THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
The House Ways and Means Legislative Subcommittee on Higher Education carried over H.4182 (State Institutions of Higher Education Enterprise Act). President Jim Clements testified in favor of the legislation, along with officials representing USC-Columbia, MUSC and Winthrop University. Additional hearings on the bill are expected. Subcommittee members include Chairman Derham Cole (R-Spartanburg), Representatives Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D-Orangeburg), Mike Sottile (R-Charleston), and Kirkman Finlay (R-Richland).
The Higher Education Subcommittee of the Senate Education Committee will hear S.542 (State Institutions of Higher Education Enterprise Act), the Senate companion bill to H.4182, on Wednesday, February 7.
In a 6-0 vote, the Higher Education Subcommittee of the House Education and Public Works Committee adjourned debate on H.4391 (Student Ex Officio Trustees), a bill that would allow student body presidents to serve as ex-officio members of the Boards of Trustees at the state’s public colleges and universities. Clemson testified in opposition to the bill. Our sincere thanks to those Advocates who placed calls to their Representatives on Clemson’s behalf.
The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) hosted the second in a series of town hall meetings on “College Access and Affordability in South Carolina” on Thursday, February 1 in Columbia. CHE’s monthly newsletter, which contains a listing on upcoming town hall meetings, may be found here.
Charleston area Clemson Advocates…the next Town Hall will be held at the Lowcountry Graduate Center in North Charleston on Thursday, February 15 at 5:30 pm. We would like for as many of you as possible to plan to attend. We will send a separate email with details shortly.
BUDGET
The 2018-19 State Budget Process
The House Ways and Means Committee (where the appropriations bill originates) continued the budget hearing process. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) made their budget presentation before the Subcommittee last week.
It is expected that the full House Ways and Means Committee will deliberate the budget the week of February 19.
On February 15, President Jim Clements and Dr. George Askew (Vice President for PSA) are scheduled to present Clemson PSA’s budget request before the Natural Resources Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee. Members of the subcommittee include Chairman Nikki Setzler (D-Lexington), Senators Kent Williams (D-Marion), Paul Campbell Clemson ’68 (R-Berkeley), and Tom Corbin Clemson ’87 (R-Greenville).
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 2018 state legislative and budget priorities for FY 2018-19 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.
NEWS AND FYI
Please follow CU at the Capitol on Twitter. Current news articles of interest may be found here.