LETTERS TO FACULTY

LETTERS SENT ON JUNE 28, 1996 BY THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE TO ABOUT 29 CLINICAL FACULTY AT LAC-USC HOSPITAL IDENTIFIED FOR POSSIBLE REASSIGNMENT. (COPIES PROVIDED BY AFFECTED FACULTY.)

SENT TO A TENURED FACULTY MEMBER:

Dear _____________

The County Professional Services Agreement ("CPSA") experienced a curtailment last yesr due to a shortfall in state and federa1 funding. There has been no mitigation of this curtailmont by the County despite continued efforts on the part of the faculty and the administration. While all departments worked diligently to manage the necessary curtailments, and the Univeraity returned almost $6 million to the County, we completed this fisca1 year S2.5 million short of the required adjustment. On July 1, 1996, the University expects to receive its CPSA check, and it will reflect the: annualization of last year's funding reduction of 15.3%; the $2.5 million unrealized curtailment; and the most of the cost-of-living adjustments for fisca1 years 1995/96 and 1996/97. The magnitude of this shortfall necessitates further cutbacks by the University in clinica1 positions. Accordingly, I regret to inform you that the University has identifled your position for reassignment or other action by the County, as the County is not providing sufficient funding to the Unlveraity to maintain that positlon.

The CPSA originally contemplated the orderly transfer of physician faculty employment from the County to the University. At present, slightly over 100 physician faculty members remain on the County payroll. Most, if not a11, of these County employees have the right to work elsewhere in the County system under the County's civi1 service rules governing layoff. Conversely, physician faculty on USC's direct payroll would have no such alternatives if laid off. Thus, in making the cutbacks that are now unavoidable, the University seeks to preserve physician faculty on USC's payroll: consistent with the CPSA's original purpose; to minimize the adverse impact of the layoff on affected physicians; and to maintain patient services and the University's educational program.

The following guidelines heve therefore been adopted:

1. County employees are the pool for the remaining curtailment.

2. Departments have been allocated amounts to cut according to programmatic needs, with due regard for previous departmental cuts.

3. Among County employees within a department, special faculty are being returned to the County before tenured faculty.

4. County date of hire (last in, first out) is controlling within each affected department and faculty group.

5. Chairs, Vice Chairs, and Division/Section Chiefs have been exempted in order to provide continuity in departmental management.

As you are a tenured faculty member, the University will continue to provide you with any payments or benefits that USC now provides you directly out of the University's own funds, as distinguished from what is provided directly or indirectly from County funds, so long as you continue to fulfill your teaching and research duties associated with your University funding.

The University is grateful for all the years of service of its faculty, both to USC und to the County. The approach we have selected maximizes the opportunities for physicians identified in this process to continue to work for the County Department of Health Services, albeit at different locations.

I very much regret the necessity of these actions. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Dean of the School of Medicine at 213-342-1565.

Sincerely,

Joseph P. Van Der Meulen, M.D.
Interim Dean

SENT TO A NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY MEMBER: