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Bill No. 14-082013/2014 MUSC SGACommittee: Academic Affairs, Programming

Date Submitted: 02/19/2014Date 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 andStephen 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 biomedicalscientists, 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 andenvironment 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% undergraduatestudents;

WHEREAS, the state of South Carolina provided $52 million or 9% of the total 2012 budget ofMUSC 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 Relationshipbetween the Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston: Issues toConsider, finds significant differences between MUSC and the College of Charleston andhighlighted several areas of consideration which included student populations;

WHEREAS, the South Carolina General Assembly finds that the economy of Charleston hasfully transformed from one dependent on military and defense concerns to one of broaddiversification 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 GeneralAssembly Bill H. 4632, known as the Charleston University Act, on February 6, 2014;

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WHEREAS, the MUSC Student Government Association (SGA) solicited feedback on H. 4632from 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 theSGA 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 theCollege of Charleston.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Student Government Association of theMedical University of South Carolina, do urge the South Carolina General Assembly to opposeBill 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 MedicalUniversity of South Carolina and the College of Charleston.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we, the Student Government Association of theMedical University of South Carolina, do urge the South Carolina General Assembly to considerother options, including a mutually agreed upon collaboration between the Medical University ofSouth Carolina and the College of Charleston, in order to provide the skilled workforce for thetransformative economy of Charleston.

VOTE COUNT:

_____________________________Danny Vo, MUSC SGA President

AffirmativeNegativeAbstentions

3600