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Rumor Mill separates fact from fiction Employee Pay Rumor: We have heard that, despite the state budget reductions, some faculty and senior administration members continue to receive pay raises while classified employees do not. If so, how can this be justified? Truth: The senior administrators of the university did not receive raises. Faculty  are awarded raises each year based upon their individual performance. In prior years, when classified employees were granted automatic raises by the General Assembly,  these raises did not apply to the faculty. Increasingly, faculty compensation is moving  from the state to other sources, such as research grants and clinically generated revenue. Those faculty who have brought in substantial revenue from these non-state funds typically are rewarded for doing so. Given the shortfall of state funds, it is in the interests of everyone at the Medical University for faculty to be encouraged to bring in  funds from other sources. Today, it is the productivity of the faculty that is keeping the Medical University financially stable despite the loss of 30 percent of our state appropriation during the past three years. In the absence of a third of our state budget, the university could have been forced to downsize its workforce, resulting in the loss of jobs for classified employees. Instead, jobs have been retained because the faculty have brought  in record amounts of grant and clinical income. We can all be grateful that faculty have risen to the challenge during a time of need. Unfortunately, the state has been unable to fund the merit and cost of living raises for classified employees. Without state fund increases, the university has not been in a position to financially reward classified employees. Administration sincerely appreciates the employees who, in spite of the difficult budgetary environment, continue to provide quality services.  Frequent Fire Drills Rumor: Is it true that there have been problems with our fire system? There have been frequent drills. Truth: The fire alarm systems at MUSC are doing their job and are in good working order. During a recent sample 30-day period, we have had 15 fire alarms for various reasons. Those 15 alarms represent 3 percent of the alarms monitored by the City of Charleston Fire Department. Historically, we have had alarms as the result of burning popcorn, accidental activation of fire alarm pull stations, intentional activation of fire alarm pull stations because someone thought they smelled natural gas or diesel fumes, smoking in the buildings, construction-related alarms, general quarterly alarm testing, and special DHEC and JCAHO compliance testing. Rutledge Tower/CHS Garage Rumor: I have heard that the Rutledge Tower garage is currently over capacity, and some employees are having their Cartac cards revoked. Also, I have heard that the future renovated Charleston High School will be full of offices with minimal parking, as ordered by the Charleston BAR. Truth: In order to be eligible for a parking assignment in the Rutledge Tower Garage (RTG), an employee must be home-based in Rutledge Tower (RT). Employees  who do not meet this criterion are required to relinquish their RTG parking assignments except for those employees assigned to RTG as a result of the closing of G lot several years back. In compliance with this policy, some employees have recently cancelled their RTG assignments. They have either accepted re-assignment to their former MUSC parking locations or have opted to make other arrangements. While RTG is not currently at capacity, it is anticipated that it will quickly reach capacity beginning in September when university activities are at a peak level. It will continue at capacity during peak patient hours as B lot closes in late September for construction of the new parking garage on the Charleston High School property, and as additional clinics are moved from McClennan Banks to Rutledge Tower later in the fall. We hope that there will not be a future need to ask additional currently eligible employees to relinquish their assignments in order to meet increasing patient parking demand. The approximately 40,000-square-foot Charleston High School building is being renovated to provide class rooms and administrative offices for the College of Health Professions. An equal amount of square footage for the same purpose is being constructed adjacent to the high school,fronting on Rutledge Avenue. A parking garage holding approximately 700 parking spaces is part of this project and will be constructed behind the CHP buildings. Entrances and exits to the garage will be provided on both Ashley and Rutledge avenues. What type of parker this facility will serve is still under review, but it will result in approximately 550 additional reserved,on-campus parking spaces being available for employees and approximately 75 additional spaces being available for patients and visitors.  Reproduced from http://www.musc.edu/rumor/.      Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. 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