The dispute between the University and the YMCA of the Triangle Area over whether a family membership rate should apply to families headed by same-sex couples encountered another minor setback this week.
The YMCA sent Duke a note late Friday afternoon canceling a Monday meeting that had been scheduled to resolve the issue. John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations, answered with an e-mail to Judy Bright, executive vice president of the YMCA of the Triangle Area, expressing frustration at the cancellation.
Over the weekend, Bright clarified to the University that the YMCA's request was due to scheduling conflicts and was not an attempt to skirt the issue.
"I think it's fair that I was initially quite disappointed that the date we agreed upon didn't work out," Burness said, adding that Monday's meeting was initially set according to the YMCA's calendar. "I have now had a conversation with them, and I am now more satisfied with why they're doing this."
Bright did not return repeated calls last week, but officials from her organization issued a statement Monday morning saying the YMCA needed more time to "communicate with its various constituent groups."
"The YMCA is in its annual process of reviewing membership categories and pricing structure, which addresses the questions Duke University and others have raised," Doug McMillan, chief executive officer of the YMCA of the Triangle Area, wrote in the statement.
The initial controversy arose when the Downtown YMCA of Durham merged with the YMCA of the Triangle Area. Prior to the merger, Duke and the Durham's YMCA had an agreement by which the University would promote YMCA programs to its employees in exchange for a price break offered to Duke affiliates.
For several months following the merger, the YMCA has been fighting with both Duke and the city of Durham to exclude same-sex couples from the family rate, which is $68 a month for Duke employees. The individual rate for Duke employees is $45 a month.
The city, which subsidizes the YMCA with $70,000 a year, requested the organization expand its policy to include families headed by same-sex partners earlier this year. In April McMillan told the City Council the YMCA uses the state's criteria for family: a married couple.
The national YMCA offers several definitions for family, which allows for the possibility of same-sex couples to receive family discounts. The organization allows homosexual individuals to join.
The canceled meeting will be rescheduled for no later than June 28, officials from both Duke and the YMCA noted.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.