Human biology junior Kara Brockhaus places a receipt inside a prescription bag for a patient at the Olin Health Center Pharmacy Thursday afternoon. There is a possibility of the health services provided at Olin to be relocated to the Clinical Center on Service Rd.
Moving MSU health services from Olin Health Center to the south end of campus is only the tip of the iceberg to the university’s cost-cutting considerations, which also include layoffs, degree cuts and program and department changes to cope with budget cuts.
“While Olin is important … every single part of the university is getting reviewed,” MSU Provost Kim Wilcox said. “Every single part, every degree program, every academic department, every college, everything is getting reviewed.”
Everything from lawn maintenance to degree programs will be examined this year as university officials hope to immediately begin implementing changes.
Wilcox said the university plans to reduce operating budgets by 4 percent this year and 6 percent next year as it deals with budget limitations stemming from the economic crisis and a potential decrease in state funding.
University officials are considering moving the university’s health services to the MSU Clinical Center on Service Road, which currently houses clinics, classrooms and various medical departments, including a radiology department.
“We have to take action this year,” Wilcox said. “We can’t reduce the budget 10 percent and more and not take action.”
Moving health services from Olin to the clinical center would eliminate duplicate services such as pharmacies and physical therapy departments, creating a cost savings for the university and, therefore, the students, Olin Director Glynda Moorer said.
Although Olin could be relocated, maintaining student health services still will be a top priority, Moorer said.
“We want to be sure we’re available to students and that the students are getting a high quality health care service,” she said. “We want to maintain that.”
Some students worry about the possible relocation of Olin’s health services and what it means for their quality of health care.
“The big concern is that the student’s voice isn’t being heard in any of this,” said Caitlin Schultz, president of the Student Health Advisory Council. “I don’t think the greatest way to make budget cuts is by sacrificing health care for students.”
Further budget cuts will lead to layoffs university-wide and many people will lose their jobs during the next couple of years, Wilcox said.
“We’re systematically looking at lots of things to continue to provide high quality services, but potentially in a different way,” MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said.
Neglecting to discuss ways to cut costs while dealing with a tighter budget would be a disservice to students, Wilcox said.
“Can we provide a different health and medical environment for our students?” Wilcox said. “Yes, it will be about cost savings, but it will be just as much or more about the nature of the service we are providing.”
Officials still are discussing details and no decisions have been made, university spokesman Jason Cody said.
Wilcox said Olin’s future could be determined in October when recommendations from university officials are presented to him.
“We’re going to move with all due speed, but we’re going to do it through the regular process,” Wilcox said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
