Bill No.

14-08 2013/2014 MUSC SGA Committee: Academic Affairs, Programming

Date Submitted: 02/19/2014 Date Approved: 02/19/2014 Author: James Atkison, Stephen Thompson

Resolution in Opposition of South Carolina General Assembly Bill H. 4632 Charleston University Act Authored by James Atkison, Academic Vice President and Stephen Thompson, Program Vice President Sponsored by Representative Regina Brown, College of Medicine WHEREAS, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is an academic health center, founded in 1824, with the strategic mission to educate health care professionals and biomedical scientists, conduct research in the health sciences, and provide comprehensive health care; WHEREAS, the College of Charleston is a liberal arts and sciences college, founded in 1770, with the strategic mission to provide academic excellence throughout a broad range of programs, provide a student-focused community, and embrace the history, traditions, culture and environment of Charleston and the Lowcountry; WHEREAS, the 2012 student population of MUSC was 92% graduate students; WHEREAS, the 2012 student population of the College of Charleston was 90% undergraduate students; WHEREAS, the state of South Carolina provided $52 million or 9% of the total 2012 budget of MUSC while student tuition provided $77 million or 13% of the total 2012 budget of MUSC; WHEREAS, a White Paper, published August 31, 2013, entitled Exploring a New Relationship between the Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston: Issues to Consider, finds significant differences between MUSC and the College of Charleston and highlighted several areas of consideration which included student populations; WHEREAS, the South Carolina General Assembly finds that the economy of Charleston has fully transformed from one dependent on military and defense concerns to one of broad diversification demanding a highly trained and multitalented workforce; WHEREAS, Reps. Stavrinakis, Merrill, McCoy, Daning, Crosby, Murphy, Sottile, Gilliard, R.L. Brown, Mack and Harrell of the South Carolina House of Representatives proposed General Assembly Bill H. 4632, known as the Charleston University Act, on February 6, 2014;

WHEREAS, the MUSC Student Government Association (SGA) solicited feedback on H. 4632 from the student body in the form of email responses, an online survey, and group discussions; WHEREAS, the students provided over 1000 responses in regards to this issue, allowing the SGA to assess the overall opinion of the students; WHEREAS, 89% of MUSC students polled oppose H. 4632; WHEREAS, 67% of MUSC students polled support collaboration between MUSC and the College of Charleston. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Student Government Association of the Medical University of South Carolina, do urge the South Carolina General Assembly to oppose Bill H. 4632 Charleston University Act. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we, the Student Government Association of the Medical University of South Carolina, do oppose any forced merger between the Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we, the Student Government Association of the Medical University of South Carolina, do urge the South Carolina General Assembly to consider other options, including a mutually agreed upon collaboration between the Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston, in order to provide the skilled workforce for the transformative economy of Charleston. VOTE COUNT: Affirmative 36 Negative 0 Abstentions 0

_____________________________ Danny Vo, MUSC SGA President