Inside Clemson

Inside NOW: Barker draws thanks from the Clemson family; Highway 93 pedestrian safety improvement update; Barker’s April 16 Senate Finance Committee remarks

Scroll down to read the following articles:

  1. Barker draws thanks from the Clemson family after announcing retirement, return to teaching
  2. Update: SC Highway 93 pedestrian safety improvements
  3. President Barker’s April 16 remarks to the Senate Finance Committee – Education Subcommittee
  4. Discover Clemson Research Blog: Verbal aggression and athlete motivation; Exploring the coach and student-athlete relationship
  5. Vending Committee accepting fund requests April 18-May 20
  6. Call for entries for the 6th annual c u in China photography contest
  7. MITS raises over $1,500 for United Way
  8. Upstate Writing Project Young Writers’ camp
  9. PARKING/TRANSIT: Parking lot closures this week

1. Barker draws thanks from the Clemson family after announcing retirement, return to teaching

https://blogs.clemson.edu/inside-clemson/inside-news/barker-draws-thanks-from-the-clemson-family-after-announcing-retirement-return-to-teaching/

Faculty, staff, students and other well-wishers thanked President James Barker for his 14 years of service to the university after he announced he is retiring as president and returning to teaching.

The president shared in a livestream video message to the campus today that he will continue to lead the university until his successor is on board.

“Clemson has come a very long way under Jim Barker’s leadership, said Kelly Smith, Clemson’s Faculty Senate president. “It will be difficult to find a replacement who cares as much about Clemson and is able to bring diverse constituencies together as well as he did.”

Angela Nixon, Clemson’s staff senate president added, “President Barker has done so much to support Staff Senate during his career as president. However, I know he is looking forward to getting back into the classroom as a teacher, so I am happy that he will be able to do that. I am also excited about the possibilities the future holds for Clemson with the transition to a new president.”

Immediately after Barker’s broadcast, Clemson students, alumni, clubs and friends took to Twitter to thank Barker for his leadership and to send well wishes to the president.

Here’s a sampling of the messages:

Casey Bolt @KCBolt
Well now I’m happy I decided to wear a #Clemson shirt today. Honoring Pres. Barker for his years of service to the #Tigers. #ClemsonFamily

CUSG @CUSG
Thank you, President Barker, for your many years of service! Your work on our behalf has been invaluable.

xfiftyfour@x54
A #clemson tiger, always. #thankyoubarker pic.twitter.com/6hxmjRZ0oU

ATO Clemson @ATOClemson
Thank you President Barker for everything you have done for Clemson and the students! You will be missed & will always be a Clemson Man.

Clemson Young Alumni @ClemYoungAlumni
Thank you President Barker for your 14 years of service as Clemson’s 14th President! #ManOfClass #ClemsonsOwn #GoTigers

Jackie Alexander @jackiealexander
Sad to hear that President Barker is retiring. He’s been a great friend and ally to Student Media.

The university has set up a Web page for those who want to share send personal messages to Barker:  https://blogs.clemson.edu/best-wishes/dear-clemson-personal/ In just a few hours, more than 200 people have added their well wishes.

2. Update: SC Highway 93 pedestrian safety improvements

https://blogs.clemson.edu/inside-clemson/inside-news/update-sc-highway-93-pedestrian-safety-improvements/

Construction continues along SC Highway 93 adjacent to Riggs soccer field to improve pedestrian safety. The sidewalk along SC Highway 93 between Beta Gamma Way and Williamson Road is closed. As early as April 15, additional pine trees will be removed to facilitate the pedestrian bridge installation. Motorists and pedestrians should stay clear of barricades and temporary fencing; observe construction signage and avoid this area if possible while work is in progress.

For questions related to this project, contact Tommi Jones at tommij@clemson.edu.

3. President Barker’s April 16 remarks to the Senate Finance Committee – Education Subcommittee

https://blogs.clemson.edu/inside-clemson/inside-news/president-barker-april-16-remarks-to-the-senate-finance-committee-%E2%80%93-education-subcommittee/

Chairman Courson, Senator Matthews and Senator Verdin,

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be here today.

