Category: Letters

We’re all excited about the start of a new semester and a new football season, and I know that thousands of Tiger fans will join us to watch the season kick off against Wofford on Sept. 5 in Death Valley. We have an exciting home schedule ahead of us this season, which includes big games against teams such as Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Florida State.

Clemson is known across the nation for its commitment to sportsmanship and hospitality. The university has been recognized by the Division IA Athletic Directors Association as one of five “showcase institutions” for sportsmanship programs. It’s because students, faculty, staff and alumni know that the phrase “Solid Orange” is about more than wearing orange on Fridays. It’s also about recognizing that when we wear orange, we represent the university and all of its history and traditions.

Enjoy the season but be safe, courteous to our visitors and respectful of fans – ours and theirs – who are there to enjoy the game. Welcome visiting fans to campus, and demonstrate good sportsmanship to the players, coaches and officials on the field. We’re proud of the Tigers and passionate about winning. But the Clemson Nation is known for winning with class. Thanks for your support.

Go Tigers!!

Jim Clements

President

Dear Clemson Family,

Last week, we had the opportunity to brief the Board of Trustees on the 2020Forward strategic plan, and I’m pleased to report that they support the key concepts and charged us to return this fall with a final plan for their official endorsement.

Included among those key concepts are: a sustained commitment to quality in all we do; high-impact engagement as a cornerstone of undergraduate education; growth in research and doctoral enrollment with emphasis on areas where we can achieve national prominence; making Clemson an exceptional place to work; and increasing our commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. The plan also retains many of the principles of the 2020 Road Map – including a Top 20 national ranking, an aggressive capital improvement plan, and continued commitment to outreach and economic progress for South Carolina.

I also updated the board on progress in developing a plan for diversity. Over the past few months, we have held dozens of meetings with faculty, staff, students and alumni about how we can improve the climate for diversity and inclusion. In addition, diversity emerged as a consistent theme from each and every strategic planning team. Based on all of this input, we have developed a framework for a plan that we will begin implementing this fall. I will appoint a Diversity Advisory Council before the fall semester to provide counsel to me, the new Chief Diversity Officer and the administrative leadership team and help set priorities.

The diversity plan has four pillars:

• First, develop and implement a strategic plan to increase the diversity of the student body, staff, faculty and administration, with measurable goals, which will be a charge for the new Chief Diversity Officer.

• Second, promote greater cultural awareness and a sense of community, which is the focus of several initiatives launched last spring, such as the monthly student dialogue lunches and a planned lecture series.

• Third, assess and enhance the effectiveness of existing diversity initiatives and support services. As part of this effort, the Gantt Multicultural Center will become part of the Office of Diversity – to enhance coordination and better leverage the expertise and resources of each unit.

• Fourth, we will better document and communicate the history of Clemson, including the role of African Americans and other under-represented groups. We have initiated the process with state authorities to add a series of markers to campus to document this often overlooked part of our history- pending final board review and approval.

The board’s resolution about accurately portraying Clemson’s history will support this effort. I applaud the board for opening a discussion on Benjamin Tillman, and I look forward to assisting the task force with their work.  Evaluating, discussing, critiquing and debating important issues are what great universities do to arrive at the best solutions. Understanding and communicating the full story of Clemson’s history is an important part of creating a more inclusive and welcoming campus environment.

Finally — we presented the most strongly supported college reorganization model, and the board appreciated the logic and offered tentative approval, pending further development.  They, and we, understand that college reorganization can be quite challenging, and they encouraged us to continue to work on a reorganization plan that will not only provide optimal academic structures, but also minimal impact on administrative costs.

My sincere thanks to all of you who have participated in the strategic planning process, and to the leadership team of Dr. Ellen Granberg, Vice President Brett Dalton and – most of all – Provost Bob Jones, whose tireless efforts and constant encouragement have helped us reach this point.

As a next step, the Provost will appoint small leadership teams to refine the plans for board review in October. With their final approval, we anticipate launching the 2020Forward strategic plan January 1, 2016, and college reorganization July 1, 2016. We will continue to keep you informed on these important developments. Thank you for all you do for Clemson.

Sincerely,

Jim Clements

To all of you who are here tonight and who are watching live on ClemsonTV, I thank you for your presence. I regret that I am unable to join you in person because of prior out-of-town commitments.

Tonight, our thoughts and prayers are once again with the families and friends of the victims of last week’s horrific shootings. We gather to remember and honor nine lost souls who meant so much to their families, their communities and their church. We also gather to honor their family members, whose powerful words of love and forgiveness – in the midst of unthinkable sorrow — have touched and inspired us.

