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Kansas City, KS – Officials at KU Medical Center say stimulus money will carry them through the most recent round of state budget cuts. But as KCUR's Elana Gordon reports, the situation will still mean fewer students next year.
KU Medical Center recently eliminated nearly 80 jobs - including 10 faculty positions - after a ten percent drop in state funding this year. They also cut some graduate teaching and research opportunities.
Vice Chancellor Ed Philips says those decisions won't directly affect the current size and quality of training programs at KU's medical, nursing, or allied health schools. But he says the state's most recent cut of an additional two and half million dollars will put them over the edge for next year.
Philips: "We're now down to the point that as we cut the next faculty member [at the school of nursing], we are going to have to reduce the number of students to stay in the appropriate relationships."
Philips says staffing changes won't take place until next year because contracts already have been signed. He also says two and a half million dollars in federal stimulus money will help bridge the current funding gap. In the meantime, medical library hours and administrative services have been reduced.
Funding for health care coverage on KCUR has been provided by the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.
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