Message to Faculty:

Dear Faculty Colleagues, 

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve and disrupt our daily functions as a School of Medicine, Health Science Center and University, I want to follow up on Neeli’s earlier message regarding the additional financial measures that have had to be implemented.  These were difficult and painful decisions, but were unfortunately necessary.  As leaders, while we want to make every effort to fulfill our core educational, research and clinical care missions, we are also accountable for ensuring our financial viability in the short term and for generations to come. 

As Neeli’s message pointed out, financial mitigation strategies up to this point, including salary reductions for all employees earning over $100,000, a hiring freeze for all but the most critical positions, elimination of travel, reduction in non-essential expenses and utilizing CARES funding to the fullest extent, were regrettably not enough to close our financial shortfall. We now must take more action to keep the university operating effectively. Those steps include a temporary campus-wide stoppage of university contributions to ALL individual retirement plans for three months beginning in May through July 31, a short term 1% salary reduction for May and June for employees earning between $58,000 and $100,000 and, for some employees, a two-week, month or indefinite furlough. (Furloughed employees will not be subject to the salary reduction.)

Additional details were explained in a Frequently Asked Questions document that accompanied Neeli’s message as well as in a video message from Dan Durbin, our CFO and Vice President for Operations.

The leaders of your unit have been given a targeted financial reduction to achieve based on a weighted percent of payroll.  They are better positioned than me to identify who will be furloughed, but they must reach their targeted payroll reduction amount between salary reductions and furloughs.   In making furlough decisions, I have asked that they factor in maintaining mission critical support and follow guidelines provided.

I will be holding a Teams meeting this afternoon with department chairs, vice deans/associate vice presidents and center & institute directors to review next steps and Cynthia and Celeste will be convening a Teams meeting for all ED’s and UBM’s immediately following.  As with the other measures, we are unfortunately being given an extraordinarily short deadline, with the submitted lists of reductions and furloughs being due by end of day on Thursday.  Cynthia and Celeste will be working very closely with administrative and business leaders to provide as much guidance and baseline information as they can.  Please reach out to your leader with additional questions or concerns.

This has been the most difficult and challenging time many of us have faced in our professional careers and words cannot express how much I appreciate the commitment and resilience that each of you have demonstrated.  I am hopeful that we will begin to see a return to “normal” in the next few months.  We are hearing that healthcare may be one of the first sectors to fully re-open and I will continue to keep you informed as further information becomes available.

Thank you so very much,

Toni

S.M.A.R.T. Staff Message:

Dear Staff Colleagues,

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve and disrupt our daily functions as a School of Medicine, Health Science Center and University, I want to follow up on Neeli’s earlier message regarding the additional financial measures that have had to be implemented.  These were difficult and painful decisions, but were unfortunately necessary.  As leaders, we want to make every effort to fulfill our core educational, research and clinical care missions, and are also accountable for ensuring our financial viability in the short term and for generations to come.  

As Neeli’s message pointed out, financial mitigation strategies up to this point, including salary reductions for all employees earning over $100,000, a hiring freeze for all but the most critical positions, elimination of travel, reduction in non-essential expenses and utilizing CARES funding to the fullest extent, were regrettably not enough to close our financial shortfall. We now must take more action to keep the university operating effectively. Those steps include a temporary campus-wide stoppage of university contributions to ALL individual retirement plans for three months beginning in May through July 31, a short term 1% salary reduction for May and June for employees earning between $58,000 and $100,000 and, for some employees, a two-week,  month or indefinite furlough. (Furloughed employees will not be subject to the salary reduction.)

Additional details were explained in a Frequently Asked Questions document that accompanied Neeli’s message as well as in a video message from Dan Durbin, our CFO and Vice President for Operations.

The leaders of your unit have been given a targeted financial reduction to achieve based on a weighted percent of payroll.  They are better positioned than me to identify who will be furloughed, but they must reach their targeted reduction.   In making furlough decisions, I have asked that they factor in maintaining mission critical support and follow guidelines provided.

I will be holding a Teams meeting this afternoon with department chairs, vice deans/associate vice presidents and center & institute directors to review next steps.  Cynthia and Celeste will be convening a Teams meeting for all ED’s and UBM’s immediately following.  As with the other measures, we are unfortunately being given an extraordinarily short deadline, with the submitted lists of reductions and furloughs being due by end of day on Thursday.  Cynthia and Celeste will be working very closely with administrative and business leaders to provide as much guidance and baseline information as they can.  Please reach out to your leader with additional questions or concerns.

This has been the most difficult and challenging time many of us have faced in our professional careers and words cannot express how much I appreciate the commitment and resilience that each of you have demonstrated.  I am hopeful that we will begin to see a return to “normal” in the next few months.  We are hearing that healthcare may be one of the first sectors to fully re-open and I will continue to keep you informed as further information becomes available.

Thank you so very much,

Toni