Column: Same-sex benefits cost money

By Clay Carter

Published April 30, 2010

A few weeks ago, MU approved a same-sex domestic benefits resolution that would extend health care and other benefits to same-sex partners of MU employees.

Missouri State University is considering a similar resolution. Not that I disapprove of same-sex benefits — I just have a few thoughts and questions about the issue I would like to bring up.

It always sounds good to offer people more money, especially when it's someone else's money. If I were to run for office and promise to give $5,000 to every resident, I am sure I would make a few friends.

But at some point, some realistic questions have to be answered, such as "How's this going to be paid for?" That's something no one wants to talk about.

In her March 16 column, "MU should encourage gay rights," advocating same-sex domestic partner benefits, Jordan Stein never once addressed how MU would fund this measure. And to this day, I have not seen anything about how MU plans to come up with the money.

It's easy to approve more spending. But, it is a little harder to address the tough questions, such as raising tuition or asking faculty to cut some of their benefits so the university will have money to fund this $2.2 million resolution.

Contrary to popular belief, there is not an infinite amount of money. At some point, someone has to pick up the bill. The million-dollar question is, who should it be?

Some of the people who think money grows on trees think the state should pick up the bill, but there's one little problem with that: The state has no money. It is going through one of the biggest budget crises it has ever seen and is struggling just to balance the budget.

Even if the state had money, I do not see a reason for citizens of Missouri to be paying for my education.

So if the state cannot pick up the bill, I can only think of two other possibilities. One: We raise tuition. Two: We cut staff benefits by $2.2 million.

Here at MU, many students have told me how great this resolution is and how it is only fair we extend these benefits, and if that's what they believe, then fine. Honestly, I have no problems with benefits being extended.

But if we support the passage of these resolutions, we also have to accept the realistic consequence that the money has to come from somewhere, whether it's increased tuition or decreased faculty benefits.

These are just a few thoughts I heard no one talk about when MU was adopting our resolution and which I encourage Missouri State University to consider when making its decision.

Students and faculty deserve to have a realistic perspective of what's going on. Not just the pros and not just the cons. If the board meets and passes same-sex domestic benefits like MU, that's great, but they shouldn't without asking some of these questions first.

Clay Carter is a sophomore finance major and can be reached at ccp6c@mail.missouri.edu