We will be guided tonight and in the weeks to come by the simple phrase that has been written and spoken thousands of times – we stand with Charleston. We stand with people whose lives were dedicated to service and faith. We stand with people who seek to unite us, not divide us. We stand with each other – in remembrance.

Thank you – and God bless.

Today the State of South Carolina mourns for the lives lost in the horrific shooting at Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church. Please keep the victims of this crime and their families in your thoughts and prayers.

Although the main campus of Clemson University and Charleston are separated by a distance of 240 miles, a tragedy of this magnitude hits very close to home for all of us. Clemson is very much a part of the Charleston community, despite the miles between us. Nearly 8,000 alumni live in Charleston and the surrounding counties, almost 1,900 students hail from the Charleston area, and many faculty, staff and students are working in Charleston in our academic and research programs there.

Among the victims was Senator Clementa Pinckney, who was the youngest African-American to be elected to our state legislature. Sen. Pinckney spent time at Clemson when he was in high school, as a participant in our Career Workshop. He was also a member of the Clemson 4-H program in Jasper County when he was a young man, which sparked his interest in public service. Throughout his life, he was a champion for education and our communities. He was a strong supporter of these programs and was always a dear friend of Clemson University. His life was dedicated to serving the people of South Carolina, and his death is a tragic loss for all of us. My family and I will be praying for the family and friends of Senator Pinckney and the eight other individuals who lost their lives in this tragic event.

Clemson stands with Charleston in this time of grief and loss.

Sincerely,

Jim Clements

Our 2020Forward strategic plan continues to take shape, and once again, you have an opportunity to be part of the process at a Town Hall meeting Tuesday, June 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. in 100 Brackett Hall. I encourage you to attend and actively participate.

You will hear an update and have a chance to pose questions to Provost Bob Jones and 2020Forward Co-chairs Dr. Ellen Granberg, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, and Brett Dalton, Vice President for Finance and Operations. If you are not able to attend in person, the Town Hall will be streamed live on ClemsonTV. You may review report summaries, recommendations and comments at clemson.edu/2020Forward/

Please remember that this isn’t my plan, and it isn’t the Provost’s plan. It is our plan. The priorities we set and the decisions we make will impact Clemson not just for the next few years but for generations to come. It is vitally important that faculty, staff and students help chart the path forward.

I am very pleased with the progress that has been made to date and the level of transparency and campus engagement. I sincerely appreciate the work of the leadership team and everyone who has devoted time and energy to this process. You are making a positive difference for our students and our university.

Go Tigers!

Almost a year ago it was announced that my family would be calling Clemson home. Not just the University – and not just the city – but both.

It’s not as though we had ever lived here before, mind you. I was born in Arlington, Virginia, where I lived for four years; then moved to Maryland and lived there for the next 40 years; and, prior to coming to Clemson, lived in West Virginia for five years.

My wife, Beth’s, family has direct ties to both the city and the university – as two of her brothers and a sister-in-law are Clemson graduates. My brother-in-law, Greg, serves on the advisory board of the Spiro Institute. And the Championships Awards trophy case in the lobby of the golf clubhouse is named for Beth’s parents – Clif and Priscilla Smith.

Beth’s brothers had always made sure that our four children had plenty of Clemson Tiger gear for every birthday and Christmas. And they had always talked to us about the Clemson Family and the Clemson experience.

They could not have been more right. For us, first-timers both to the University and to the city, it is as though we have lived here all our lives. From day one, we have been welcomed with open arms. This is a very special place, indeed. The university, the city, the region … It is unlike any other place we have lived before.

And we saw just what it is that had you, our alumni, coming home this weekend for our football game against Syracuse, Tigerama on Friday night, and all our other Homecoming events and festivities. Our Flickr albums are filled with wonderful photos that will help preserve these memories.

The 100^th anniversary of Homecoming honored our distinguished military history, celebrated our present, and created even more excitement about the future for this amazing institution. We were honored to be a part of this celebration with you, just as we are honored to call Clemson home with you.

Thank you, alumni, for coming home to Clemson this past week – to where the Blue Ridge yawns its greatness. Thank you for coming home to a place your heart has never left.

Thank you for coming home – to Clemson.

Jim Clements

President

The loss of Tucker Hipps comes at a time when we are still mourning the passing of Virginia Gilliam and Andrew O’Neill. I want to thank you for the tremendous outpouring of support that you have demonstrated.  I ask that you continue to hold these very special young people and their families in your thoughts and prayers.

