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UT Medical Branch at Galveston
August 21, 2009
$667 million to help UTMB recover
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike in September, is on the rebound.
Latest sign: The UT System Board of Regents approved a $667 million package of repairs this week for dozens of campus buildings, from Old Red, which housed the anatomy laboratory, to John Sealy Hospital.
The approval came as no surprise, inasmuch as state lawmakers made it clear earlier this year that they wanted UTMB to stay in business on the barrier island. The funding comes from three sources: $450 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency claims, $67 million in private insurance claims and $150 million in state money.
State Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston, said he expects Galveston County commissioners to act next week to expand the pool of indigent patients supported by the county, meeting a key condition lawmakers established for the state funds.
“Probably our highest priority for renovations is John Sealy Hospital,” said Kenneth Shine, the UT System’s executive vice chancellor for health affairs. “We believe those renovations could largely be conducted while the hospital still functions.”
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June 1, 2009
UTMB upbeat on legislative outcome
Officials at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston are feeling pretty good about how the state legislative session, which ends today, treated their hurricane-damaged campus.
Here’s a news release issued by UTMB today:
GALVESTON, Texas — The 81st Texas Legislative session, one of the most upbeat for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in years, draws to a close at midnight tonight. All legislation directly affecting UTMB has been approved and awaits signature by Governor Rick Perry.
Between the Legislature’s appropriations and the other funding made possible by those appropriations — $450 million from FEMA, $130 million from insurance proceeds, $200 million from The Sealy & Smith Foundation and $50 million from the Social Service Block Grant Funds — UTMB will have approximately $1.4 billion available for restoration and expansion of facilities and services in coming years.
“We owe a great debt of gratitude to the Legislature and executive branch of Texas government for their affirmation of the future of UTMB,” said Dr. Ben Raimer, UTMB’s senior vice president for health policy and legislative affairs.
Senate Bill 1, the budget bill for the biennium starting Sept. 1, was approved by the Senate and House on Saturday. It contains $566.5 million in general revenue funding for UTMB, an increase of nearly $109 million over the previous biennium including an approximately $12 million increase in the formula strategies and a $97 million increase in health care operations — $1 million of which is dedicated to reopening the UTMB McAllen women’s cancer center that was closed after Hurricane Ike.
The Supplemental Appropriations Bill (HB 4586), also approved this weekend, gives UTMB an additional $150 million to match FEMA’s $450 million for Ike-related mitigation and repairs. In addition, House Bill 51 authorizes $150 million in tuition revenue bonds for a new hospital building on the campus that will restore UTMB’s inpatient capacity to pre-Ike levels. It was approved at 10:37 p.m. Sunday, just one and a half hours before the deadline for passing bills out of the House and one day before the end of the session. Tuition revenue bond will match $200 million from The Sealy & Smith Foundation.
Appropriations also were increased for correctional managed care. The Supplemental Appropriations bill added $48 million for the current biennium; $46.5 million goes to UTMB for costs sustained during FY 2008-09. These funds will be transferred to UTMB before Aug. 31, 2009. In addition, SB 1 increased next biennium’s correctional managed care funding by $92.5 million over the previous biennium, about $77 million of which will go for UTMB’s correctional managed care program.
Additional specifics:
· Instead of changing the way the state handles UTMB’s payments under the federal Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) and Upper Payment Limit (UPL) programs, the Legislature gave UTMB a $96 million general revenue increase in appropriations. This funding represents a huge commitment on the part of the Legislature to UTMB’s recovery.
· UTMB will continue to be able to draw up to $10 million per year for indigent health care from unclaimed lottery funds.
· The $150 million tuition revenue bond authorization requires the Legislative Budget Board to consider Galveston County actions that would increase local funding for indigent care when the LBB approves release of funds to pay for the bonds. (Such actions can include raising the county indigent care program income eligibility level to 100 percent of the federal poverty level, or creating a hospital district.)
· The Department of State Health Services received $3 million per year for expansion of diabetes programs in the Rio Grande Valley and Galveston, using UTMB’s Stark Diabetes Center model of services.
