USC cuts deeper into budget to stave off losses from COVID-19 pandemic
The University of South Carolina will be making further budget cuts to compensate for losses brought on by coronavirus, President Robert Caslen said in a Friday memo.
Starting Monday, USC will freeze most hiring, temporarily nix most pay increases and cancel nearly all travel, according to the memo.
USC will still be able to hire employees, so long as they are determined “mission critical,” said USC spokesman Jeff Stensland. “Mission critical” employees are defined by administrators at the vice-president level, Stensland said.
“Savings accrued from these small efforts will enhance the capacities of the functional units to absorb new costs of mitigation or lost revenue resulting from the effects of COVID-19 on UofSC operations,” Caslen said in the memo.
USC has projected a loss of between $20 to $40 million from coronavirus, according to a previous article from The State.
To compensate for that, the school had already implemented a partial hiring freeze and delayed several multi-million dollar construction projects, such as the Campus Village dormitory complex and the new medical school on Bull Street.
Fifty-three USC students, faculty or staff have been diagnosed with coronavirus since the pandemic began. There have been no new cases since at least April 10, Caslen said at a Friday board of trustees meeting.
It’s still unclear whether USC’s campus will reopen for fall semester. Caslen had said previously that a decision on when USC will reopen will be made before June 15.
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MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.