Embattled Medical University of S.C. president Ray Greenberg has canceled a planned getaway to the Virgin Islands this weekend as internal criticism of his administration has mounted.
Plagued by multiple examples of questionable financial management and confronting what one official termed a “peasant uprising” as a result of them, Greenberg decided to skip his trip and focus instead on putting fires out on the home front.
Good for him.
Given the arrogance, recklessness and wastefulness with which he has conducted the business of the taxpayers down there, depriving himself of a little taxpayer-funded vacation time is the least he can do.
Yet instead of focusing on MUSC’s problems, as far as we can tell Greenberg is consumed by his own.
Irritated by the specificity and accuracy of the multiple leaks coming out of his campus, the $700,000 (a year) man is reportedly battening down the hatches and dispatching his IT goons to determine who’s responsible for dropping dimes on him.
All we can say is “good luck with all that.”
Of course, according to La Socialista‘s Brad Warthen, the only problem faced by the “courageous” Dr. Greenberg’s is … well, us.
Apparently we have been “totally unrestrained in attacking Dr. Greenberg for daring to speak truth to power.”
Awww, thanks man! :)
Glad you noticed …
By jimmyhat December 5, 2008 at 7:23 pm
The smartest thing that the Board of Trustees at MUSC could possibly do at this point is send Greenberg packing and hire Layton McCurdy as President to straighten this mess out.
By Silence the Noise December 5, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Aww…..Brad…..too many peanuts at Christmas time has obviously put you in a tizzy….
By Junior December 5, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Don’t worry folks, Bobby Harrell’s already on the job. His bailout package for MUSC is being negotiated as we speak. Apparently, right on the heels of this breaking news the College of Charleston, Clemson, and USC are requesting assistance as well.
By Martin December 5, 2008 at 8:52 pm
The MUSC IT dudes are quite good at what they do, Will. There’s a team of snoops positioned in a room on campus whose sole job is to glean through MUSC employee e-mails. People have been fired for communicating uncomplimentary things about Greenberg. Granted, the unlawful or unwarranted use of state property, i.e., computers, might be a reason for termination. But I doubt few of these using e-mail to express their frustrations is having expensive relationships with a wrongfully ordained professors or MUSC employees. We certainly hope your site is totally secure. To shut down this series of much-needed expressions would be depressing and oppressive. While you appear at ease, please assure us that we are safe here. Of course, any intrusion into personal e-mails or computer systems would be a federal offense. Thank you. Go ‘Cocks, Hail Garcia.
By Sheila Yarborough December 5, 2008 at 9:02 pm
The cancellation of this trip was a good idea. Anyone could see that this type of trip would raise eyebrows while the rest of us are on furlough for the coming months. Did his administration refer to our complaints as a “peasant uprising”? If this is true, it is insulting to those of us who are giving up salary in the coming months to keep MUSC viable.
How is this information obtained? Who are the IT goons? Thank goodness for the First Amendment.
By Jackson December 5, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Damn, Will, you almost seem sympathetic to this “man,” Greenberg. Is it your sympatico with his apparent horny side? Point is, Greenberg did not have any concern for the state of MUSC or its crises when he announced a furlough and lay-off as he was packing his shorts for St. Croix. All of a sudden, he grows a conscience and becomes concerned. You are right that he is probably busy putting out his own fires, but I doubt he gives a damn about anyone else’s plight. Eight days furlough. Right. He’s not starving; he doesn’t have to worry how to pay the electric or medical bill; or how provide a decent Christmas for his family. Hell, he didn’t even want Christmas lights on campus. What an asshole.
By uh-hem December 5, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Layton McCurdy…now that’s a voice from the past. Good man. Intelligent man; but how about John Raymond (current provost) or College of Medicine Dean Jerry Reves as president, and maybe student fave Jeff Wong as provost? Commitment to the mission of students and the university would not be lost on any of these men. A return of dignity to the office of MUSC president also would forthcoming, for sure. We could let development and the foundation do its job of raising money and let the president preside over the institution and secure just favors from Columbia.
By jimmyhat December 5, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Hey Jackson: It would be not worrying about providing a decent Hanaukah for his family. 8 crazy nights. But none the less, the guy is an asshole. Merry Christmas.
By sandy December 6, 2008 at 12:03 am
Brothers in a rough-house rapture — Bobby Harrell met with Ray Greenberg this week; that lovebug from MUSC was promised a bail-out package. Would that bailout reverse the lay-offs and furloughs? Doubtful. Likely, the bailout would cover the cost of Greenberg’s Sullivan Island’s estate so he could move to Ion, dahling; and perhaps cover the salaries of his mistresses and beaus who have been placed in elevated places at high salaries — and, oh, by the way, maybe help pay for Greenberg’s yet-built and already built-but-poorly-managed temples on the Charleston peninsula.
By sandy December 6, 2008 at 12:07 am
Thanks, Will, and your friends in Columbia and Charleston.