· UTMB is receiving approximately $17 million annually in new federal funding due to recent approval by the federal government of a Medicaid graduate medical education program for state-owned hospitals that had been authorized by the previous Legislature.
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March 10, 2009
Regents approve plan to keep UTMB at Galveston
University of Texas System regents unanimously approved a resolution today calling for restoration of the UT Medical Branch at Galveston to its pre-hurricane patient capacity of about 550 beds on the island.
There’s just one catch: The plan hinges on the Legislature providing money to underwrite part of the cost, including a portion of ongoing expenses for treating uninsured patients.
“The board by this vote is clearly committed to the future of UTMB on Galveston Island,” said H. Scott Caven Jr., chairman of the Board of Regents. “But this is not our decision alone.”
Under the plan, UTMB’s main clinical site, John Sealy Hospital, would be renovated and hardened to better survive a hurricane. It would have about 220 inpatient beds. An additional hospital with a similar number of beds would be constructed as well. The complex also treats state prisoners, and that wing is on a separate track for restoration of its 100 or so beds in the next few months.
Besides money expected from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and insurance proceeds, the plan depends on the state Legislature coming up with about $300 million. Moreover, the plan seeks a steady stream of funding from the state to help cover operating costs, said Kenneth Shine, the UT System’s executive vice chancellor for health affairs.
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February 19, 2009
Public to weigh in on future of UTMB
University of Texas System regents are likely to get an earful on Friday in Galveston. The occasion: a public hearing on a consultant’s report about the future of patient care at the UT Medical Branch.
Atlanta-based Kurt Salmon Associates told regents Feb. 11 that shifting all beds from the island to the mainland offers the best hope of securing the financial future of UTMB’s patient-care enterprise.
The task force is led by Colleen McHugh, head of the regents’ health affairs committee, and also includes Regents James Huffines, Janiece Longoria and Paul Foster. The 9:30 a.m. hearing at the Moody Gardens Convention Center will be carried live on the Internet at http://129.109.152.33/STREAM.SDP.
Other odds and ends from the higher education desk:
UT’s open house.Fifty thousand visitors are expected for the annual open house at the University of Texas, on March 7.
The free event, “Explore UT: The Biggest Open House in Texas,” is a blend of fun and learning that allows visitors to sample the university’s technological, artistic and intellectual riches.
Sessions will include “Lights! Camera! Action: Watch University Students Rehearse and Film a TV Drama” and “What FDR Might Tell Obama: Watch a Depression-Era President Offer His Advice.” Other activities include residence hall tours and a workshop on how to choose a major.
Additional information is here.
Jurisprudence award for Powers.The Austin Council of the Anti-Defamation League will present its inaugural Austin Jurisprudence Award to UT President William Powers Jr. on March 11.
The Anti-Defamation League cited Powers’ emphasis on diversity, noting increases in black and Hispanic law students when he was dean of the School of Law, as well as his creation of a vice president’s office for campuswide diversity and community engagement.
The award will be given every two years to a legal professional who exhibits outstanding commitment to community service, equality, justice and fairness.
A&M invites prospective students. A campus-wide open house on Saturday will give prospective students and their families a taste of university life in College Station.
The event, called “Aggieland Saturday,” will include sessions on financial aid, admissions, student organizations and student traditions, according to a university news release. Participants will be able to tour libraries, campus housing and the flight simulator laboratory. Activities are free except for meals and parking.
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February 11, 2009
Rebuild UTMB's patient care inland, consultant says
Rebuilding the patient-care enterprise inland rather than on Galveston island offers the best hope for securing the financial future of the University of Texas Medical Branch, a consulting firm said today.
Officials of Atlanta-based Kurt Salmon Associates said such an approach could also include development of a community hospital on the island.
The company said the second-best option is splitting the inpatient beds between the island and a mainland location.
Rebuilding on the island is not optimal because the location is too far from future projected population growth, said Sherman Moore, a principal with Kurt Salmon Associates.
