THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Governor Henry McMaster is scheduled to deliver his State of the State address on Wednesday, January 23 at 7:00 pm.
Governor McMaster released his Executive Budget proposal last week. Items of interest to Clemson University and higher education include:
– Proposes a freeze on tuition and fees at state’s public colleges and universities for the 2019-20 academic year; in exchange for the freeze, institutions would receive a 6% increase to their annual base budget, representing a pro rata share of $35.9M appropriation; according to the Governor’s office, Clemson’s share would be $5.2M (Clemson requested $8M as part of its 2019-20 recurring budget request)
– Recommends $1.2M for Clemson’s Health Innovation–Extension Programming to educate communities on healthy living (Clemson requested $1.2M for this priority as part of its 2019-20 recurring budget request)
– Recommends $900,000 in one-time funds for mobile health clinic outreach into underserved rural communities in SC (Clemson requested $900,000 for this priority as part of its 2019-20 non-recurring budget request)
– Recommends a new proviso for Academic year 2019-20 restoring the CHE’s authority to terminate academic programs at any state-supported institution of higher learning deemed non-compliant through CHE’s biennial program productivity review
The State Budget Process
The House Ways and Means Committee (where the appropriations bill originates) began agency budget subcommittee hearings last week and will continue this process through January.
President Jim Clements, along with Steve Crump (Interim Vice President and Chief Financial Officer) delivered Clemson’s Education and General (E&G) budget presentation to the Ways and Means Higher Education Subcommittee on Wednesday, January 16.
Clemson PSA’s budget hearing was also held on Wednesday, January 16 before the Economic Development and Natural Resources Subcommittee. President Clements, along with Dr. George Askew (Vice President for PSA) presented before the Subcommittee.
Institutions scheduled to give their budget presentations this week include MUSC, the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE), USC, and The Citadel.
House Ways and Means Subcommittees that hear Clemson’s budget requests
Higher Education Subcommittee:
Chairman Gary Simrill (R-York)
Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D-Orangeburg)
Representative Kirkman Finlay (R-Richland)
Staff: AJ Newton
Economic Development and Natural Resources Subcommittee:
Chairman Leon Stavrinakis (D-Charleston)
Representative Dwight Loftis (R-Greenville)
Representative Alan Clemmons (R-Horry)
Representative David Weeks (D-Sumter)
Staff: Alyssa Weeks
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 state legislative and budget priorities for FY 2019-20 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 coverage of interest may be found here.