Michigan State University quietly cut funding from tuition going to its student health and wellness department in the fall of 2018, forcing the department to run on other sources of income, including its reserves. In an internal memo, department leaders say they were not consulted on the cut.

The cut was part of an ongoing plan to redo how the department is funded, which could include a new student health fee and billing students for more services, according to documents provided to the Detroit Free Press by sources within the university's administration. The goal is to make the department self-sustaining, multiple sources told the Free Press. The Free Press isn't identifying the sources because they were not cleared to talk to the news media.

The department includes the university's primary care doctors, counseling and psychiatric services, health promotion and education unit, the campus' sexual assault program and MSU Safe Place, which helps in cases of domestic violence and stalking, including emergency shelter.

University spokeswoman Emily Guerrant confirmed the process.

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"Yes, MSU is re-evaluating how to provide the best and most cost effective health care services for its students," she told the Free Press. "The administration asked Student Health and Wellness over the winter to evaluate its programs, services and funding methods and is continuing with a consultant who, as you mentioned, is meeting with employees in departments to examine various student health programs.

"Over the past five years, the university has worked to offer immediate access to services across campus through the neighborhoods. While we need to examine efficiencies, we also must maintain care for our students. No changes to staffing or programs will be happening in the 2019-2020 school year while we evaluate sustainability options."

That consultant, Keeling & Associates, will be on campus on May 23 to meet with staff in the department and administrators. Keeling will be back on campus in late June to present a draft plan to university leadership.

The changes are coming as MSU publicly talks about increasing its commitment to students' health and safety in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal and numerous reports of lengthy delays in students getting counseling help.

The department has been told the cut in tuition funding is permanent and should plan on using other income sources, including drawing down reserves.

That's unsustainable, multiple sources told the Free Press. That means students are going to have to pay for more services, either directly or through insurance.

Currently, MSU students get three free visits to the school's medical offices each year. They also get three free visits over the course of their career to the school's psychiatry department.

Guerrant cautioned nothing is settled yet on how MSU will pay for these services.

"We still have a ways to go and more input to seek before we determine what further changes may ultimately result," she said.

Keeling and Associates has been working with MSU since 2016 in overhauling the university's student health and wellness, including integrating counseling and psychiatric services into the overall department. That's meant that students who show up for medical care for something like strep throat or another illness are asked screening questions that have caught depression or eating disorders that need attention from a variety of medical professionals.

The major restructuring was announced in February 2018 by then-interim President John Engler, who had just taken office after Lou Anna Simon was forced out in wake of the Larry Nassar scandal. Engler was forced out himself earlier this year.

In his resignation letter, Engler touted the work in the restructuring as one of his primary accomplishments, including adding more counselors to campus.

Contact David Jesse: 313-222-8851 or djesse@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @reporterdavidj