The regents have made no decision on how to proceed and will hold a public meeting at the campus Feb. 20 to receive comments, said H. Scott Caven Jr., chairman of the Board of Regents. Caven named a task force of three regents to attend the meeting: James Huffines, Colleen McHugh and Janiece Longoria.
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February 9, 2009
Faculty group criticizes now-canceled UTMB bonuses
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, which is reeling from financial losses as a result of Hurricane Ike, had planned to pay $3 million in bonuses to staff members until a faculty group got wind of the plan, leaders of the group said today.
“They tried to sneak them through. They pulled it back because they got caught,” said Tom Johnson, executive director of the Texas Faculty Association, an advocacy group with more than 1,000 members on 85 college and university campuses in the state.
E-mails obtained by the faculty association under the Texas Public Information Act show that UTMB announced Dec. 5 that bonus payments were being canceled. That was two and a half weeks after the association requested information on the plan, said George Reamy, a blogger for the association’s Web site.
Cancellation of the “staff incentive plan” came nearly three months after the hurricane, nearly two months after Gov. Rick Perry urged state agencies to tighten their belts and a month after 2,450 UTMB employees were laid off.
The faculty association isn’t exactly on the friendliest terms with UTMB and the UT System. The association has a pending lawsuit against the UT System Board of Regents, contending that the regents violated the state’s Open Meetings Act by discussing layoff plans behind closed doors. The regents’ lawyers say the closed meetings complied with the law.
According to UTMB documents obtained by the faculty association, the staff members who had been scheduled to receive bonuses for the fiscal year that ended Aug. 31 included Garland Anderson, executive vice president, provost and dean of medicine. He had been in line for $122,233, up 3 percent from the $118,673 bonus he got the previous year. Karen Sexton, executive vice president and CEO of the schools’ health system, had been scheduled for a $107,500 bonus, and Ben Raimer, senior vice president for health policy and legislative affairs, was due to get a $100,000 bonus, the documents show.
Kathy Shingleton, UTMB’s vice president for human resources and employee services, said in the Dec. 5 e-mail to staff members that “it is with sincere regret that I must inform you that in light of the financial crisis brought about by Hurricane Ike, we simply are not able to support the approximately $3 million in SIP payouts. With regards to the FY09 SIP program, it has been suspended at the current time with the hope to restore it in FY10, depending upon UTMB financial conditions.”
Marsha Canright, a spokeswoman for UTMB, said today that bonuses are never guaranteed.
“Staff incentive plans were put in place some time ago because they improve productivity and performance,” Canright said. “As far as I know, these bonuses hinge on two items. Did the individual/group reach a ‘super’ goal above and beyond their expected performance? And second, did the institution meet its financial goals? I think at UTMB you can opt to do incentive goals or merit increases but not both. This is a program that is blessed by the state.
“For example, if a development officer raised a million dollars in excess of their target goal, they would receive a bonus if the institution met its financial goals. For UTMB, that’s a big if.”
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January 5, 2009
UT System reaffirms commitment to UTMB
Kenneth Shine isn’t happy about continued speculation that the University of Texas System might not see much of a future for the UT Medical Branch at Galveston.
Shine, the system’s interim chancellor and executive vice chancellor for health affairs, has declared repeatedly in recent weeks and months that the system remains firmly committed to the medical branch. That is the case, he says, even though the system has authorized layoffs of up to 3,800 employees as a result of hurricane damage.
Here’s a message Shine sent to the UTMB community last week in an effort to emphasize his point:
The Truth About UTMB:
A Special Message to The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Community
Dear Colleagues:
I want to take this opportunity to express the University of Texas System’s gratitude and sincere appreciation to each of you for your hard work over the last several months as efforts continue to rebuild UTMB. Without your support and the assistance of other organizations and colleagues from across the state and nation, the institution would not be making such tremendous strides in restoring the education, research and clinical activities in the wake of such devastation and turmoil. President David Callender and his leadership team should also be commended for their tireless efforts during this difficult time.
