A Michigan appeals court on Friday ruled that public colleges and universities in the state may not offer health insurance or other benefits to the same-sex partners of employees. The ruling said that a state ban on gay marriage, approved by voters in 2004, barred such benefits.
Since the spread of state amendments to bar gay marriage, a concern of many gay and lesbian college employees had been that the measures would be used to limit their employee benefits, and the Michigan ruling may be the most dramatic evidence yet that those fears reflect a real danger.