Madison remains the only institution in the Big Ten unable to offer domestic partner benefits, which hinders its efforts to recruit and retain employees.

The university has a Web site collecting statements, documents, news clippings and information to help the campus community track the issue through the budget process.

For more information, call 608-262-1304 or e-mail DPbenefits@provost.wisc.edu