I would also like to use this opportunity to emphatically state the UT System’s commitment to the health and longevity of UTMB.
Given the tremendous efforts and hard work during the recovery process over the last several months, and after repeated public statements by UT System officials supporting UTMB, it is extremely unfortunate that some in the news media repeat and attempt to give credibility to unfounded rumors and absolutely incorrect statements about the future of UTMB. Such actions and statements are not helpful for the institution and Galveston community and in fact undermine our joint recovery efforts. I feel compelled to set the record straight with each of you.
At the October 7 UTMB Town Hall Meeting, I stated unequivocally that there were no plans to move UTMB to Austin. That is the case now, and there has at no time been any such plan. Additionally, there has been no diversion of resources from UTMB to other UT System institutions; on the contrary, other campuses have been helping to support UTMB in many ways, for which we are grateful.
There is no plan to dismantle or systematically move UTMB elsewhere. As I stated publicly at the town hall meeting, at the dedication of the Galveston National Laboratory, and at a special legislative hearing on December 3 (see my testimony and that of President Callender here, http://www.utsystem.edu/news/2008/UTS-KIS-UTMB-IKE-Testimony-12-03-08.html) the Board of Regents and UT System are committed to rebuilding a strong and financially-sound academic health center at UTMB.
Neither the UT System nor UTMB have declined any offers of operating resources from any source. As is customary in disaster recovery efforts, the UT System is working diligently with FEMA to procure federal assistance. The UT System endowments are devoted by law to specific uses and cannot be used for wages and benefits at UTMB. Furthermore, State funds are not channeled through the UT System; the Legislature appropriates funds directly to each individual component institution within the system.
The research and educational programs on the campus have been largely restored, albeit with some off-island rotations by students and residents. Such rotations have long been the case for students, and with the restoration of hospital facilities on the island, both students and residents will have future opportunities there. UTMB and the UT System are committed to operating a hospital facility on Galveston Island. The principal controversial issue has been the size and the program for that hospital. The immediate goal is to restore 300 beds, including 100 correctional managed care beds, as soon as possible. There will also be a trauma center on the island, though this will take additional time and resources to open. The commitment is to sustain the scope of clinical activities necessary to support first class medical education and research.
Kurt Salmon and Associates, an Atlanta-based consulting firm, is currently evaluating the overall patient care enterprise of UTMB. The firm is expected to finalize its report by the end of January. Ultimately, there is a goal of restoring an additional 200 - 300 beds, for a total of 500 - 600 beds, but it is very unclear where these beds should be located (either on the island or on the mainland). That is the principal question being asked of our consultants.
That said, given the level of devastation at the current hospital, there is no possibility of opening a 500- to 600-bed hospital in the near future on the island. The restoration of 200 beds continues to be challenging, but we hope the process will be expedited with the temporary kitchen and other infrastructure support. In the interim, the campus can take great pride in the delivery of more than 1,000 babies since Hurricane Ike made landfall.
The reduction in force on the campus has been very painful, but necessary if UTMB is to survive. UTMB employees involved in the reduction in force will have been compensated continuously for at least four months since Hurricane Ike at a time when there was insufficient income to cover that payroll. The necessity to conduct this reduction in force was done precisely to avoid the bankruptcy of the campus and so that it can be restored to fiscal stability for the future.
We will be seeking substantial emergency funding from the State to compensate for the huge losses incurred since the hurricane and additional funds to prepare for the future. A credible long term plan for the hospital will be needed to plan for that future.
In any case, the goal has been and will continue to be to rebuild UTMB so that it can reach its full potential. The dissemination of falsehoods and inaccurate statements can only serve to demoralize those who are working tirelessly for the future to which we all aspire.
The UT System Board of Regents and UT System leadership remain resolute in our commitment to rebuilding UTMB so that it will have a vibrant future. We know many of you share that vision and we look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead.
If you have questions, you may contact me via feedback@utsystem.edu.
Sincerely,
Kenneth I. Shine, M.D.
