Time line of events

Brief Timeline:

Winter, 1998




April 16, 1998





April 27, 1998







January, 1999

February 14, 2000

February 17, 2000


May 1, 2000

May 18, 2000



July 18, 2000


October 31, 2000



March 26, 2001

UIUC Senate Approves Resolution for Domestic Partner Benefits

By now, all three UI campuses have approved resolutions supporting DPBs.

President Stukel decides not to pursue DPBs when university legal counsel concludes that providing such benefits would be illegal.

President Stukel sends letter to University Senates Conference outlining why DPB’s cannot be offered because benefits are a state matter, not a university matter.

Senators obtain legal opinion differing with university counsel's.

Professor Stephen Kaufman asks for Senate response to Pres. Stukel's decision to not follow Senate's recommendation.

In a letter addressed to Professor Joan Larsen Klein, Member of the University Senates Conference, Carlos Ball and Cynthia Williams, Assistant Professors of Law, rebut the University’s Legal Counsel argument that the University cannot provide domestic partner benefits.

University Senates Conference on DPB's sends Pres. Stukel a proposed domestic partner benefit program.

UIUC Senate: "The President is looking into" domestic partner benefits

University Senates Conference reports that AFSCME is bargaining DPB's with the state. Trustees are worried about cost.

UIUC Senate: During discussion of child care facility, Sen. Burton attempts to add resolution supporting DPB's (same as 1996). Amendment is defeated on argument that DPB resolution has already passed.

University Senates Conference: Reported that AFSCME failed to negotiate DPBs into their contract with the state. "Jim [Stukel] promises to begin talking to the Board about [domestic partner benefits]."

University Senates Conference: "Jim [Stukel] promises to begin talking to the Board about [domestic partner benefits], probably in September."

University Senates Conference: "It was reported that President Stukel is reluctant to forward [domestic partner benefits] to the Trustees since the policy appears to be "at odds with the current statutory framework."

AAP launches signature campaign for domestic partner benefits.