Last updated: April 8, 2020 at 11:39 am
An Important Message from the Provost and Chief Financial Officer
April 3, 2020
Dear Trojan Community,
In the weeks since our world suddenly changed, the USC community has pulled together in ways that demonstrate both our strength and our humanity. Our faculty, staff, students, and medical personnel have stepped up in remarkable ways to tackle the most complicated and difficult period most of us have ever experienced. We are deeply grateful. We are steadfast in our commitment to keeping you safe and we are thinking of you, your families, and your working life as we weather this storm together.
One of the ways we will get through this is by recognizing the realities we are facing and dealing with them head on. This is a monumental health crisis, and as a significant healthcare provider in Los Angeles, we care for the well-being of our community. And our great medical team is doing just that. At the same time, the economic effects of this pandemic are dire. U.S. jobless claims rose by 10 million in the past two weeks, manufacturing is grinding to a halt, and millions of Americans are sequestered in their homes. We are experiencing an unprecedented situation. No one knows how long it will last. But we are confident we will come out of this stronger.
Now is the time for us to look inward to ensure that when USC emerges from this crisis, we will remain the thriving research university that has and will continue to make our community, our city, and our world a better place. We need to make some tough calls right now to address the serious financial consequences we face.
Despite our resilience and liquidity, the magnitude of the shock will be significant. We are experiencing sizable additional costs associated with stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our 80,000 strong community and we are suffering a significant decline in many important sources of revenue. We are seeing slowdowns in philanthropy and declines in endowment value. We are also experiencing revenue losses from lower collection rates on student and donor receivables, reductions in clinical revenue, uncertainty about enrollment rates, and increased need for financial aid. Moreover, we are still dealing with the significant financial and cash ramifications of legacy legal issues, including the $215 million federal settlement in the Tyndall case.
We are taking some immediate steps, as follows, to better position our University for the future. We did not make these decisions lightly but taking swift action now will leave us with more flexibility as this crisis unfolds. In the coming days and weeks, we will collaborate with leaders across the University on any future adjustments we may need to make to address the ongoing financial impact.
Pause in Hiring – Effective immediately, we are pausing University-wide hiring for faculty and staff positions until further notice. Our objective is to focus support on our existing faculty and staff. Deans will review with the Provost the status of authorized, ongoing faculty searches and jointly determine which, if any, can proceed this spring. Additional guidelines, which will include an exception process, will be announced shortly.
Pause in Merit Increases and Senior Leadership Compensation Reductions – We have decided to pause merit increases for both faculty and staff. Any staff exceptions must be approved by the Senior Vice President of Human Resources and the Senior Vice President, Finance. Academic exceptions must be approved by the Provost. Due to unprecedented challenges faced by the faculty and staff of our clinical enterprise and our first responders, a salary program will be developed for these groups. Groups in bargaining units will receive pay as dictated by contracts.
The University’s senior leadership has volunteered to take a reduction in compensation. The President will be taking a 20 percent reduction, while the Provost, Senior Vice Presidents, and Deans will give 10 percent. The resulting funds will be donated to provide financial aid and emergency assistance to our undergraduate, graduate, and professional students as well as our employees.
Pause on Travel – All non-essential USC business travel remains suspended until further notice.
Pause on Discretionary Spending – We are pausing discretionary spending on food, meals, events, holiday parties, gifts, recognition banquets, and other expenditures that are not critical to the operation of the University.
Pause on Capital Projects – We will re-evaluate all capital projects.
Summer Programs – Given the uncertainty of when the campus will open again, all in-person summer programs and associated in-person activities will move to online offerings through the end of the first summer term. In addition, there will be no summer learning abroad programs. In late April we will evaluate if we can have in-person on campus activities for the second summer term.
We understand the uncertainty that the COVID-19 crisis has created for our community and we are so grateful for how everyone is working together during these difficult times. Given the extraordinary nature of this crisis, we will continue to evaluate the global economic situation as well as our own, look for opportunities for improvement, and communicate regularly with you.
Thank you for your dedication to USC.
Fight On!