Interim Chancellor and Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, The University of Texas System
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December 11, 2008
Lawsuit alone won't save UTMB jobs
The lawyer for the Texas Faculty Association, which has sued the University of Texas System Board of Regents concerning its decision to lay off 3,800 employees at the UT Medical Branch at Galveston, says he’s correct on the law. The law, in this case, being the Texas Open Meetings Act.
The lawyer, Joseph Jaworski, contends that the regents violated the act by discussing layoff plans behind closed doors. Such a violation, Jaworski says, would void the layoff authorization approved by the regents in a public session Nov. 12.
But Jaworski, in a phone interview this week, was quick to concede a broader and more telling point: “This lawsuit by itself isn’t going to hire one person back. We’re going to have to get some help from the 81st Legislature and the regents themselves.”
UT System officials say there was no violation of the Open Meetings Act. The act allows closed-door discussions about individual employees as well as discussions for legal advice, and that’s what the sessions involved, according to the system’s lawyers.
Moreover, officials say, the layoffs were essential to stanch huge financial losses stemming from Hurricane Ike, which essentially shut down John Sealy Hospital, the main clinical site. The UT System plans to restore the hospital, but with fewer than half the number of beds it had before Ike.
At some point, of course, a judge will weigh in. The case was filed in Galveston County, but these types of issues involving state agencies often wind up in Travis County.
Incidentally, Jaworski ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in November and is the grandson of the late Leon Jaworski, who was the special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal.
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December 2, 2008
Faculty association plans to sue UT regents over closed UTMB meeting
The Texas Faculty Association says it will sue the University of Texas System Board of Regents over the board’s closed-door meeting about layoffs at the UT Medical Branch at Galveston.
The association, which advocates for higher education faculty members and support staff, has scheduled a news conference and lawsuit filing for Wednesday morning at state district court in Galveston.
The announcement is not a surprise. The association’s executive director, Tom Johnson, had said litigation was an option.
The regents held a private session at UT-El Paso on Nov. 12 before a public session at which they authorized layoffs of 3,800 UTMB employees. The regents cited damage from Hurricane Ike as a key factor in their decision to downsize John Sealy Hospital, the main clinical site at the campus.
The Faculty Association and the Texas Daily Newspaper Association contend that the closed session violated the Texas Open Meetings Act, but UT System officials say the act includes exceptions for legal advice and discussion of individual employees.
Here’s the statement issued Monday evening by the Faculty Association:
GALVESTON/AUSTIN - DEC. 1, 2008: Galveston attorney Joe Jaworski will file a lawsuit on behalf of the Texas Faculty Assn. (TFA) and other plaintiffs alleging that University of Texas Board of Regents and other UT officials violated the Texas Open Meetings Act when they held a closed meeting and conference phone calls before they announced the layoffs of 3,800 employees of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
What: Press Conference and Filing
Where: Galveston County District Courts, 600 59th St., Galveston, TX
Time: 10:00 A.M.
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008
“UTMB has proudly served the health needs of Texas for over a century. It is a first-class teaching hospital, research institution and Level-One Trauma Center. Hurricane Ike caused severe, but reparable damage; however, the UT System Board of Regents have shocked all Texans by choosing to dismantle the institution rather than rebuild with insurance, FEMA money and other available state and federal funds,” said Jaworski.
“We don’t know the basis of their decision since it was secretly deliberated in a closed session in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act. This lawsuit seeks to shine some much needed light on the Regents’ shocking decision,” he added.
“This hasty, secret and ill-conceived decision by the UT Regents, UTMB officials and UT Chancellor Ken Shine is guaranteed to destroy Galveston’s largest employer and render the recovery of this great city all, but impossible,” stated TFA Executive Director Tom Johnson.
“It is a vicious, cruel, immoral and abusive attack on thousands of loyal UTMB employees who have already been traumatized by Hurricane Ike. The decision is guaranteed to render increasing illnesses and may even increase deaths among the non-insured Galveston population - a population that UTMB has been attempting to abandon for years as ‘unprofitable.’
“TFA pledges to our members, UTMB employees and the citizens of Galveston and Texas that we will do everything in our power to see that this action is reversed.”
