LAST WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
The House Ways and Means Committee completed its work on the state budget on Thursday, March 4, 2021.
Below is a summary of the items impacting Clemson University:
Clemson E&G
– $25 million in nonrecurring funding for maintenance, renovation and replacement
Clemson PSA
– $990,000 in nonrecurring funding for Sandhill Recreation Research and Extension Building Repair
The Committee included a proviso that provides colleges and universities with regulatory relief by increasing the state’s fixed permanent improvement project dollar threshold that currently triggers the state’s multi-phased, eight-step approval process for permanent improvement projects from $1 million to $5 million for research universities, allowing smaller, more routine capital projects to be undertaken in a efficient and cost-effective manner.
The Committee’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 will be paid by the state. The employer portion of both will have to be covered partially by the university.
The budget now goes to the House of Representatives. The House is expected to take up the budget the week of March 22.
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 2021-22 may be found at these links:
Clemson Education and General (E&G) Priorities
Clemson Public Service and Agriculture (PSA) Priorities
BILLS OF INTEREST
Reinforcing College Education On America’s Constitutional Heritage Act (S.38), which would require institutions of higher learning to provide instruction concerning the United States Constitution, the Federalist Papers, Declaration of Independence and the Emancipation Proclamation to each undergraduate student for three semester credit hours was passed by the Senate and sent to the House and referred to the House Education Committee. The bill is scheduled for a hearing in subcommittee this week. A similar bill, H.3338 is also scheduled for a subcommittee hearing this week.
The State Institution of Higher Education Efficiency Act (S.376) remains on the Senate statewide contested calendar.. This legislation would allow Clemson and other universities in the state the necessary flexibility to operate in the areas of capital projects in order to be free of some of the current layers of state oversight, while still being accountable to the General Assembly.
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.