Charles F. Zukoski, Provost
James M. Staten, Senior Vice President, Finance
Important Updates
Students
- Students interested in applying for funds from the USC Student Basic Needs Fund should email Ally Hong, the manager of Student Basic Needs, at basicneeds@usc.edu. Ally and her team will work directly with each student to help connect him/her/them with opportunities for support. This fund is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who may need assistance with hardship caused by COVID-19. (4/7)
- All in-person summer programs and associated in-person activities will move to online offerings through the end of the first summer term; there will be no summer learning abroad programs. (4/3)
- The university’s senior leadership volunteered to take a reduction in compensation. The resulting funds will be donated to provide financial aid and emergency assistance to our undergraduate, graduate, and professional students as well as our employees. (4/3)
- Undergraduate students can now opt for a letter grade, a Pass or a No Record up to a week after official class grades are posted; the deadline is May 27 to select these options. (3/30)
- International students who are currently in their home countries can contact their local USC office for support in any area, including travel. (3/30)
- USC ITS is committed to providing students with the tools, services and online resources to learn effectively; keep several tips in mind to help with your online learning experience. (3/30)
- International students in Los Angeles who are having trouble finding flight routes home can reach out to the university’s travel service for advice and guidance. (3/28)
- USC ITS instituted security changes in Zoom to ensure a safe, protected and inclusive online learning environment. (3/25)
Student & Employee Health
- The university issued face covering recommendations for USC employees working on-campus and USC students residing on-campus. Face coverings are not a substitute for compliance with current social distancing and hand washing guidance, which should be consistently observed. (4/7)
- Social distancing must not mean emotional distancing; as members of a global Trojan family, we are deeply connected to one another across space and time. Take advantage of the many resources we have for ensuring our emotional and spiritual health. (4/3)
- For students, faculty and staff who test positive for COVID-19, notifications will be made for locations and individuals who may have had a close contact exposure; a sudden rapid surge in positive tests in Los Angeles may render that protocol obsolete, though. (3/31)
- Social distancing, personal hand hygiene, and staying away from others if we get sick, are our best and only tools to protect our region. (3/31)
- Stay active at home with live YouTube workouts from USC RecSports. (3/30)
- Students who have recently returned from travel abroad, should self-isolate for 14 days. Call 213-740-9355 (WELL) or make an appointment online at usc.edu/myshr if you develop respiratory symptoms. (3/25)
- We encourage students to access self-care resources, including well-being and mental health care resources, and the launch of the “virtual Let’s Talk”. (3/25)
Student Housing
- If you are facing a dispute with your landlord, USC’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and Graduate Student Government (GSG) provide free 30-minute legal counseling appointments via phone every Monday from 4-9 p.m. Students can make an appointment online. (4/4)
- USC Housing will conduct health and safety checks during the week of April 6–10. All spaces will be entered by USC Housing staff looking for open food items and other perishables. (4/2)
- Students who live off-campus in non-university housing should view the latest FAQs for non-university housing. (3/27)
- Students living in university housing must adhere to social distancing guidelines; Student Affairs encourages students to visit the virtual engagement website for virtual opportunities in fitness, gaming, mindfulness and more. (3/25)
- For now, students and parents cannot return to campus to retrieve belongings; more details to come as a safe and orderly process is established. (3/24)
- There will be a pro-rata refund for university housing at some point in the future; more details to come. (3/24)
Academic Concerns
- All in-person summer programs and associated in-person activities will move to online offerings through the end of the first summer term; there will be no summer learning abroad programs. (4/3)
- Undergraduate students can now opt for a letter grade, a Pass or a No Record up to a week after official class grades are posted; the deadline is May 27 to select these options. (3/30)
- Any future applicants to our undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools will not be disadvantaged by coursework taken under Pass/No Pass grading options offered at any school during the COVID-19 pandemic. (3/30)
- USC ITS is committed to providing faculty with the tools and services to teach effectively; see resources for online teaching. (3/27)
- USC ITS instituted several Zoom security changes to ensure a safe, protected and inclusive online learning environment. (3/25)
- All lectures must be recorded to support asynchronous education and ensure all students are able to receive a USC quality education, regardless of personal circumstances. (3/22)
Employees
- USC is pausing university-wide hiring for faculty and staff positions until further notice; our objective is to focus support on our existing faculty and staff. (4/3)
- USC decided to pause merit increases for both faculty and staff. Due to unprecedented challenges faced by the faculty and staff of our clinical enterprise and our first responders, a salary program will be developed for these groups. Groups in bargaining units will receive pay as dictated by contracts. (4/3)
- The university’s senior leadership volunteered to take a reduction in compensation. The resulting funds will be donated to provide financial aid and emergency assistance to our undergraduate, graduate, and professional students as well as our employees. (4/3)
- All non-essential USC business travel remains suspended until further notice. (4/3)
- Employees working from home who are not using their parking pass should submit a parking permit suspension request via this online form; see additional updates about parking permit suspensions/cancellations. (3/30)
- USC reminds the university community that the only employees who should be working on-campus at this time are those who have express clearance from their managers to be on-site to perform critical functions. (3/27)
- USC’s Department of Environmental Health & Safety and the Office of Research invite faculty to donate personal protective equipment to support continued health care delivery at our Keck Hospital and other local healthcare organizations, first responder groups, and more. (3/26)
- USC ITS instituted security changes in Zoom to ensure a safe, protected and inclusive online environment for our entire university community. (3/25)
- USC extended paid administrative leave for employees who can’t work at home to four weeks, through 4/12. (3/24)
- All student workers will be paid through the end of the semester (including federal work study grants). (3/24)
- Given the rapid changes to the pandemic response, no one is sure of the exact date we will be able to welcome all of our employees back to campus. Our employees will not be returning in mid-April, as we had previously hoped. We will let them know when they can return to work safely. (3/20)
Campus Access & Safety
- USC’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) staff members are continuing to patrol and provide high visibility on and off-campus; see numerous safety tips. (4/1)
- USC’s secure parking program was extended to May 1. (4/1)
- Numerous campus entrances are closed, and USC Transportation has adjusted transit schedules. (3/30)
- USC reminds the university community that the only employees who should be working on-campus at this time are those who have express clearance from their managers to be on-site to perform critical functions. (3/27)
Community Outreach
- Watch a video from USC President Carol Folt to discover how you can help USC students, health care workers, community members and employees who are most affected by COVID-19; learn more about four new funds that will directly support those in need. (3/30)
- See how Trojans are working to make life better—in Los Angeles and beyond. (3/30)
Commencement
- View numerous FAQs related to the ceremony, regalia, diplomas and the program; note important information for international students. (3/25)
COVID-19 in the Community
USC has taken several significant actions to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, similar to steps the city of Los Angeles and other local municipalities have announced.
We are continuing to monitor the rapidly evolving situation in light of information from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health about the community spread of the virus in the county.
The university’s leadership will continue to monitor the situation closely and will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.