THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
The South Carolina House and Senate are on furlough this week. The General Assembly will return in statewide session on Tuesday, April 18.
Last week, the House adjourned debate until Wednesday, April 19 on H.3722, a $498M Capital Projects Bond Bill. The bill currently includes projects listed below for Clemson University:
– Daniel Hall Renovation $10 million
– Martin Hall Renovation $15 million
H.3516 (South Carolina Infrastructure and Economic Development Reform Act) is in interrupted debate in the Senate. As currently written, the bill increases the state’s gas tax by twelve cents per gallon, potentially generating $800 million per year to address the state’s roads and bridges.
COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION
The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) held its monthly meeting on Thursday, April 6. Interim Executive Director Gary Glenn formally retired from the agency after more than forty years of state service, the last 18 of which were with the Commission.
Jeff Schilz has been named Interim President and Executive Director of CHE. Schilz served on the Senior Staff of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford from 2008-2011 in a variety of capacities including Policy Director, Budget Director and Cabinet Director.
Clemson University’s Business & Behavioral Science Building/Sirrine Hall Replacement was approved unanimously by the Finance and Facilities Committee, and also by the full Commission.
Clemson University’s program proposal for a Masters in Engineering-Civil Engineering with concentration in Risk Engineering and System Analytics received unanimous approval by the full Commission as part of the Committee on Academic Affairs and Licensing’s consent agenda.
BUDGET
The Senate completed their work on the state budget last week.
Below is a summary of the items impacting Clemson University:
Clemson E&G
– Increase of $1.75 million in Clemson’s current base funding.
Clemson PSA
– $1.1 million in recurring funding for Agriculture and Natural Resources Programming
– $1.2 million in recurring funding for Statewide Extension Programming
The Senate’s version of the budget includes an increase in the cost of health insurance and an increase in retirement contributions for state employees and employers. The employee portion of both the health insurance and retirement contribution increases will be paid by the state.
The Senate included $145 million from the state’s general fund to cover state agencies’ higher costs for the state pension retirement system.
From a state budgeting standpoint, Clemson is considered two separate state agencies: a research university that receives an educational and general (E&G) state appropriation for teaching and student support, and a land-grant Public Service and Agriculture (PSA) division that receives a state appropriation to support agriculture, forestry and natural resource Extension, research and regulatory programs.
The university also has auxiliary operations, such as athletics, student housing and dining services, which receive no state funding and must generate all of their own revenue.
Detailed information on Clemson’s 2017 state legislative and budget priorities for FY 2017-18 may be found at these links:
Clemson Education and General (E&G) Priorities
Clemson Public Service and Agriculture (PSA) Priorities
BILLS OF INTEREST
The Clemson University Governmental Affairs office is monitoring several bills that have potential impact on Clemson. A complete listing of these bills may be found here. Click on the bill number for a description of the legislation, along with the bill’s current status.
FYI
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