I know that questions remain about what happened to Tucker. Investigations are currently underway to find the answers. But there is one area where there is no uncertainty, and that is the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and guests. This must remain the top priority for all of us.

Our student leaders and the administration agree: there must be zero tolerance for any behaviors that endanger the safety and security of our students, or anyone in our community. I know that each of you shares this strong conviction, and feels a personal responsibility to help keep this community safe.

I have been here for nine months now, and I can tell you the bond of the Clemson family is very special and very strong, especially during hard times.  So, let’s address these matters together. Let’s hold one another accountable for our actions, and let’s honor the high standards of this great university.

I have confidence that our students will be part of the solution. I also know that all of you will give us your best thinking, and your best advice.  So, let’s work together to ensure that we have a campus climate that is safe and supportive every day of the year.

Thank you.

Welcome to a great new year at Clemson!

Welcome to a brand new academic year at Clemson!!

Whether you are a new or returning member of the Clemson family, you can feel the excitement this week as we get ready to greet almost 100 new faculty members and more than 4,700 new freshmen and transfer students.

Our new Provost and Executive VP for Academic Affairs, Bob Jones, will join us on September 16.  Meanwhile, get ready for a busy few weeks ahead!

Saturday and Sunday are move-in days for students. Sunday is Football Fan Appreciation Day and Freshman Picnic.  Monday brings new student convocation and our Summer Reading lecture, along with the Welcome Back festival.

On Tuesday, Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University, will speak at the Victor Hurst Academic Convocation. His leadership has been transformational at ASU, which he calls “the New American University.” Faculty members will not want to miss his talk!

Things will settle down as classes begin Wednesday, then ramp up again for our first home football game September 6.

There is nothing quite like the start of a new semester on a campus as beautiful as ours.

If you have been away for the summer, you’ll notice some major campus improvements under way.  Work has started on the Watt Family Innovation Center and Freeman Hall, both in the vicinity of the Library.

We’ve also received final approval on two major capital projects: the core campus development, which will replace the final section of Johnstone Hall and Harcombe Dining Hall, and the Douthit Hills development, a mixed-use development that will provide housing for the Bridge to Clemson and upper-division students. Facilities staff are also working hard to clean up and make repairs caused by recent heavy rains.

This progress on improving our facilities will require some patience from us all, however!  Be prepared for changes in traffic patterns, and watch Inside Clemson for updates on construction, traffic and parking!

In other big news this summer, we passed the $800 million mark in our Billion-dollar Will to Lead campaign, and re-opened large sections of the South Carolina Botanical Garden damaged by flooding in 2013.

It’s going to be a great semester, and I can’t wait!

Welcome back, and Go Tigers!

Jim Clements

April is Research and Innovation Month at Clemson!

Join in the month-long celebration with events showcasing the academic excellence and scholarship of our students and faculty.

We kicked off Monday with a thesis competition that challenged students to explain their research to a non-specialist audience — in just three minutes!

Thursday (April 3) brings the 2014 Focus on Creative Inquiry Poster Forum (FoCI), presented by top undergraduate researchers.  A Graduate Research and Discovery Symposium, showcasing the work of graduate students, is on Friday (April 4).

One undergraduate team presenting at FoCI is researching concussions. The students designed a dummy simulator equipped with brain sensors to provide concussion data. They then built a track system and measured the impact of various objects striking the head of the dummy, including weights, footballs, baseballs and helmets. They will share their findings with athletes, coaches and parents.

Other teams are developing low-cost medical devices to improve health care in Third World nations. These include blood sugar test kits, infant warmers and grass-woven neck braces. The work is part of the bioengineering department’s broader effort to improve lives in Tanzania. It may also translate into lower costs for health care here at home.

A couple of Clemson alumni invented a new and improved shoulder-stabilization brace as part of a senior design project.  They are now working with the Clemson University Research Foundation to develop and market their product.

These are just a sampling of the innovative, exciting projects our students, grad students and faculty are working on, some with the support of outside funders in government and industry. Their potential economic impact is huge. Tetramar Technologies is a successful spin-off company in our state that grew out of research begun by Clemson faculty 12 years ago.

Other events this month include a research forum; award ceremonies in several colleges; lectures on such topics as entrepreneurship, nanotechnology, healthcare, social engineering and manufacturing. Review the complete listing of events, lectures and other activities in April.

Pick an event or two and plan to join us in April to celebrate Research and Innovation at Clemson.