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November 25, 2008
UT System defends closed UTMB session
The Texas Daily Newspaper Association charged last week that the University of Texas System Board of Regents violated the state Open Meetings Act by holding a closed-door discussion of plans to lay off 3,800 employees at the UT Medical Branch at Galveston.
The Texas Faculty Association also weighed in, suggesting that it might go to court.
Now lawyers for the system have issued a written response asserting that no violation took place.
Francie Frederick, general counsel to the regents, and Barry Burgdorf, vice chancellor and general counsel for the system, said in a joint statement today that the regents’ executive session discussion was on firm legal ground because it centered on legal issues and individual personnel. They denied that the session was used to discuss the creation of policies, which would have been illegal.
“We were present during the Board’s executive session discussion of UT Medical Branch issues on Nov. 12, and the Board’s discussion was in compliance with our advice and with the public posting for individual personnel and legal issues,” the lawyers said.
The statement was prompted by a letter to H. Scott Caven Jr., chairman of the regents, from Gary Borders, president of the Daily Newspaper Association. Borders said state law allows a private discussion regarding an individual but not of a class of employees. The Austin American-Statesman is a member of the association.
“We just feel like they should have discussed all of the background in an open meeting,” Ken Whalen, executive vice president of the newspaper association, said Monday. He said the association hasn’t decided what action, if any, it will take.
Tom Johnson, executive director of the Texas Faculty Association, said legal action is one option. Another, he said, is to appeal “to the people who fund UT, the legislators of Texas. This process has been undemocratic and un-Texan.”
Here’s the letter from Borders, followed by the statement from Frederick and Burgdorf:
November 21, 2008
H. Scott Caven, Jr. Chairman University of Texas Board of Regents Ashbell Smith Hall, Suite 820 201 West 7th St. Austin, TX 78701
Dear Mr. Caven:
While I understand the layoffs of 3,800 people is a sensitive issue, the consensus among Texas daily newspapers is that the UT Board of Regents added insult to injury by doing so in apparent violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act.
By going into executive session to discuss the layoffs of that many employees, our attorneys believe the Board misinterpreted Section 551.074 of the Public Information Act that provides for a personnel exception. That exception is to discuss an individual or officer, not a class of employees.
The 3,800 UTMB employees affected by your actions deserved to hear it discussed in an open meeting. UT Regents have an obligation to shed as much light as possible on this decision and why you felt it was necessary.
Sadly, that did not happen.
I urge the Board’s attorneys to review this issue and take steps to see that it is not repeated. We will continue to study this issue and consider what action might be taken, either alone as an industry or in concert with other interested parties.
Sincerely,
Gary Borders President, Board of Directors Texas Daily Newspaper Association
Statement from General Counsel to the Board of Regents Francie Frederick, J.D., and Vice Chancellor and General Counsel Barry Burgdorf, J.D.:
“As legal counsel and senior advisors to The University of Texas System Board of Regents, it is our responsibility to routinely counsel the Regents on compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act. We have a combined experience of over 35 years working directly with Texas Open Meetings Act issues and have read every opinion of the Attorney General of Texas interpreting the Act since it became law in the early 1970’s. We were present during the Board’s executive session discussion of UT Medical Branch issues on Nov.12, and the Board’s discussion was in compliance with our advice and with the public posting for individual personnel and legal issues.
“Mr. Borders is absolutely correct that a public governing body in Texas may convene under the personnel exception only to discuss individual personnel; however, a governing body may also consult with and receive advice from its attorneys under the legal issues exception. Captions under both exceptions, in addition to captions for negotiated gifts to benefit UTMB and potential real estate transactions involving UTMB, were publicly posted for the Nov. 12 meeting. The public posting concerning personnel expressly states individual personnel will be the topic.
“Prior to the Nov. 12 meeting, the initial determination that a reduction in force (RIF) was necessary and that the number likely impacted could be as high as 3,800 was made by UTMB President David Callender and then shared with UT System Interim Chancellor Kenneth Shine, who agreed.
