The University of Georgia is close to approving benefits for the partners of gay, lesbian and otherwise unmarried employees, which faculty members say will help recruit and retain highly-qualified employees.

The University Council's executive committee will take up a proposal Thursday to extend benefits like health, dental and life insurance to the domestic partners of UGA employees. The policy would take effect no later than Jan. 1, 2014.

UGA can't spend tax money on domestic partner benefits, since Georgia doesn't recognize gay marriages, but the Faculty Council plans to use discretionary funds to pay for benefits.

Five colleges and universities in Georgia—Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, Georgia Perimeter College and Georgia Regents University—already allow employees to sign up their domestic partners for at least some insurance programs. So do 18 of 24 UGA peer institutions, mostly major public research universities like the University of Texas. And UGA has offered "soft" benefits like Ramsey Center access since 2005.