BREAKING NEWS: Marquette University to offer domestic partner benefits

[MU Avenue]

Based on the opinions that I have read here in the past, I think many here should read the following from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

What do y'all think of that?


Marquette University to offer domestic partner benefits

By Sharif Durhams and Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel

MILWAUKEE, March 24, 2011 -- Marquette University plans to start offering domestic partner benefits to its employees in 2012, a move that comes about a year after the university's decision to rescind a job offer to a lesbian candidate caused the campus to erupt in debate.

In a statement sent to the campus Thursday afternoon, Marquette President Robert A. Wild said he's been wrestling with an idea of offering the benefits that would provide services for gay and lesbian employees for years.

University officials note said the timing of the announcement was influenced by votes in recent weeks by the University Academic Senate and the Marquette University Student Government that have urged the university to offer benefits for domestic partners.

"If we are truly pastoral in our application of the Jesuit principle of cura personalis, I asked myself if I could reconcile that with denying health benefits to a couple who have legally registered their commitment to each other," Wild said.

In Latin, cura personalis means "care for the entire person."

Wild noted that the State of Wisconsin gives legal recognition both to marriage for heterosexual couples and to a registered domestic partnership for same-sex couples.


To read the entire story, go to: www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/118614824.html?page=1

[turk17]

------> to Superbar, and then lock/delete.

Half is a request, the other half a prediction.

[reinko]

Agreed.  Make this disappear mods.

[tower912]

I thought you would have predicted something like this.  

[poopyscoopy]

I graduated from MU, but it's PC decisions like this (and the dumping of the Warrior name) that guarantee I will never contribute to the University. 

Marquette can hardly call itself a Catholic University anymore.  Fr Wild should hold a Planned Parenthood fundraiser next.

[reinko]

I'm sure MU will miss your donations dearly, poopyscoopy.

[Coleman]

I graduated from MU, but it's PC decisions like this (and the dumping of the Warrior name) that guarantee I will never contribute to the University. 

Marquette can hardly call itself a Catholic University anymore.  Fr Wild should hold a Planned Parenthood fundraiser next.

I didn't know Planned Parenthood was involved in gay issues? Or are you just pulling totally unrelated issues together and somehow trying to make it into a logical argument? Because that's not working. If MU made all decisions based on what donors would do, it would be a sad state indeed. Keep your money. MU will do fine without it.

I'm proud of Fr. Wild, and Marquette, for making a courageous decision when they know it will be heavily criticized by many parties. I'd call that the opposite of PC. This isn't an endorsement of gay marriage. Its about providing health care benefits for a LEGAL contract. Marquette clearly believes in the dignity of the whole person and in access to decent medical care.

Good on them. If I see Fr. Wild anytime soon, Heineken on me.

Ok mods, lock it down if you like.

[MU Avenue]

I graduated from MU, but it's PC decisions like this (and the dumping of the Warrior name) that guarantee I will never contribute to the University. 

Marquette can hardly call itself a Catholic University anymore.  Fr Wild should hold a Planned Parenthood fundraiser next.

Please explain your objection to Planned Parenthood after you share what you actually know about Planned Parenthood.

Also, poopyscoopy(???), this latest decision by Marquette University officials should hardly be dismissed as political correctness. It is a much bigger concern -- huge, actually -- that is related to fundamental respect for all people.

You do remember that being taught at Marquette, right?

[poopyscoopy]

MU does the predictably liberal PC thing and it's "courageous?"  That's the funniest thing I've read all day.

Fr Wild pussied out of going back to Warriors and was a coward there and he's a coward here, too.

He knows the liberal editorial writers and fellow liberal administrators will be patting him on the back for this.  

And you are right.  MU could care less about the small alumni donor.  They didn't care about us when they made the name change and they couldn't give a crap about us now.  MU is all about being PC and their "mission" begins and ends with that.

[poopyscoopy]

Please explain your objection to Planned Parenthood after you share what you actually know about Planned Parenthood.

Also, poopyscoopy(???), this latest decision by Marquette University officials should hardly be dismissed as political correctness. It is a much bigger concern -- huge, actually -- that is related to fundamental respect for all people.

You do remember that being taught at Marquette, right?

My objection to Planned Parenthood...

Planned Parenthood Federation of America's Web site shows that it performed 332,278 abortions in 2009.

That's my objection to Planned Parenthood.

But I'm sure Fr Wild would celebrate their service.  Cura Personalis (lol) and all that...

[BallBoy]

Based on the opinions that I have read here in the past, I think many here should read the following from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

What do y'all think of that?


Marquette University to offer domestic partner benefits

By Sharif Durhams and Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel

MILWAUKEE, March 24, 2011 -- Marquette University plans to start offering domestic partner benefits to its employees in 2012, a move that comes about a year after the university's decision to rescind a job offer to a lesbian candidate caused the campus to erupt in debate.

In a statement sent to the campus Thursday afternoon, Marquette President Robert A. Wild said he's been wrestling with an idea of offering the benefits that would provide services for gay and lesbian employees for years.

University officials note said the timing of the announcement was influenced by votes in recent weeks by the University Academic Senate and the Marquette University Student Government that have urged the university to offer benefits for domestic partners.

"If we are truly pastoral in our application of the Jesuit principle of cura personalis, I asked myself if I could reconcile that with denying health benefits to a couple who have legally registered their commitment to each other," Wild said.

In Latin, cura personalis means "care for the entire person."

Wild noted that the State of Wisconsin gives legal recognition both to marriage for heterosexual couples and to a registered domestic partnership for same-sex couples.


