Virginia Tech is competing for talent with universities all over the country which provide the types of health benefits proposed in this initiative.  It places our university at a competitive disadvantage as we seek top talent, and try to retain top talent, when our benefits packages do not stack up with the universities with which we compete.  We need to focus more on the talents of the people we recruit and employ, and less on their marital status, because it is the talent of our faculty and staff that helps make this such a wonderful institution.  We need to recognize the wisdom of partner benefits and benefits for the adults in the household because it is the right way to treat people and the best way to keep our university competitive.