I bring you greetings from the faculty, students, staff and alumni of Clemson University. It is a privilege and a pleasure to represent them here today. I also want to thank you for your hospitality last week as hundreds of alumni and supporters decended on the State House for Clemson Day. We were thrilled with the turnout and the enthusiasm. It’s unusual to see that much orange in Columbia when there’s not an athletic event taking place, and we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

I’m pleased to let you know that the state of Clemson University is very strong.

  • The university continues to be recognized as one of the nation’s best public universities – ranked #25 in terms of quality by U.S. News and World Report, and #34 among the best values in public education by Kiplinger’s. These rankings prove that it’s possible to be good and affordable.
  • This kind of national recognition enhances not only the value of a Clemson degree, but also the reputation of South Carolina among industries looking for a place with a strong business climate and a capable, well-educated workforce in which to locate.
  • Before I begin my formal remarks, I’d like to offer a portion of my time to our outgoing undergraduate student body president, McKee Thomason and ask that he introduce himself and offer any thoughts he would like to share.

It’s always a pleasure to meet with this subcommittee because it gives me an opportunity talk about Clemson’s achievements and how they are benefitting our students and the state.

Since we last met, Governor Haley has proposed funding higher education based on performance.  We endorse that concept and have been applying these accountability metrics for our last 10-year plan and our current 10-year plan.   We believe Clemson will be very successful in meeting these performance-based, highly accountable metrics.

First, let’s talk about graduation rates: With six-year graduation rates now surpassing 80 percent, Clemson has moved into the ranks of the most successful national universities – and #1 among public institutions in South Carolina. We’re also ranked among the nation’s top producers of African American engineers by Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine, and we were one of only 18 schools honored by the American Football Coaches Association for having graduation success rates above 90 percent for that sport.

The second metric is accessibility for in-state students and under-represented populations: Clemson is strategically and thoughtfully growing freshman and transfer undergraduate enrollment to increase access to a Clemson degree – while taking care to maintain the academic quality, course selection, campus life and engagement opportunities students and parents expect from a top-ranked university.

After another record year for applications, we enrolled our largest – and brightest — class ever, with 3,450 freshmen boasting an average SAT of 1246. We also enrolled more than 600 students in the  very successful Bridge to Clemson transfer partnership with Tri-County Technical College.

The third metric is job placement for our graduates. SmartMoney Magazine – a publication of the Wall Street Journal — has ranked Clemson number 7 on its list of 50 of the nation’s top colleges and universities whose graduates get the best return on their tuition dollars. We ranked higher than all Ivy League schools and higher than many public universities typically found at the top of national quality rankings.

We’re also providing students with relevant, hands-on work experience that makes them more marketable after graduation. Clemson ranked fourth in the nation on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top 10 schools with the highest percentage of students who hold internships or co-op positions as an undergraduate student.  Based on data from the 2010-2011 academic year, the report shows that 67 percent of Clemson’s graduating seniors held an internship or co-op position before graduation.

The fourth metric is support for economic development:   In 2012, we commissioned a study of Clemson’s statewide economic impact last year as a part of our observance of the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act – which created the land-grant system of colleges and universities.  In 2010 – the most recent year of the decade studied — Clemson was responsible for nearly 25,000 jobs and $1.8 Billion in total economic output statewide.

The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville now has 15 faculty members …  nearly 200 graduate students . . . 34 research partners … and 17 campus partners.

Two new facilities opened in 2012 — The Center for Emerging Technologies is designed to launch entrepreneurs and start-ups companies, and the new BMW-certified component testing lab, which will allow suppliers to test their products here in South Carolina versus sending those products to Munich.

Work also is progressing rapidly on development of the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North Charleston. At the core of CURI’s 27-acre research and innovation campus sits what will be the world’s most-advanced wind-turbine drivetrain testing facility. This unique testing facility will accelerate product testing to support growth of the global wind energy industry.  Let me take a moment to say thank you for funding $3 million as part of last year’s budget for the grid simulator – a very integral part of this project.