To read the entire story, go to: www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/118614824.html?page=1

Good thing

[Coleman]

MU does the predictably liberal PC thing and it's "courageous?"  That's the funniest thing I've read all day.

Fr Wild pussied out of going back to Warriors and was a coward there and he's a coward here, too.

He knows the liberal editorial writers and fellow liberal administrators will be patting him on the back for this.  

And you are right.  MU could care less about the small alumni donor.  They didn't care about us when they made the name change and they couldn't give a crap about us now.  MU is all about being PC and their "mission" begins and ends with that.

There are going to be more people screaming down Fr. Wild's throat than patting him on the back, I can assure you of that. If Fr. Wild was a real coward, he would have done nothing. He retires this year, he could have just pushed the issue on to the next guy. Think about it for a minute before just giving knee-jerk right wing talking points.

And he's TURNED DOWN big money to change it back to Warriors. That's how the whole gold debacle started.

[reinko]

Poopyscoopy, why cloud you argument with the nickname and abortion.  What upsets you MU offering same sex benefits?  Are you homophobic?  Do you believe gay people are less deserving of these rights?  These are honest questions.

BTW, I gurantee, if you went to MU, at one time or another you were taught by someone who was gay.  Should they all be rounded up, and kicked off campus? 

These are real questions.

[Blackhat]

All to appease liberal faculty.   Don't blame him, if you want MU to be a top academic university you have to sacrifice catholic doctrine on many issues.

Hopefully Fr. Wild will start handing out rubbers at games too or blow them out of those cannons, could save me some money.  

[classof70]

I graduated from MU, but it's PC decisions like this (and the dumping of the Warrior name) that guarantee I will never contribute to the University. 

Marquette can hardly call itself a Catholic University anymore.  Fr Wild should hold a Planned Parenthood fundraiser next.

My experience tells me folks who pull their financial support, usually don't give much financial support.  On the other hand, what would Jesus have said?  I doubt it would have been "kick those gays to the curb."  

[Coleman]

All to appease liberal faculty.   Don't blame him, if you want MU to be a top academic university you have to sacrifice catholic doctrine on many issues.

Hopefully Fr. Wild will start handing out rubbers at games too or blow them out of those cannons, could save me some money.  

Why would Fr. Wild have to appease anybody?!?! He's retiring.

Have you guys ever just thought he believes this is the right thing to do? Maybe you disagree, but its not some big "PC" operation. The guy is a (ridiculously smart) Jesuit. You think he doesn't think these things through? You think there's some liberal operation pulling the strings? Give me a break.

Although I'm with you on the rubbers. I have enough T-shirts.

[Blackhat]

I don't think you understand how academia and attracting top faculty works which begets higher rankings which begets more $$$$.

I agree with you mc,  it's not necessarily a pc operation, it's actually greed which drives MU to sacrifice its doctrine to appease and seduce top faculty.

[willie warrior]

Guess this should answer the question about changing the nicknameback to warriors. PC has total control at MU.

[HoopsMalone]

I am very, very proud of MU as an institution and this is just another reason.  Glad we are doing things to attract top talent and making the morally right choice.  If you think this issue is about being PC, you don't get it.

[reinko]

I don't think you understand how academia and attracting top faculty works which begets higher rankings which begets more $$$$.

So by your logic, more top academics would be in support of same-sex benefits, right?  

So you would rather have MU be less academically inclined than to offer a handful of folks, who have a state government recognized contract, some health benefits?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

My experience tells me folks who pull their financial support, usually don't give much financial support.  On the other hand, what would Jesus have said?  I doubt it would have been "kick those gays to the curb."  

"The meek shall inherit the earth."

(Whispers to apostles: "Unless you're queer, then you're screwed")

[GGGG]

All to appease liberal faculty.   Don't blame him, if you want MU to be a top academic university you have to sacrifice catholic doctrine on many issues.

This is exactly right.  If you want to be competitive for faculty members, you pretty much have to do this.  

BTW, I gurantee, if you went to MU, at one time or another you were taught by someone who was gay.  Should they all be rounded up, and kicked off campus?  

That is the logical question.

Look, the University health plan probably covers birth control to some extent.  It probably covers vascectomies (or however you spell that).  There are all sorts of things that MU does that run against official Catholic doctrine.

[GGGG]

PC has total control at MU.

You just love to label decisions you disagree with "PC" as if that is supposed to be dismissive of some sort.

This was a business decision...pure and simple...

[Blackhat]

So by your logic, more top academics would be in support of same-sex benefits, right?  

So you would rather have MU be less academically inclined than to offer a handful of folks, who have a state government recognized contract, some health benefits?

No I agree with Fr. Wild.    I love that we do the best we can to attract top academic talent, I just hope there aren't any naive kids still out there that think they are going to a Catholic institution when they go to Marquette.   It's Catholic in name and costume only.

[MU Avenue]

MU does the predictably liberal PC thing and it's "courageous?"  That's the funniest thing I've read all day.

Fr Wild pussied out of going back to Warriors and was a coward there and he's a coward here, too.

He knows the liberal editorial writers and fellow liberal administrators will be patting him on the back for this.  

And you are right.  MU could care less about the small alumni donor.  They didn't care about us when they made the name change and they couldn't give a crap about us now.  MU is all about being PC and their "mission" begins and ends with that.

I thought the usage of "political correctness" and "politically correct" -- along with "PC" -- had gone away as people grew tired of them and the often-uninformed narrow-mindedness that they represent.

Also, poopyscoopy, the issue here is Marquette's decision to provide benefits to domestic partners.

You do not support Marquette's efforts to display full regard for all people? You would prefer that Marquette discriminate?

Do you have hate in your heart?