By Linda December 6, 2008 at 12:34 am
I like and very much respect Layton McCurdy. He’s a great psychiatrist and a very fair and understanding man.
By Sarah Kay Hinson December 6, 2008 at 12:46 am
All of this is nonsense. MUSC has been sailing along quite nicely and with success until this rude series of ill-informed tirade took place. We have a beautiful new hospital, a new identity, and millions of dollars from the many who are rewarding us for our great contributions to public health; including the National Institutes of Health, and many kind and generous benefactors to our Foundation. We should all pursue the goals articulated through the eloquent Five Pillars of Excellence, and keep focused on our mission?
By Gimme Moore December 6, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Oh, don’t — stop — don’t — stop. Please — oh — this is too good. Give me more, big willy.
By Butthead December 6, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I read in another place on this blog site that a bunch of state employees got bonuses. I guess they’re not getting laid off. Just wondering how many high-dollar folks at MUSC got big booties in their stockings this year. I got a pool going that say at least 15 at MUSC are getting bonuses. I think I’ll win this bet.
By Jamal December 6, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Gimme, you a ho. Sarah Fay, shut up. Don’t yall know peoples are hurting? Damn. This thing has got some good information. We learning something from it. Those fools in the presidents office, they got to get fired. And they go down to the islands for what? That’s a damn joke yall. Maybe I get a fine looking woman high up in this state and get a new house and some money and don’t have to do too much. Shit. I work everyday hard like I did for 20 year. Nobody gave me nothing I didn’t earn. Yall have a merry Christmas.
By Bert December 7, 2008 at 6:49 pm
It’s very likely that previous readers who are employed by MUSC have refrained from leaving comments out of fear of retribution. But not Bert. Bert says, “Bring it on!”
MUSC has been a venerable institution throughout its nearly 200 year history. But that doesn’t mean “regime change” isn’t necessary every now and again to help the university regain its footing. Maybe one day I’ll be part of an MUSC where “excellence” isn’t just a hollow slogan. Maybe…
By Renee December 9, 2008 at 11:42 pm
I noticed that someone had posted some defense on Dr. Linda Autsin’s credentials in another area of this blog. One reference dealt with her association as a senior examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry (and Neurology). Since I also am a member of the Department of Psychiatry and have resources in that organization, it is curious that no one recalls anything this woman, Austin, has done, in particular, as a “senior examiner.” Secondly, for an individual to have the title of “clinical professor,” one must see patients. This woman, Dr. Austin, sees no patients at MUSC — perhaps in her private practice, but that is not tied to the MUSC system. It further is an insult use any critism of her as an affront to woman’s “achievements.” I dare say that women of academic and intellectual means would not have resorted to her archaic, stereotypical means to attain her MUSC positions. It would be wise for someone who is defending another to have the relative facts and not insult the integrity nor the intelligence of fellow faculty members or even the readers of this particular blog.
By Rick December 9, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Yo, Ray, does Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s behavior cause you trouble? The feds are thirsty for dirt-bags like you.
By Prince Fred December 16, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Looks like MUSC is no longer freaking out any more than any other institution, company or town. Heads are ducked low over the releases of various tid-bits, which would have proven great fodder for any decent reporter or government watchdog to pursue. But not one has the stomach or the resources to bring these allegations to closure. The MUSC administration will be fine, and all of those people who are making money for doing virtually nothing will continue to collect their paychecks and fatten their retirements. The mean-spiritedness that was projected in this blog site will return to the direction of the unsuspecting and likely undeserving souls. Happy New Year.
By Billy December 21, 2008 at 2:46 am
Please keep this going until someone in the media or SLED picks up on the allegations that have been made above and checks to verify them. What a poor excuse of a newspaper the Post & Courier is. If only half are true, heads should roll. Cut out the waste, corruption and favoritism and no one needs to be furloughed. With regard to the budget cuts and furloughs – does Dr. Linda Austin get to keep her over paid one day a week job while many who need their jobs to feed family and children are getting laid off? How many people would have kept their jobs if Dr. Greenberg hadn’t illegally skipped required hiring regulations and hired her – not to mention the building and refurbishing done for her even though she isn’t in the least qualified for the position and maintains a private practice? Does Saber Slaughter’s wife keep getting a fat pay check although everyone knows she rarely appears for work? And why is Paul Taylor – our auditor – still on the payroll when he hasn’t been in his office for months – is he being paid to keep his mouth shut? These are some of the valid questions raised on Fitsnews.com but not answered. Shouldn’t they be pointed out to the media or the governor’s office? They need to be addressed and if true – someone should go to jail.
Finally – PLEASE – no more web video love sessions with Dr. Greenberg and Dr. Austin. They are embarrassing and not the image we need the world to see of MUSC.
