| THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA |
| The House of Representatives is on furlough this week and will return in statewide session next week.. |
| THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS |
| The House completed its work on the state budget shortly after midnight on Wednesday, March 12. The House budget is largely unchanged from the Ways and Means Committee’s budget. Below is a summary of the items impacting Clemson University and Clemson PSA: The specific budget recommendations impacting Clemson are as follows: Clemson E&G $10.2 million in recurring funding for in state tuition mitigation $2 million in recurring funding for Student Experiential Learning $2.5 million in recurring funding for the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism (CISC) $13.2 million in nonrecurring funding for the NextGen Computing Complex $4.3 million in nonrecurring funding for Science Lab Building $1.4 million in recurring funding for Call Me MISTER Clemson PSA $600,000 in recurring funding for Statewide Operational and Programmatic Support $1 million in recurring funding for Food Safety and Nutrition Agents $500,000 in recurring funding for Critical Vehicles & Equipment The House included several items from the Executive Budget of impact to the University: $3.5 million in recurring lottery dollars for College Transition program scholarships (like ClemsonLIFE) $2 million in nonrecurring funding for a Systemic Study of Higher Ed $10 million in recurring lottery dollars for the continuation of the initiative to address the shortage of instructors in nursing schools The budget included a base pay increase for state employees which will raise all full time employees to a new pay band, or 2%, whichever is greater. The House version of the budget includes an increase in the cost of health insurance for state employees. The employee portion will be partially paid by the state. The budget now goes to the Senate Finance Committee which is scheduled to debate the bill the week of April 7. The Senate Finance Committee continued agency budget subcommittee hearings. On Thursday, President Jim Clements and Vice President for Finance and CFO, Rick Petillo presented Clemson E&G’s budget request before the Senate Finance Higher Education Budget Subcommittee. Senate Finance Budget Subcommittees that hear Clemson’s budget requests: Higher Education Subcommittee: Chairman Ronnie Cromer (R-Newberry) Senator Darrell Jackson (D-Richland) Senator Tom Corbin Clemson ’87 (R-Greenville) Senator Ross Turner Clemson ’86 (R-Greenville) Senator Tom Young (R-Aiken) Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee: Chairman Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) Senator Kent Williams (D-Marion) Senator Tom Corbin Clemson ’87 (R-Greenville) Senator Mike Gambrell Clemson ’80 (R-Abbeville) Senator Stephen Goldfinch (R-Georgetown) 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 a potential impact on Clemson. A complete listing of these bills may be found here: VIEW BILLS. |
| NEWS & FYI |
| Tuesday, March 11 was 4-H Day in South Carolina. 4-H members and advisors from across the state traveled to the State House to share the vital work of 4-H in ag education and youth development, and preparation for work and life through hands-on learning. Please follow ClemsonGovAff on Twitter. |
