Support to add sexual orientation to MSU's anti-discrimination policy sought
By KRISTIN TAYLOR
Staff Writer
One Murray State staff members is trying to gain support for including sexual orientation in the university's anti-discrimination employment policy.
Jody Cofer, who works in the Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activities office, made a presentation to MSU's Staff Congress about why the university's faculty and staff should be protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation as they are on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability.
Cofer was lobbying for Staff Congress' support, hoping its members would recommend the university create a taskforce to look into revising the anti-discrimination policy - an effort that could lead to more discussion among the Faculty Senate and may eventually lead to MSU's administration considering the inclusion.
Staff Congress Vice President Mark Galloway said Cofer's concern will be discuss among staff representatives at their Nov. 8 meeting.
While the faculty and staff anti-discrimination policy doesn't include sexual orientation, the student handbook does, according to Cofer's presentation that quoted the policies. He also outlined the policies at Western Kentucky University, Northern Kentucky University, Morehead State University and Eastern Kentucky University - all of which include sexual orientation in their policies.
“Our sister regional universities have this protection in their written policies,” Cofer said, arguing against the idea MSU would be leading a charge.
The University of Kentucky and University of Louisville, as well as private institutions such as Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College and Spalding University, also include sexual orientation in the list against employee discrimination. And Cofer rattled off other universities that have such a policy including Indiana State University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Wright State; MSU's neighbor Southern Illinois University in Carbondale; and all eight of the Ivy League schools.
“And, remember, we are Kentucky's public ivy,” Cofer said.
But he said adding sexual orientation to the policy shouldn't be done just because everyone else is doing it. Cofer said MSU has a growing tradition of promoting diversity, such as with the Marvin Mills Multicultural Center and in the university's strategic plan that talks about maintaining a diverse faculty and staff.
“Someone of a different sexual orientation may be just as good as you are at your job - or better. You don't know. You can't discriminate,” Cofer said. “... Are we going to define diversity as one thing? That's not right.”
Cofer argued that changing the policy would not tarnish MSU but rather enhance the university.
For complete story, see today's Ledger & Times
Story created Oct 12, 2006 - 11:30:44 EDT.
|
