SAN DIEGO: OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR
January 15, 1998
ALL AT UCSD (INCLUDING UCSD MEDICAL CENTERS)
SUBJECT: Domestic Partner Benefits and Services
Last October I issued to department heads and administrative officers a statement about campus-determined or "soft" domestic partner benefits and services. In the context of the recent decision by the UC Regents to authorize the extension of health care benefits to same-sex domestic partners of UC employees, I am circulating my earlier statement to the entire campus to make clear that UCSD already offers domestic partners the same campus-determined services and benefits that it offers legal spouses.
"In response to concerns expressed during the past two years by 
     several campus organizations, I want to confirm UCSD's commitment 
     to support all members of the community who work, live, study and 
     teach on our campus, regardless of sexual orientation, marital or 
     family status.  One concrete way of meeting this commitment is to 
     extend to domestic partners all campus-determined benefits and 
     services now offered to legal spouses of UCSD employees and 
     students.
     
     
     "A review of UCSD practices has shown that many benefits and services offered to employees' and students' spouses are already offered to domestic partners as well. It would, however, be beneficial to formalize a standard policy. For this reason, I am asking those campus units that offer benefits or services to legal spouses to review their policies and revise them where necessary to ensure that they offer the same benefits or services to domestic partners (both same- and opposite-sex). Documentation of domestic partner status should be required only in situations where the same request would be made of legal spouses."
     
     
     Later this month the Office of the President will issue a fact 
     sheet about eligibility and procedures for obtaining health 
     benefits for long-term domestic partners or dependent relatives.
     
     
     If you have questions regarding the implementation of this policy, 
     please contact Associate Chancellor Susan Kirkpatrick at extension 
     46864 or by e-mail at skirkpatrick@ucsd.edu..
     
     
     
                                        Robert C. Dynes
                                        Chancellor