Ohio University officials are waiting to determine how to handle domestic partner benefits, which might now be revoked at the state's discretion, after voters approved a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
OU's Department of Legal Affairs is talking with other universities and the attorney general's office to determine whether faculty will lose their benefits in the next month, said Jim Kemper, assistant vice president for human resources.
The amendment goes into effect 30 days after its passage.
Susan Burgess, a political science professor and the director of the women's studies program, said it is not clear whether the amendment would even apply to OU. The term political subdivision
in the second sentence of the amendment, might not affect universities.
If it did apply to OU OU might take an alternative approach she said. For example, OU could use non-state monies to provide benefits.
The amendment faced opposition not only from OU administrators but also from Athens County voters.
Athens voted against the amendment 55 percent to 45 percent. Statewide, 62 percent of voters supported the amendment.
Burgess said Athens' tendency to vote overwhelmingly Democratic was probably influential in the fact that Athens was the only county to oppose the amendment.
Mickey Hart, coordinator of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Programs Center, said there were several reasons voters in Athens opposed Issue 1.
I think ... people were just a little smarter about what was going on. I don't think it's any one reason
he said. He mentioned visits by speakers such as Judy Shepard, the mother of a hate-crime victim, filmmaker Michael Moore and Democratic activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
But he also said work by Swarm of Dykes might also have played a role in the defeat in Athens. The student group sold T-shirts opposing the amendment.
Last night, the group led a rally of amendment opponents at the county courthouse.
Liz Ruchti, an OU doctoral student who is lesbian, said she and her partner were married in a ceremony this summer. They can't stop us from being married
but they can take away our rights
she said, calling marriage an agreement between two people.
Hart also spoke at the rally, comparing the national atmosphere to last night's cold weather.
The national pulse is cold
he said, calling Issue 1 bad public policy that is poorly written and confusing. He emphasized, as did others at the rally, the need to continue to educate people about the amendment and the effect it would have on same-sex and heterosexual couples, such as revoking health benefits or property rights.
Opponents of the amendment have little recourse legally. Changing or removing the amendment would likely require another amendment, in accordance with Ohio law.
Alan Melamed was the campaign manager for Ohioans Protecting the Constitution, a political action committee that opposed the amendment.
He said challenges to the amendment would probably come after it takes effect in December.
You want to make sure you do this in a smart
effective way
he said, adding that possible litigation would have to use the best plaintiff.
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