Dartmouth Medical School will lay off 12 employees and cut approximately 10 percent from its $237-million operating budget as part of the College-wide effort to reduce expenditures by $72 million over the next two years, DMS Dean William Green said an interview with The Dartmouth. The layoffs will go into effect on a rolling basis through the month of July. No grant-funded or faculty positions will be cut.
In addition to the layoffs, 40 employees will be asked to take 5- to 50-percent reductions in hours beginning July 1, Green said.
As part of the plan, DMS is also looking to increase revenue by $4.1 million through an approximately 6-percent increase in tuition, an additional student service fee, a $2.5-million unrestricted contribution by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and a $500,000 contribution by DHMC towards the two institutions' joint development office, according to Green.
Salaries at DMS will also be held flat for the fiscal year 2010 except for faculty members who were already being considered for promotion which along with compensation cuts and other similar measures will save about $5 million. In addition, DMS will slow down planned building renovations and cut back on facility services, which will save approximately $2 million. Reductions in areas of travel, supplies and other operational expenses will lead to additional savings of over $4.5 million.
The DMS layoff package will be identical to the package offered to staff members laid off at the undergraduate College in February two weeks of pay for each consecutive year worked at Dartmouth, a lump sum payment towards the full cost of maintaining health benefits for three months, career counseling and consideration as internal candidates for open positions.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
