‘Benefits Denied,’ a November 4, 2005 front-page story that centered around Human Development Professor Sean Massey, incorrectly reported that same-sex partners were denied benefits reserved for ‘conventional’ spouses by the SUNY system. As Massey pointed out the morning the article appeared,

‘It is not the SUNY system that is limiting the access my partner and I have to the full benefits available to heterosexual couples ‘ that’s the fault of the federal and state governments. SUNY offers same-sex domestic partners of faculty and staff access to the same health insurance plans they offer heterosexual couples’ Because my marriage is not recognized by the federal and state governments, any spousal health benefits we receive would be taxable. This creates a de-facto difference in compensation.’