MUSC cutting jobs, mandates unpaid leave

Ray GreenbergMUSC President Ray Greenberg. Read his letter to employees about the cuts.Today, MUSC announced it is requiring mandatory unpaid leave and it will permanently cut some jobs to deal with the state's budget cuts.

Many employees in non-revenue producing areas of the school will be required to take four-days of leave without pay, while the job cuts are waiting on approval in Columbia.

The mandatory leave would not need to be taken until 2009.

The state is cutting nearly $17 million of $100 million in funding to MUSC -- making it a nearly 2.5% cut to the school's overall budget.

Get lots more information on the cuts at the school's "Budget Update" site. Their video also provides a good overview.

Read more stories on this subject in our state budget topic page.Many, many other state agencies are requiring unpaid leave to deal with the state's budget cuts.

And last week word came that the state will likely be looking to cut another 2% from it's overall budget.

Update November 24, 7 p.m.: NBC News 2 has a story that adds some numbers.

Most interesting was that the mandatory unpaid leave should save the school around $1 million dollars, and Greenberg, the school's leader makes around $700,000.

The budget situation is beyond Greenberg's control and he shouldn't be expected to forfeit his salary, but I can see why he volunteered to take 8 unpaid days when most only had to take 4.

Update November 25: As per usual, The Post and Courier has followed up with a lengthy piece on the culling at MUSC and how it fits into the big picture.