UNMC today announced the steps it plans to take to reduce its 2002-2003 budget by an additional $3.07 million.
“These cuts are painful, and the decisions behind them were difficult, but necessary, to make. We will lose good employees because of these cuts,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “Our guiding principle in making these cuts was to not affect the basis of who we are as an academic medical center on the move. We have trimmed some branches, but our roots are strong.”
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Thursday’s second forum will begin at 2 p.m. in the Eppley Science Hall Amphitheater. Overflow seating will be available in the NHS University Hospital amphitheater, Room 4208. The second forum will be broadcast via satellite on NET2, Channel 103, to sites in Kearney, Lincoln and Scottsbluff. Faculty and employees at those UNMC campus sites can view the forums at: Kearney, Room 217 in the UNK Communications Building; Lincoln, Dixon Hall at the College of Dentistry; and Scottsbluff, faculty lounge. |
Tuesday’s announcement came on the heels of a special Legislative session in July, during which lawmakers cut the 2002-2003 University of Nebraska appropriation for third time in the past year. In all, UNMC’s state general fund budget was reduced by $6.7 million, or 6.7 percent. These cuts occurred through legislative reduction of state general fund support and university-wide reallocation.
On Tuesday, Dr. Maurer announced the following steps to reduce the budget:
- Eliminate state funding for the Division of Biomedical Communications. The division provides educational support services for UNMC faculty and staff. These services include audio/visual support, graphic assistance and video production. These reductions will amount to $527,543 in state general fund savings, and staff positions totaling 11.5 full-time equivalency (FTE) will be eliminated.
- Eliminate state funding for medical resident malpractice insurance. UNMC will work with its clinical partner, Nebraska Health System (NHS), to cover these costs. The savings will amount to $326,349 in state general funds.
- Eliminate a proposed satellite education site for senior students in the College of Pharmacy, producing a savings of $250,000 in state general funds. With the reductions, 2.5 FTE faculty positions will be eliminated.
- Eliminate state general fund support of $217,500 for four residencies in the College of Medicine.
- Reduce Business and Finance costs. UNMC hopes to achieve a $1 million savings in state general fund money by reducing its utility consumption and decreasing the amount of money used for utility maintenance. The university also will save another $382,500 by reducing Business and Finance operations, including facilities costs and collaborative cuts in purchasing with the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
- Decrease UNMC subsidies to contracted state social services. UNMC has contracts with the state to provide these services. In addition, UNMC provides resources beyond those that are stipulated by the contracts. Those subsidies are being reduced by $150,000 of general fund money.
- Eliminate state general fund support for the UNMC Alumni Office. A $200,000 savings will be realized, and 3.6 FTE staff positions will be eliminated.
- Eliminate ongoing state support for Grand Island College Park, generating a state general fund savings of $15,000. UNMC services at College Park will be used on a “pay as you go” basis.
Dr. Maurer said that several factors were considered when making the budget reductions. He said that UNMC must protect its core, mission-critical areas. Although UNMC will be a less accessible and, most likely, a less-affordable institution, it will emerge from these difficult times a more vibrant campus, Dr. Maurer said.
“The Chancellor’s Council will assist me in carrying out these budget-cutting proposals,” Dr. Maurer said. “While these cuts are difficult, it is now time to begin the process of implementing them. We must unite and move forward to maintain our trajectory toward becoming a world-class academic health sciences center.”