The facility, scheduled to be completed this year, will offer testing capacity three times greater than any other now operating. Virtually all of the major wind industry companies worldwide are represented on the facility’s advisory board.

This past summer the family of Anita Zucker donated $5 million to help build the Zucker Family Graduate Education Center on the CURI site – which will provide an academic anchor for the energy, restoration and conservation education and research programs.

Both CU-ICAR and CURI owe their existence to innovative funding initiatives created by the General Assembly. Your investments in endowed chairs and research university infrastructure are paying substantial dividends. When the state has invested in Clemson, we have delivered.

Our E&G funding requests will support economic development and programs that will make our graduate more competitive in the marketplace.

We respectfully request that you consider the following priorities for recurring funding:

$3 million for the Clemson University Center for Energy Systems at CURI, to fund faculty, research scientists, and graduate and undergraduate students to build a world class program in energy systems. Let’s leverage the facilities and technology already in development and make South Carolina a magnet for industries and federal agencies needing to develop, prototype, test and certify innovations for energy systems and electrical grid simulation.

$5 million for the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development to fund an expanding partnership between Clemson University, the technical colleges, Pre-K-12 partners, state and federal agencies, national research centers, and industry to develop South Carolina’s next generation workforce to support advanced manufacturing.

$2 million for Undergraduate Student Engagement programs – such as Creative Inquiry, Internships, cooperative education and undergraduate research. These programs engage students in real-world, hands-on learning and problem-solving – and they build the professional skills that ensure our students are ready for the marketplace.

I have a President’s Advisory Board – which consists of business, industry, education and community leaders.   I spoke with them about this program and their response to me was, “These programs are right on target. You just need to increase participation – by a lot.” That’s exactly what this funding will do.

Even with a #4 national ranking for internships, we need to do better. In fall 2012, we had more than 700 students apply for about 70 positions available through our university professional internship program. This is a clear and obvious case of a program that’s working and needs to be expanded. These funds will allow us to do that.

A recent national survey shows why this is so important.  The survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education and the Marketplace said that despite high unemployment, employers are having a hard time finding qualified candidates for jobs; and that while they still value a college degree, they said recent grads often don’t have the skills they’re looking for  — such as communication, problem-solving and ability to adapt.

Their solution? More internships.

We also have two requests for one-time capital funding.

$10 million for a Freshman Engineering & Science Hall – which will establish a new home for freshmen engineering students within the Watt Family Innovation Center to help us meet the state’s growing need for engineers – which is a core responsibility as the state’s science-and technology – oriented research university. This facility will also provide exposure for freshmen to all engineering disciplines and provide academic advising and career counseling.

Over the past four years, we have increased undergraduate engineering enrollment by more than 50 percent – and we need to continue that trend in order to meet the science, engineering and technology workforce needs. Governor Haley was recently quoted as saying the first question she gets when she is recruiting high-tech industries is, “Do you have enough engineers?” We need to be sure she can answer, “Absolutely.”

Also, we request $25 million for a new facility to house and consolidate undergraduate programs in the College of Business & Behavioral Sciences Building. These programs are currently housed in Sirrine Hall, which was constructed in 1938 and has not been renovated in 35 years.  The proposed new facility would accommodate increasing enrollment, reduction in class sizes and space for programs to meet job market demands for these graduates.

While new funding for the Endowed Chairs program has not recently been considered, I want to continue to stress the importance of this program and its continued focus to provide the intellectual capital industries are looking for and that has been proven successful by CU-ICAR and CURI.

Also, we remain hopeful that if the opportunity presents itself, you will consider a capital bond bill for higher education.

I also want to conclude today by discussing a piece of legislation that Clemson has introduced, the Clemson University Enterprise Act, which is now under review by the Special Finance SubCommittee. The bill has generated some media coverage across the state recently, and I want to take a few minutes to address why this bill is so important to Clemson and to South Carolina.

This bill, if passed, give us tools that can streamline many of the time-consuming, duplicating processes we face, while maintaining full accountability to the state.

