Rumor
Mill separates fact from fiction
“With 9,000 employees and 2,500 students, the Medical University is constantly
abuzz with conversation,” said MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D.
“Our goal is to help everybody within the MUSC family sort out the fact
from the fiction.”
With that sentiment, the MUSC Rumor Mill was launched Nov. 16. A quick
glance at the site <http://www.musc.edu/rumor/>
and you can see what a success the Rumor Mill has become. Give it a closer
look and a careful read and you can see the wealth of information the site
provides, not only clearing up misconceptions but updating on projects
and issues vital to the MUSC family.
To give the Rumor Mill a wider audience, especially among those people
who do not have access to the Rumor Mill Web site, The Catalyst will devote
space each week to “rumor” and “truth.” From the start, the Rumor Mill
has had paper submission forms for those without Internet access. Now those
same people and others can see their rumor entries answered with the truth
in The Catalyst.
Cafe at Harborview Tower
Rumor: Is it true that there has been
a delay of a few weeks in the opening of the cafe at HOT?
Truth: The status of opening the cafe
at Harborview Tower is that the agreement with Sodexo and Subway is under
legal review by MUSC and MUHA counsel. Preliminary indications are that
the agreement will be accepted. Upon acceptance, the vendor has indicated
that it will take four to six weeks to be in full operation. DHEC certificates
will have to be attained, and the vendor cannot purchase the equipment
needed until a contract is signed. If all goes as expected, we anticipate
that the Harborview Tower Cafe will open no later than early January as
an opening during the height of the holiday season is unlikely.
Hospital Authority
Rumor: Does the Rumor Mill include the
Hospital Authority?
Truth: Absolutely, This is for all in
the MUSC family.
Agreement with Healthsource
Rumor: Is MUSC trying to work out an agreement
with Healthsource, again?
Truth: Healthsource no longer exists under
that name. It is now Cigna Healthcare of South Carolina. MUSC has continued
talking with them since we terminated our agreement two years ago. We have
not reached an agreement to date and are not able to speculate at this
time as to if and/or when such an agreement might be reached.
Stairwell by emergency department
Rumor: Rumor has it the stairwell by the
emergency department will be closing soon. Supposedly will be locked for
entering from the first floor, and will be alarmed for emergency exit only.
Truth: This rumor is fact. It is part
of the construction project under way to improve our emergency services.
USC Medical School
Rumor: Is there any truth to the rumor
that USC Medical School located in Columbia is taking over the Medical
University one position at a time?
Truth: There is no truth to the rumor
that the USC Medical School is taking over the Medical University. There
has been some recent effort at collaborative activity between the two schools
in education (e.g., the joint medical student rural clerkship) and research
(e.g., a joint federal grant in heart disease research). On the USC campus,
there has been some recent discussion about the possibility of combining
all of their health science schools (medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public
health) into a single school. None of these efforts would involve the USC
school taking over anything in Charleston.
Ceiling Lights
Rumor: I heard a rumor that the ceiling
lights that are being replaced in the old quadrangle building will have
insignias on them and each cost around $1,000 each.
Truth: This has been thoroughly checked
and there is no truth to the rumor. Thank you for bringing it to our attention
so that it might be set to rest.
Old High School
Rumor: Is it true that the old Charleston
High School is to be turned into retail and office space rather than a
parking garage for employees? Thanks in advance for answering.
Truth: The university is currently evaluating
a possible strategy to develop the surrounding land as well as at least
part of the former CHS building. If this proves feasible, the building
might accommodate retail space on the first floor, with office space on
the upper floors. Parking could still be accommodated behind the building,
although not as much as if only the facade of the building were to be preserved.
We view the development of a parking garage and renovation of the former
CHS building as potentially complementary and not an 'either or' proposition.
However, it must be emphasized that this is only a concept at this point
and requires careful evaluation before proceeding.
Childcare Center
Rumor: I've heard a rumor that there are
plans for a childcare center in the works. Any truth? Any details?
Truth: A committee has been working for
some time evaluating the interest in a child care center. A survey was
conducted and it appears that there is a considerable amount of interest
on campus for such a facility. We now have in hand a good assessment of
the needs of the faculty, staff and students of the university and the
Hospital Authority. A consultant is being retained to help with the next
stage of planning which is preparing a solicitation of proposals (RFP)
from prospective operators of a child care program. Subsequent plans will
depend on the responses received from the RFP.
College of Dental Medicine
Rumor: The new College of Dental Medicine
building will be directly behind the College of Dental Medicine's existing
space in the Basic Sciences Building. It will be a completely separate
building with a second-story catwalk connecting it to the Basic Sciences
Building. How can this be considering the Children's Research Center and
Colcock Hall?
Truth: The College of Dental Medicine
Building will be a separate building from the Basic Science Building and
located along Bee Street pretty much in line with and to the North of (and
slightly to the west of center of) the Children's Research Institute. The
plan is to tie the College of Dental Medicine Building to the Children's
Research Institute with a bridge at the second floor level. The Children's
Research Institute is an addition to the Basic Science Building which may
explain how someone might have described the location of the College of
Dental Medicine building as being directly behind Basic Science Building
and connected to it by a bridge at the second floor. Colcock Hall will
not be affected in any way by these projects.
|