YSU TRUSTEES Panel proposes partner benefits

Whether to extend President David Sweet's contract is also on the table.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A committee of Youngstown State University trustees has recommended that the university provide health insurance benefits to same-sex partners of YSU employees.
The full board of trustees is likely to vote on the matter at its meeting Thursday, a university spokesman said.
On Tuesday the trustees' internal affairs committee narrowly agreed -- by a 5-4 vote -- to recommend the proposal. There are 12 members of the trustee board.
Proposed is a resolution that would extend the benefit, provided the partner is willing to pay 10 percent toward the premium's cost. The yearly premium for a YSU employee on the family plan is about $10,000.
Other requirements would be for the partners to sign an affidavit that they are indeed in a "long-term, committed and personal relationship" that has existed for at least a year.
They must also share a permanent residence.
John Habat, YSU's vice president for administration, estimated that the total yearly cost of extending the benefit would be $60,000.
The benefit extension now being discussed applies only to same-sex domestic partners.
Habat also told trustees that the benefits, if extended, may be affected by state Issue 1, though the precise impact of the measure remains unclear.
Issue 1, which is on Tuesday's general election ballot, recognizes marriage as only between a man and a woman.
"It's a basic human right," Trustee Millicent Counts said in support of the university's extending same-sex benefits.
Concerns
Other trustees -- Donald Cagigas and William Bresnahan -- expressed concern about the cost of the benefit and of extending it without first negotiating the matter with YSU employee unions.
"Where do we draw the line?" Cagigas asked.
Noting the surging cost of health care, Bresnahan said the expense of providing the benefit "will almost certainly increase" over time.
But Trustee Chairman Larry Esterly said he would prefer not to have to negotiate same-sex benefits with employees because it would rob time and energy from other important issues that must be brought up at the bargaining table.
One of those is whether YSU staff will begin paying a share of their monthly health insurance premiums, Esterly said.
Only about 20 YSU employees now pay a share of the expense.
Sweet's contract
Also Tuesday, the trustees' executive committee met privately for more than an hour to discuss extending the contract of university president Dr. David Sweet.
Esterly, who is panel chairman, said he and trustee John Pogue will talk with Sweet regarding the committees' discussion.
The matter of a contract extension is likely to be voted on at the meeting of the entire trustee board set for 5 p.m. Thursday in Tod Hall, Esterly said.
No details of the contract talks are being released now.
Sweet's contract expires in July 2006. He is annually paid a $203,520 salary, a housing allowance of $52,586 and a vehicle allowance of $7,938.
Sweet began serving as YSU president in July 2000.