While the bill is not a budgetary request, there is a direct connection to funding because this legislation will allow us to operate more efficiently and reduce cost of many of our business operations.

The legislation would create a new division within Clemson – an enterprise division— for units that need to operate more like businesses or activities where we interact with the private sector. Examples would be CU-ICAR, athletics or student housing. It would NOT include our core undergraduate education mission.

Simply put, the enterprise act is about reducing the cost of government and being more responsive to opportunities to create jobs and generate revenue. It’s good business.

Today, we are being asked to do more than ever for South Carolina: We’re educating more South Carolinians, creating more jobs; generating more of our own resources and working more closely with the private sector to help our industries thrive in a global economy.

We gladly accept these challenges. We want to do more for South Carolina, because that’s why we exist. At the same time, we know that resources are scarce and demands on state funding are increasing. So we must make every dollar count.

We must continue to find ways to do more with less. We must be more successful in generating revenues through research, private-sector partnerships or private donors. And we need to be more responsive to the needs of industry – and that means WE have to move at THEIR pace.

This is not a new idea for the state or for higher education. The enterprise division is modeled after MUSC’s very successful hospital authority, which the legislative approved over a decade ago.  However, there is one important difference: Rather than establish a separate  authority, this bill would create a new division within Clemson University – and that difference was intended to  address any concerns about accountability and transparency.

Because these operations continue to reside under the Clemson umbrella, they remain subject to the S.C. Freedom of Information Act; their transactions will continue to be posted on our spending transparency website; the salaries of any enterprise employees earning over $50,000 will still be publicly available; capital projects will continue to require a competitive bid process; and every action taken by the Board of Trustees regarding enterprise activities will be done in a public session and entered into the public record – as is the case now.

We believe Clemson has earned the right to be trusted with a higher level of autonomy and regulatory flexibility. When we were given increased flexibility at CU-ICAR, we delivered in record time.

We’ve also demonstrated that Clemson is efficient and a good steward of state resources. Our administrative costs per student are about half of what they are at Georgia Tech. Since 2008 we’ve cut our administrative staff by near 12 percent.

And according to metrics established by Bain & Co. Financial Services, we’re actually financially more sound than we were before the recession.

We’ve proven we can be efficient and make good business decisions, and we can be even more efficient and successful with the management tools that this new university-state partnership will provide.

I would like to conclude my remarks by saying that it has been a privilege and an honor to serve my alma mater as president for nearly 14 years. After considerable reflection, I have decided that the time is right for a transition to the next phase of my Clemson career – as a faculty member in the School of Architecture. Therefore, today I have announced plans to retire as president as soon as the Board of Trustees has completed a search for the 15th president of Clemson University.

There is never a perfect time for a transition in leadership, but certainly a very good time is when a university is in high demand, able to attract great faculty, staff and students, enjoys strong support from alumni and friends, is financially healthy, and has a strategic plan that is firmly supported by its governing board. That is where Clemson finds itself today, and I am certain there will be no shortage of outstanding candidates who will be attracted to what I consider to be the best job in the world. I know that the next president will come to appreciate your service and support of Clemson as much as I do. It has been a pleasure to work with the this committee, the Senate and all members of the General Assembly. I’m happy to respond to any questions.

4. Discover Clemson Research blog: Verbal aggression and athlete motivation; Exploring the coach and student-athlete relationship

https://blogs.clemson.edu/discovery/2013/04/08/verbal-aggression-and-athlete-motivation-exploring-the-coach-and-athlete-relationship/

by Joseph Mazer, Katie Barnes, Alexia Grevious and Caroline Boger

Team sports function as vital informal learning settings in which athletes are taught, motivated, and mentored by their coaches. Research has indicated that coaches’ positive feedback and communication improves athletes’ ability to learn about their sport. Although many factors contribute to athletes’ experiences in their sports, one of the main influencing factors is the coach.

