LAST WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
On Wednesday, February 1, a Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources subcommittee gave approval to S.173 related to promulgating regulations by Clemson PSA’s Division of Regulatory Services. This bill clarifies language regarding the procedures for promulgating regulations related to Clemson’s plant regulatory services. The bill will now go to the full Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
The Senate passed S.39 (SC Education Scholarship Trust Fund) as amended and sent the bill to the House.
The State Budget Process
The House Ways and Means Committee (where the appropriations bill originates) held agency budget subcommittee hearings last week and will continue this process through mid-February. The full Ways and Means Committee is expected to take up the budget the week of February 20.
House Ways and Means Subcommittees that hear Clemson’s budget requests
Higher Education Subcommittee:
Chairman Nathan Ballentine (R-Richland)
Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D-Orangeburg)
Representative Bill Taylor (R-Aiken)
Economic Development and Natural Resources Subcommittee:
Chairman Leon Stavrinakis (D-Charleston)
Representative David Weeks (D-Sumter)
Representative Max Hyde (R-Spartanburg)
On January 31, President Jim Clements, along with Tony Wagner (Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations) gave Clemson’s Education and General (E&G) budget presentation to the Senate Finance Higher Education Budget Subcommittee.
Clemson PSA’s budget presentation to the Senate Finance Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee is scheduled for February 9.
Senate Finance Subcommittees that hear Clemson’s budget requests
Higher Education Subcommittee
Chairman Ronnie Cromer (R-Newberry)
Senator Darrell Jackson (D-Richland)
Senator John Scott (D-Richland)
Senator Tom Corbin Clemson ’87 (R-Greenville)
Senator Ross Turner Clemson ’86 (R-Greenville)
Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee
Chairman Nikki Setzler (D-Lexington)
Senator Kent Williams (D-Marion)
Senator Tom Corbin Clemson ’87 (R-Greenville)
Senator Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington)
Senator Mike Gambrell Clemson ’80 (R-Anderson)
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 2023-24 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.
NEWS AND FYI
Last week, students representing several ACC schools traveled to Washington, D.C. for the ACC’s Student Advocacy Days. While on Capitol Hill, the students, along with their ACC counterparts participated in panel discussions and visited their respective Congressional delegation offices to advocate on behalf of their universities. Ten student leaders representing Clemson Undergraduate Student Government participated in this year’s event.
Please follow CU at the Capitol on Twitter. Current news coverage of interest may be found here.