“This follows the established UTMB RIF policy and the Regents’ Rules and Regulations concerning program and position abandonments for financial exigency that potentially impact tenured faculty.
“The Board reconvened in open session to discuss these issues. Interim Chancellor Shine reviewed and discussed the status of UTMB programs with the Board in open session, including the approximate number of employees a reduction in force would require for the institution to address the financial exigency as recommended to him by President Callender. Following this discussion with Regents, a motion was approved to support Dr. Callender and assure appropriate treatment for members of UTMB’s workforce impacted by the reduction in force. The Board’s action, which instructed the UT System to work with President Callender to implement a reduction in force, was made by the Board in front of the public and broadcast over the internet.
“Please also note that the president of the Texas State Employees’ Union addressed the Board prior to the Board’s action and included in her comments a request that UTMB’s current reduction in force policy be followed should a reduction in force be determined to be necessary.
“The UT System firmly believes the executive session was properly posted and the discussion properly centered on legal issues and individual personnel. It is correct that executive session may not be used to discuss the promulgation of policies; however, the legal issues exception was also posted, and under such a caption the Board could permissibly discuss issues such as authorized funding sources to avoid a reduction in force, the legal impact of a resolution authorizing the implementation of a reduction in force, and the legal rights, if any, of those impacted by a reduction in force.
“The Galveston County Community College District, which did not have a reduction in force policy, held a meeting a few days prior to the UT System Board of Regents’ meeting. The community college district posted an open session caption for the establishment of a reduction in force policy. As such policies already existed within the UT System, it was not necessary to use similar language in the UT System open meetings notice. We suspect the difference in these two postings may have contributed to the confusion of some members of the news media and other individuals.
“The UT System Board of Regents takes great pride in its open and public discourse on matters related to governance of the UT System and its institutions and we are committed to rigid adherence to the law. The Board understands and uses, when necessary, the construct of executive session as allowed by Texas law. To allege otherwise with no basis in fact is a disservice to the Regents and those who have an interest in and are impacted by the decisions they make.”
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November 13, 2008
For UTMB chief, a heavy heart tinged with hope
David Callender, president of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, is a glass-is-half-full guy with a heavy heart.
A day after the UT System Board of Regents instructed him to lay off 3,800 of the medical branch’s 12,000 employees, Callender said today that he is holding out some hope that, in the long term, he might be able to build the campus back up to its former level. He didn’t sound overly confident, though, adding that he didn’t want to give “false hopes.”
My story about the regents’ action is posted here.
UT System officials say the layoffs should be regarded as permanent, at least for the forseeable future. The medical branch’s primary health-care unit, John Sealy Hospital, is essentially shut down as a result of damage from Hurricane Ike, and the system’s plan is to reconfigure the 600-bed hospital into a 200-bed unit.
Most of the layoffs will affect hospital workers and support staff, including nurses, technicians and maintenance people. Few employees involved in research and education will be laid off.
“Obviously, the thing I’m most concerned about is the people,” Callender said in a brief interview this morning at UT-El Paso, where the regents are meeting. He posted the following message after Wednesday’s announcement by the regents:
I write this with a heavy heart.
Earlier today, The University of Texas System Board of Regents directed us to proceed with a reduction in force designed to align the number of UTMB employees with a much smaller clinical enterprise.(For more information, see the UT System message: http://www.utsystem.edu/News/2008/BOR-Statement-UTMB-11-12-08.html)
Over the next few days, we will work closely with UT System officials to finalize those plans, and we anticipate making a more detailed announcement sometime next week. The Regents strongly support us in our commitment to do everything possible to lessen the impact on employees whose positions will be affected.
Although the decision to proceed with a reduction in force is necessary given the financial challenges brought on by Hurricane Ike, everyone involved is deeply saddened by the impact this will have on people who have served UTMB well and whose lives have been irrevocably changed.
Above all, we will do our best to maintain an environment of compassion and respect as we all work through this most difficult time.
David L. Callender, UTMB President
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