Rutgers University recently fired head men’s basketball coach Mike Rice, who came under fire for his extreme verbally and physically aggressive behaviors with his players during practice. A video revealed that Rice grabbed and pushed his players, kicked them, threw basketballs at their heads and backs, and also used homophobic slurs and obscenities.

Research by Professor Joseph Mazer and undergraduate students Katie Barnes, Alexia Grevious, and Caroline Boger recently explored communication in the coach and athlete relationship, specifically the effects of coaches’ use of verbal aggression on athlete motivation and perceptions of coach credibility. Their research was recently accepted for publication in the International Journal of Sport Communication.

Verbal aggressiveness is a communication trait that is destructive to one’s character and is used intentionally to hurt the receiver. This communication often causes the receiver to feel inadequate, humiliated, and depressed (Infante, 1995). Mazer, Barnes, Grevious, and Boger’s findings suggested that coaches who were highly verbally aggressive when interacting with a student-athlete, led athletes to experience significantly less motivation and led them to perceive the coach as significantly less credible.

Coaches may intend for their aggressive communication to correct athletes’ poor performance during competition and improve their overall effectiveness in the game. However, these communication choices can come at the expense of the athletes’ motivation and lead athletes to perceive the coach as less competent, trustworthy, and caring. When coaches yell at their players when they make mistakes, use condescending and profane language, and use other hurtful communication behavior, athletes report that they are less motivated to participate and perceive the verbally aggressive coach as low in credibility. On the other hand, coaches who use an affirming style with calm and supportive language can lead athletes to experience greater motivation and perceive the coach as more competent, trustworthy, and caring.

5. Vending Committee accepting fund requests April 18-May 20

http://media.clemson.edu/cfo/budgets/vending-specifics.pdf

Every soda, juice, candy bar and pack of crackers purchased from a campus vending machine has the potential to benefit your department.

Each year, a portion of Clemson’s vending machine revenues is allocated to fund activities not normally supported by departmental operating budgets. Clemson’s Vending Committee accepts requests for Vending Committee funds and awards these funds during its June meeting.

Any department or recognized University organization may request funds for specific activities – no blanket allocations are made and funds are not intended to supplement inadequate operating budgets. Vending funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages. According to the Budget Office Policies and Procedures Manual, “priority will be given to local activities that enhance the intellectual and cultural life of the community.”

To make your funding request, download a request form at P:\CUBSRPT\Vending Committee Allocations  and have your Budget Center Business Offices submit to the Vending Committee via email to budgets@clemson.edu between April 18 and May 20, 2013.

  • Requests should include itemized funding dollar amounts requested along with a summary explanation of the intended use of funds.
  • Requests from academic departments should be coordinated through their respective Budget Center Business Office.
  • Requests from student organizations should be channeled through Student Government and then forwarded to the Student Affairs Business Office.

Please note that ALL requests should be consolidated and submitted by the Budget Center Business Offices.

Funds allocated in a fiscal year must be spent during that fiscal year. Any unspent funds by fiscal year end will be returned to the Vending Committee account.

Budget Center Business Officers will be sent a letter in June informing them of whether the requested funds were approved or denied.

For more information, contact La’Toya Ritter, account/fiscal analyst, at latoyaj@clemson.edu or 656-5272.

6. Call for entries for the 6th annual c u in China photography contest

https://blogs.clemson.edu/inside-clemson/inside-news/call-for-entries-for-the-6th-annual-c-u-in-china-photography-contest/

Clemson students, faculty, and staff are invited to submit up to three original photographs to the 6th annual c u in China photography contest, sponsored by the Clemson University Center for China Studies.  The images must have been taken in China between September 2012 and August 2013 and must be submitted in digital format, either via email to xhu@clemson.edu or on a CD-ROM via campus mail to the Clemson University Center for China Studies, 232 Brackett Hall.  In addition, each image must have a title or caption identifying the city or region where it was photographed and include contestant information (major and year for students, department/unit for faculty and staff).  Upon submission, the contestant gives the Center the permission to display the image(s) for publicity purposes on the Center website, in its newsletter, and/or in other appropriate venues.

