PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL
December 13, 2000

Present: Rosalie Crouch, Ray Greenberg, Bo Faulkner, Jim Fisher, Sarah King, Perry Halushka, Layton McCurdy, Sabra Slaughter (Council Secretary), Adrian Reuben, Stuart Smith, Paul Taylor, John Sutusky, Marion Woodbury, and Walker Coleman

Guests: Steve Haines, Fred Allen, Susan Haskill, Kelly Roberts, and Casey Martin

NOTE: Copies of all handout/visual materials used at the meeting are on file in the Office of the Council Secretary.

ITEM 1. MUSC TOWN HALL FORUM

Mr. Kelly Roberts presented the background, rationale, and tentative plans for this Intranet forum as recommended by the Communications Council.

ACTION: President's Council will study the proposal and make a final recommendation at a meeting in the near future.

ITEM 2. CONTINUATION OF MORITORIUM ON HIRING AND RAISES

Council had originally set these moratoriums in June for a six-month period; thus, their reconsideration was required at this time. Discussion resulted in two actions as follows.

ACTION: The moratorium on hiring will be extended until June 30, 2000 at which time it will again be reconsidered. Dr. Sutusky will communicate this on the University side, and Mr. Smith for the Authority.

ACTION: The moratorium on the selected freeze of raises for non-classified employees in executive positions will be lifted as of January 1, 2001. Drs. Crouch and Sutusky will communicate this to appropriate colleagues.

ITEM 3. STRATEGY FOR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS: SPECIAL REQUESTS FOR FUNDING

Council further discussed possible strategies for new or additional funding that might be of interest to the Legislature.

ACTION: Several areas were tentatively identified and the following assignments made for information and/or recommendations to be brought back at next week's Council meeting: background information on previous budget reductions (Dr. Sutusky with assistance from Dr. Crouch and Ms. King); strategy recommendations relative to the Tobacco Fund (Mr. Faulkner and Mr. Allen); strategy recommendations with respect to lottery funds (Mr. Faulkner and Mr. Allen); other potential new revenue sources (Mr. Faulkner and Mr. Allen with respect to motor vehicle type revenue streams, and Dr. McCurdy with respect to what other health science centers may be doing); a possible meeting with the Legislative Delegation (Mr. Faulkner); and internal/external communications plans (Ms. King).

ITEM 4. NEUROSCIENCES INSTITUTE

Drs. Haines and Crouch presented plans for this proposed new institute that will be jointly directed by the Chairs of Neurology, Neurological Surgery, Physiology & Neurosciences, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. It has been reviewed and endorsed by all appropriate segments of the University.

ACTION: Council approved this for submission to the University Board of Trustees for final approval.

ITEM 5. & 6. FY '02 STATE BUDGET REDUCTION DISCUSSION

In follow up to previous President's Council discussion of this subject, Dr. Sutusky reported that the Ways and Means Committee had just requested budget information by January 5, 2001 from every state agency to include effects of reducing '02 state fund budgets by several different percentages. Council was emphatic that MUSC could not continue in its present form with any further reductions, particularly after the extraordinary reductions achieved across the institution over recent years. Extensive discussion touched on possible effects of reductions to MUSC, potential strategies to deter reductions, opportunities for cooperative strategies with state and or other appropriate organizations, and incorporation of provisions for such reductions in the formal MUSC budget development process which had just started for FY '12.

ACTION: Drs. Sutusky and Crouch (for the University) and Mr. Smith (for the Authority) will proceed to incorporate this into the formal MUSC Budget development process as well as have colleagues work on the required January 5 Ways and Means response. The response will be finalized at the two upcoming Council meetings with input from Drs. Greenberg and Crouch on possible cooperative initiatives with sister research institutions; Dr. McCurdy and Mr. Smith on other possible cooperative initiatives; Mr. Fisher with respect to interest/support from community friends and leaders; Ms. King for a clear internal and external communications plan; and Mr. Faulkner on appropriate Legislative strategy. Dr. Reuben will present this information to the Faculty Senate on January 9 with support from Dr. Sutusky and a representative of the Provost.

EXTRA ITEMS/DISCUSSION

Mr. Fisher announced an unprecedented fifth program funded by the Duke Endowment at the same time on campus ($ 450,000 for a health lifestyle Internet educational project). He also announced that the Abney Foundation of Anderson had donated a lump sum gift of $ 1.25 million to both the Hollings Cancer Center and to the Islet Cell Transplant Center with a strong lead to matching funds from another foundation.