By James January 13, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Dear Friends:
I hope that 2009 has started on a positive note for you and yours. There were many reminders during the holiday season of the generosity and compassion of the MUSC family. We concluded our Trident United Way campaign, and despite the challenges of the economy, we exceeded our goal of $230,000 to support many worthy projects in our community. In partnership with the Salvation Army and with support from the MUSC Transplant Center, Liz Nista, Angel Tree Coordinator, and co-coordinator Marian Taylor received from MUSC employees and friends more than 2,000 holiday presents for needy children in the Charleston region. In addition, more than $130,000 was raised for the Employee Furlough Relief Fund. If you have not already made a gift to this fund and you are able to do so, please consider making a contribution by the deadline of this Friday, January 16.
Without question, the most generous gift of all this holiday season was the donation of a kidney by Zachary Sutton, a student in the College of Health Professions, to a recipient that he did not even know. The transplant occurred on December 17, and both Mr. Sutton and the recipient are doing well. Our faculty members strive to nurture the values of caring and compassion in all of our students, and it is clear that our students can teach us all a great deal about generosity and selflessness. We thank all of the outstanding clinicians who run the organ transplant program at MUSC, and we thank Mr. Sutton for his courageous and inspirational gift.
As the New Year begins, it is traditional to make some resolutions. Perhaps you have already set some personal goals for yourself this year. In addition to those individual goals, I would ask that together we make a collective resolution for the Medical University. My hope is that we can work as a family to serve the people of South Carolina by coordinating and enhancing the combined talents and dedication of our extraordinary faculty, staff, and students. There has never been a time of greater need for us to join together for the benefit of our fellow citizens, and in serving others, may we find a renewed sense of shared commitment in the University and its mission.
Finally, the challenges of the economy remain at the forefront of our minds. Governor Sanford has released his budget for the next fiscal year and soon the General Assembly will begin its own deliberations on next year’s budget. The Board of Economic Advisors will issue a report on revenue collections for the current year this week. Even if revenue projections are reduced further from the December numbers, we do not expect a budget cut to be enacted at this time. However, it is likely that one could occur in the next several months. While we do not know how large such a cut would be, we have asked the individual units to prepare plans in anticipation of a reduction so that we can respond quickly and responsibly at the appropriate time.
As we move forward in the days ahead, I will do my best to keep you informed about any changes in the state budget and how we plan to respond to them through The Catalyst, Broadcast messages and our website dedicated to budget-related information, http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/musc/news/index.htm . In the meantime, I want to thank you again for all that you do for the Medical University and the people of South Carolina. In a time when each of us is being tested as never before, we have the opportunity to demonstrate our resilience and our resolve and I know that we will rise to the occasion.
With appreciation,
Ray Greenberg
By James January 20, 2009 at 9:02 pm
January 20, 2009
Dear Friends:
Yesterday, we celebrated the official holiday marking the birth of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, we pause to honor the inauguration of Barrack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. These two events, occurring in such close proximity, bring to mind Dr. King’s dream that future generations would “not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.â€
Today, as we struggle with great financial challenges, we may draw further inspiration from another one of Dr. King’s speeches, in which he said, “The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land. Confusion is all around . . . but I know somehow, that only when it is dark enough, you can see the stars.†Here at the Medical University, looking into the night sky of our budget challenges, we are beginning to see some of those stars. I am pleased to share with you an update on our situation.
Last week, the State’s Board of Economic Advisors updated their revenue projections for the state and concluded that things were relatively stable since their December estimates. Key pieces of information, such as sales tax collections through the holiday season and corporate tax collections will not be available until February, so some caution is warranted. In the meantime, we have asked the individual financial teams within the Medical University to prepare contingency plans for further budget cuts, hoping that these plans will not have to be implemented this year.
We continue to explore ways in which we can operate more efficiently. These evaluations are far-reaching, covering the spectrum from basic business practices to the organization of our academic programs. For example, the College of Medicine has a retreat scheduled at the end of the month to review possible efficiencies in their structure and operations. The College of Nursing held a faculty retreat already in which important decisions were made about focusing their educational efforts. These and other discussions across campus will help to set future priorities.
Equally important, we have launched discussions with other institutions to explore how we might partner together to find savings. A series of four working groups has been created with representatives from MUSC, the College of Charleston and The Citadel to develop proposals for sharing of infrastructure. We are beginning separate discussions with our colleagues at Clemson and USC to investigate whether we can find efficiencies with them.
On the revenue front, we are exploring opportunities at both the state and federal levels. The U. S. Congress is considering stimulus legislation that could have a significant impact on MUSC, including increasing money for the Medicaid program, and increasing the budget for the National Institutes of Health and other federal research agencies. We may also benefit from new resources for clinical information technology.
At the state level, perhaps the greatest opportunity in the new legislative session will be an increase in the cigarette tax. Several proposals are being developed and there is optimism that one will pass this year. Possible funding opportunities include Medicaid support, as well as support for training and research into smoking-related illnesses.
In sum, the Medical University is continuing to work on many fronts to address our financial challenges. There can be no more urgent call to this task than Dr. King’s belief that, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?†Here at the Medical University, thousands of people are brought together by the shared goal of helping others and that mission will not be compromised as we move forward.
Thank you for all that you do to serve South Carolina.
Ray Greenberg