A jury of selected Clemson faculty, staff, students, and community members will determine the winners on these three criteria: an image’s effectiveness in capturing a unique aspect of China in transition (most important); artistic originality; and technical quality.  The first place winner will receive a piece of artwork and $50, and two second- place winners will each receive $50.  Three honorable mention certificates will also be awarded.  The submission deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23, 2013.

7. MITS raises over $1,500 for United Way

https://blogs.clemson.edu/ccit-news/2013/04/15/mits-uw/

The Medicaid IT Services (MITS) team has just concluded a CCIT United Way “Pocket Change for Change” challenge, raising over $1,500 for United Way. This is in addition to commitments made a few months ago when President Barker asked for donations via payroll deduction. Ceremonies to recognize this achievement were held at Eagles Landing and ICAR on April 9.

Carl Dombrosky led this challenge, turning it into a competitive event that got all of MITS engaged.

Because MITS staff is spread between two buildings at Eagles Landing in Clemson, and at ICAR in Greenville, and is not evenly distributed, they formed 4 teams. The 4 teams each had a team captain and created their own mascot name for the competition. A jar was placed in each area by the team captain with mascot identification for team contributions.

  • First Place: Eagles Landing 934 1st floor’s “Painted Ponies” (Team Captain Katrina Ramos)
  • Second Place: Eagles Landing 936A “Swoop the Eagle” (Team Captain Tiffany Ortega)
  • Third Place: ICAR “Raci, the Speed Buggy” (Team Captain Cynthia “CJ” Smith)
  • Fourth Place: Eagles Landing 934 2nd floor’s “Speedy Gonzales” (Team Captain Carla O’Kelley)

Carl added a twist to keep the competition interesting. Each team scored points by placing coins into a jar (1 penny = 1 point). Each team lost points when an opposing team placed bills into their jar ($1 = -100 points). There was a weekly cut-off for contributions. Each week the results were posted, so staff knew how their team was faring.

8. Upstate Writing Project Young Writers’ Camp

http://www.upstatewritingproject.org/site/node/71

9. PARKING/TRANSIT: Parking lot closures this week

https://blogs.clemson.edu/inside-clemson/inside-news/parkingtransit-parking-lot-closures-this-week/

Parking around Fike Reserved Friday, April 19 beginning at 3 p.m.

Friday, April 19, parking around Fike Recreation Center will be reserved for Relay for Life participants and special guests. The E-14 lot (small lot closest to Williamson Road) will be reserved after 3 p.m. for cancer survivors participating in the relay. The large Fike parking lot (E-5) will be reserved for event participants after 4 p.m. Students, faculty, and staff are asked not to park in these areas until after the event concludes Saturday morning.

Parking at Lee Hall Reserved Saturday, April 20 beginning at 7 a.m.

The parking lots behind Lee Hall (C-4, C-5, and C-12) will be reserved Saturday, April 20, beginning at 7 a.m. for the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby.

Heavy Traffic around Sikes Hall on Saturday, April 20

Heavy traffic due to a high number of visitors is expected around Sikes Hall this Saturday, April 20. Students of the Performing Arts Department are hosting the free Clemson Jazz Festival in the Amphitheater from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Visitor parking are being directed to park in the Sikes Lot, Parkway Drive, Calhoun Drive, and Fort Hill Street. Please drive carefully in this area as this is a family oriented event and a number of attendees are expected.


Upcoming events

  • T. Boone Pickens lecture on leadership   April 18
    http://calendar.clemson.edu/event/t_boone_pickens_lecture_on_leadership#.UW2yzoI5uK8
  • Harvey Gantt to lecture at Clemson  April 19
    http://calendar.clemson.edu/event/caf_lecture_series_-_harvey_b_gantt#.UW2p84I5uK9
  • Thrive: A Conscious Health Experience  April 20
    http://calendar.clemson.edu/event/thrive_a_conscious_health_experience#.UW2pWII5uK9
  • Sequencing Simplified  April 23
    http://calendar.clemson.edu/event/sequencing_simplified#.UW2jPII5uK8