University Of Memphis Will Offer Six Weeks Of Paid Parental Leave (October 4, 2017)
By: Jennifer Pignolet, The Commercial Appeal
The University of Memphis will implement a paid parental leave policy after the Board of Trustees approved funding for the plan Wednesday morning.
University President David Rudd said Memphis will be the first public higher education institution in Tennessee to offer paid leave for new parents, per a review done by a working group of the university’s faculty senate.
The board endorsed moving forward with such a policy in June, contingent on a funding plan. Wednesday’s vote, done in a committee meeting, completes the board’s involvement in developing the policy. The administration will now work with faculty and staff to write it.
Rudd said the policy will offer six weeks paternal or maternal leave for adopting or having a biological child. He said it will also “absolutely” extend to same-sex couples. The total expected cost is $715,000 a year.
Faculty senate president Tom Banning said the policy will be “all-inclusive.”