The University of South Florida will offer domestic partnership benefits to heterosexual and same-sex couples as soon as eligibility requirements and benefit details are worked out.
“We believe it is the right thing to do and we’ll work to make it happen this year,” said USF President Judy Genshaft Wednesday afternoon during her state of the university speech at the Marshall Student Center.
The cost of adding the benefits to the USF healthcare plane will cost nearly $500,000 annually. Genshaft said no money allocated by the state, paid in tuition or received from the USF Foundation would be used to pay for the benefits. Genshaft said that revenues from other sources like concessions will go toward funding the new benefits.
According to Genshaft and several administrators attending the state of the university speech, USF looked at the benefits already provided by the University of Florida, Hillsborough Community College and Florida International University to find the best benefit package to offer employees.
Genshaft admitted that several groups may not like the university’s decision to provide domestic partnership benefits, and she understands that, saying that she expects some critiques.
