Month: May 2022

THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
In accordance with state law, the South Carolina General Assembly adjourned sine die at 5 o’clock pm on Thursday, May 12. Since this was the second year of a two-year session, bills that did not pass this session died at the close of the session.

The Sine Die Resolution (S.1325) which was adopted by both the House and the Senate enables the General Assembly to return after sine die adjournment to work on the state budget, conference committee reports, and other items agreed on by both bodies. The dates for the General Assembly’s return are June 15-17 and June 28-30.

BUDGET
The 2021-22 State Budget Process
The budget conference committee members have been named and are expected to begin meeting during the week of May 23.

The members of the budget conference committee include:
Senate:
Senator Thomas Alexander Clemson ’78 (R-Oconee)
Senator Harvey Peeler Clemson ’70 (R-Cherokee)
Senator Nikki Setzler (D-Lexington)

House:
Rep. Gary Simrill (R-York)
Rep. Murrell Smith (R-Sumter)
Rep. Todd Rutherford (D-Richland)

Below is a summary of the items impacting Clemson University:

Clemson E&G
–      $6.077 million in recurring funding for tuition mitigation* (House funded $9.9 million recurring-final amount to be determined in Conference Committee)
o        *In order to retain the above appropriations, each institution of higher learning listed above must certify to the Commission on Higher Education by August 15, 2022, there is no in state undergraduate tuition or in state undergraduate mandatory fee increase, excluding increases in auxiliary fees, for the 2022 2023 academic year.
–      $35 million in nonrecurring funding for maintenance, renovation and replacement (House funded $32.5 million recurring-final amount to be determined in Conference Committee)
–      $10 million in recurring lottery dollars for the Clemson University College of Veterinary Medicine ($1 included in House version-final amount to be determined in Conference Committee). 

Clemson PSA
–      $2 million in recurring funding for Rural Health Cooperative Extension and Research (dollars are locked in)
–      $750,000 in recurring funding for Laboratory Services Support (dollars are locked in)
–      $750,000 in recurring funding for Integrated Agriculture Technology (House funded $500,000 recurring-final amount to be determined in Conference Committee)
–      $2 million in nonrecurring funding for Critical PSA Infrastructure (House funded $3.6 million nonrecurring-final amount to be determined in Conference Committee)
–      $4 million in nonrecurring funding for Edisto Research and Education Center Research Infrastructure Upgrades and Expansion (House funded $7 million nonrecurring-final amount to be determined in Conference Committee)
–      $1.375 million in nonrecurring funding for Poultry Science Research Facility (priority not funded in House version-final amount to be determined in Conference Committee)

The current budget also includes several items of interest from the Executive Budget:

–      $70 million in recurring lottery dollars for need based grants at the Commission on Higher Education (House funded $60 million-final amount to be determined in Conference Committee).  This would represent approximately $5.83 million in additional need based grant opportunities for Clemson students.
–      $20 million in recurring tuition grants at the Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission (dollars are locked in).  These dollars are beneficial to students attending private higher education institutions.
–      $4.1 million in recurring lottery dollars for students with intellectual disabilities attending college transition programs (dollars are locked in).  This represents additional funding for ClemsonLIFE.

The budget includes a 3% pay increase (dollars are locked in) for classified and unclassified employees. A one-time bonus of $1500 for state employees must be determined in Conference Committee. The proviso directing the authorization of these funds provides flexibility to higher education institutions to reward the pay raise based on merit for unclassified employees.

The budget also 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.

NEWS AND FYI
Please follow CU at the Capitol on Twitter. Current news coverage of interest may be found here.

THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
There are 3 days remaining in this legislative session. By law, the General Assembly must adjourn sine die at 5 o’clock on Thursday, May 12 but may return to finish work on the budget or other items agreed upon by both bodies. Since this is the second year of a two-year session, bills that did not pass this session will die at the close of the session.

BUDGET
The House is expected to take up the Senate’s amendments to the budget as early as this week. If the House votes to non-concur in the Senate amendments, a conference committee will be appointed to negotiate the differences in the House and Senate versions.

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.

  
LAST WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Representative Murrell Smith, Jr. (R-Sumter) was unanimously elected by the House of Representatives to serve as the next Speaker of the House. His term will begin at 5:01 pm on May 12. Speaker-elect Smith succeeds Speaker Jay Lucas (R-Darlington) who is not seeking re-election.

There are 6 days remaining in this legislative session. By law, the General Assembly must adjourn sine die at 5 o’clock on Thursday, May 12 but may return to finish work on the budget or other items agreed upon by both bodies. Since this is the second year of a two-year session, bills that did not pass this session will die at the close of the session.

BUDGET
The Senate completed its work on the state budget on Thursday, April 28. Below is a summary of items impacting Clemson University and Clemson PSA:

Clemson E&G
–      $6.077 million in recurring funding for tuition mitigation* (House funded $9.9 million recurring)
*In order to retain the above appropriations, each institution of higher learning listed above must certify to the Commission on Higher Education by August 15, 2022, there is no in state undergraduate tuition or in state undergraduate mandatory fee increase, excluding increases in auxiliary fees, for the 2022 2023 academic year.
–      $35 million in nonrecurring funding for maintenance, renovation and replacement (House funded $32.5 million recurring) 

Clemson PSA
–      $2 million in recurring funding for Rural Health Cooperative Extension and Research (same funding in House version)
–      $750,000 in recurring funding for Laboratory Services Support (same funding in House version)
–      $750,000 in recurring funding for Integrated Agriculture Technology (House funded $500,000 recurring)
–      $2 million in nonrecurring funding for Critical PSA Infrastructure (House funded $3.6 million nonrecurring)
–      $4 million in nonrecurring funding for Edisto Research and Education Center Research Infrastructure Upgrades and Expansion (House funded $7 million nonrecurring)
–      $1.375 million in nonrecurring funding for Poultry Science Research Facility (priority not funded in House version)

The current budget also includes several items of interest from the Executive Budget:

–      $70 million in recurring lottery dollars for need based grants at the Commission on Higher Education (House funded $60 million).  This would represent approximately $5.83 million in additional need based grant opportunities for Clemson students.
–      $20 million in recurring tuition grants at the Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission (same funding in House version).  These dollars are beneficial to students attending private higher education institutions.
–      $4.1 million in recurring lottery dollars for students with intellectual disabilities attending college transition programs (same funding in House version).  This represents additional funding for ClemsonLIFE.
–      $10 million in recurring lottery dollars for the Clemson University College of Veterinary Medicine (funding not included in House version).

The budget includes a 3% pay increase for classified and unclassified employees, but does not include a one-time bonus of $1500 for state employees.  The proviso directing the authorization of these funds provides flexibility to higher education institutions to reward the pay raise based on merit for unclassified employees.

The budget also 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.

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.

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.