More cuts for MUSC?
School president: Next year's money at risk, too
Dr. Ray Greenberg, Medical University of South Carolina president, sent a letter Jan. 12 to faculty, staff and students bracing them for more budget cuts.
"The challenges of the economy remain at the forefront of our minds," he wrote, describing the crisis as "a time when each of us is being tested as never before."
The Post and Courier
Dr. Ray Greenberg, president of the Medical University of South Carolina, talks last year about the budget cuts.
A report in The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked South Carolina dead last in growth in state spending on higher education with a drop of 17.7 percent from fiscal year 2008 to 2009. Alabama ranked 49th with a 10.5 percent decrease in state appropriations.
"The people of South Carolina need to know that what is happening in this state with respect to the funding of higher education is a great departure from what is happening in other states," Greenberg said. "As a result, the challenges to the institutions here are much greater, and it is all the more difficult for us to remain competitive."
Garrison Walters, executive director of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, spoke to a House Ways and Means subcommittee Jan. 13 about the situation. Colleges and universities have lost $170 million in state funds in the last six months.
In fiscal 2007, South Carolina ranked 38th nationally on support per full-time student at $5,838, below the national average of $6,774, Walters reported.
In the current fiscal year, MUSC has lost 24.5 percent of what it once received in state appropriations in a series of cuts — 2.68 percent, 3 percent, 11.9 percent and 7 percent.
Seven percent, or about $100 million, of the university's operating budget came from state appropriations. That amount has been reduced by $22.5 million.
In October, the university instituted a hiring freeze, cut overtime and used less paper and electricity. Greenberg asked the six colleges and administrative units to draft individual plans to reduce spending.
In November, MUSC announced that the university would furlough 1,200 of its 5,000 employees for four days and began the process to lay off six employees, saving more than $300,000. The communication sciences and disorders program was axed.
Now, more plans are being drawn up. One work group is exploring cost savings by combining certain support functions at MUSC, the College of Charleston and The Citadel.
"We do not have specifics yet as the plans are still being developed," Greenberg said.
Raising tuition alone is not a viable way to fix the shortfall since tuition only brings in 10 percent of MUSC's budget. By comparison, tuition at other colleges in South Carolina provides up to 50 percent of their budgets, MUSC Vice President for Finance Lisa Montgomery said.
And the backsliding is not over. Next year's budget is a moving target, too. Greenberg said, "We were given instructions in December to prepare budgets for next fiscal year assuming a 15 percent cut, 8 percent beyond the 7 percent cut that we took in December."
Reach Jill Coley at 937-5719 or jcoley@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
jeg111 (anonymous) says...
Greenberg, you should have studied the economic situation more before you built that ugly ART!! Are you still driving your JAG?? This is really a shame.
January 20, 2009 at 8:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
amembersid (anonymous) says...
I'm not sure but the JAG might belong to MUSC. MUSC has a bad habit of employees hiring employees to do their jobs for them. I know I work here(MUSC).
January 20, 2009 at 9:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
TripleTasked (anonymous) says...
Just a reminder- ART not built with state funds, thus has nothing to do with what's going on with the university budget crisis. And he does not drive a JAG- tell me again how what he drives has anything to do with poor accountability at the state level regarding the funding of all our higher learning institutions? Check your facts before you say inane or ignorant things; I work at MUSC, too.
January 20, 2009 at 11:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
readthefineprint (anonymous) says...
This article was not about ART or the Hospital Authority. The problem being highlighted is that the State of South Carolina cut funding to higher ed substantially around the recession of 2002 and never restored what had been cut even after the economy recovered. Now they're asking to cut the University again and it will inevitably effect the quality of the education available here and the tuition we charge and the efficiency with which we are able to accomplish our other duties. We can't unbuild ART. The damage is done there. We should insist that the state make a higher priority out of higher education. If they'd funded us when times were good, we wouldn't be going around claiming the sky is falling right now.
January 20, 2009 at 12:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
herakles (anonymous) says...
Who cares if he drives a Jag, he runs the place, I hope he earns enough to drive a nice car. ART will be fine, jeg111, please keep you drivel to yourself. The real issue is that the state legislature has overspend for years and now we are paying the price. The biggest issue is that this will only get worse as the unemployment crisis begins to unfold. Dr. Greenberg and many involved in MUSC administrative roles have miscalculated the economy and added a huge liability in ART, but we have to move forward and attempt to take a leadership role in the SouthEast... it is going to be fun.
January 20, 2009 at 1:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
River_Rat (anonymous) says...
Well, we already share a NFL team with North Carolina maybe we should start talks with sharing some of the Universities and Colleges located there as well since funding our own doesn't seem to be a priority.
January 20, 2009 at 2:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jk_newhard (anonymous) says...
Raise the cost of in-state tuition. Take the cost of out-of-state tuition and subtract what colleges and universities get from the state.
January 20, 2009 at 2:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
greyman (anonymous) says...
tripletasked
What happened at the new chest pain center at the new art building? The ambulances cant get to where they need to go b/c they can't get under the parking garage. Thats what happened. So they have to bill it as a clinic and not an er. Does this sound right? Nurses are not state employees. There have been plenty of cutbacks there. They are cutting back hours for nurses... He is running the show. To me it sounds like some big problems at MUSC besides state budget cuts. The architect is a bonehead for that huge mistake. Seems like someone would have cought that.
January 20, 2009 at 7:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
amembersid (anonymous) says...
It's, I work at MUSC, also, not "too" Looking at various county sites I can't find where Dr Greenberg has payed taxes on an automoble. It is a perk of MUSC.
January 20, 2009 at 8:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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