Q: What was UNMC’s rationale in making these budget-cutting decisions?
A: These cuts were not easy. The goal of Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., in making these cuts was not to affect the foundation of UNMC as an academic medical center. No horizontal, across-the-board cuts are included in these budget reductions.
The Medical Center doesn’t have duplication of programs. For instance, the UNMC College of Medicine serves the entire state. If the College of Medicine’s department of cell biology, anatomy and genetics were eliminated, the College of Medicine could lose accreditation. This would leave Nebraska students without an in-state, public university to earn a medical degree.
If UNMC were a tree, these cuts would eliminate some of its branches, but the base of the tree would continue to be nourished, so that the remaining branches would grow and flourish. UNMC will continue to be a vibrant medical center.
Q: How does UNMC expect to save $1 million in its utility budget over the next year?
A: Just recently, UNMC began an energy-savings campaign on its Omaha campus. UNMC has reduced the amount of decorative lighting across campus, held energy-saving forums with the Omaha Public Power District and sent “did you save energy today” reminders to employees. Thus far, UNMC is seeing reductions in energy use by up to 5 percent. Campus officials are hopeful – and confident – that these energy-saving measures will become habit for UNMC employees. In addition, utility savings over this past decade have been used to keep UNMC’s utility infrastructure – principally steam, chilled water and electrical facilities – modernized and efficient. With these cuts, these recurring utility savings will no longer be available, at least in the near future, for this purpose.
Q: When will faculty and employees affected by these cuts no longer be employed at UNMC?
A: That hasn’t been determined, specifically. All faculty and employees who are affected by these cuts will receive a 90-day job elimination notice. No notices have been sent, as of yet. Contracts with outside agencies, the flow of students through a program and other factors will help determine how long the phase-out period for the eliminated programs will be.
Q: What will result from the cut of state support to Biomedical Communications?
A: Biomedical Communications provides educational support services to UNMC colleges, institutes and other units. These services include audio/visual support, graphic assistance and video production. Some services of Biomedical Communications already are self-supporting, and the rest of the division will become self-supporting.
Q: How will UNMC assist the employees whose positions will be eliminated?
A: UNMC plans to assist these employees in several ways. UNMC Human Resources-Employee Relations will provide transition assistance to impacted employees. The Faculty/Employee Assistance Program also will be available to provide support to affected employees and their families. In addition, UNMC has developed a Career Search packet, which explains the employment/application process for UNMC jobs and contains many self-help tips/worksheets for resume writing, networking and interviewing. Familiarization with these materials should assist in identifying the right opportunities for employment. Employees who are impacted are eligible to apply for any and all UNMC positions for which they are qualified, and they will receive preferential consideration during the application process. Call UNMC Human Resources-Employee Relations at (402) 559-5827 for more information.
Q: Could these cuts have been avoided, had UNMC not given salary increases this past year?
A: This year, UNMC did reduce the size of the pool for salary increases to 4 percent, from 6.2 percent for faculty and 5 percent for employees and staff. However, Chancellor Maurer and the Chancellor’s Council have been adamant that raises need to be given, if UNMC is to continue on its trajectory to becoming a world-class academic health sciences center. To ensure a quality of excellence in the workplace and to reward faculty and employees for their accomplishments and hard work, the 4 percent raise, on average, was given. “We don’t want to go to the lowest common denominator,” Chancellor Maurer said. “We want to be at the top tier of medical centers. To go there, we must pay people what they deserve.”
Q: Can University of Nebraska Foundation funds be used to help UNMC solve these current budget problems?
A: No. The University of Nebraska Foundation exists to provide a margin of excellence for University of Nebraska programs. Its funds come from private donors who wish to provide support for student financial aid, capital projects, endowed faculty chairs and other specific programs. Supporters of the university almost always give funds for specific purposes. Therefore, UNMC cannot use foundation contributions for general operations of the university.
Q: With its state support eliminated, what is the future of the UNMC Alumni Affairs Office?
A: Alternative sources of funding are being sought for the UNMC Alumni Affairs Office.
Q: Are these the final budget-cutting measures that UNMC likely will face over the next few years?
A: Regrettably, no. Because of the state’s budget situation, cuts in 2003-2005 are likely. Additional cuts would mean sacrificing more programs, which could jeopardize accreditation in some cases.