The Public Policy Committee approved SCICU's Legislative Strategic Plan for 2009 at a meeting on December 2. The plan has two parts: Legislative Priorities and Activities. This year's priorities are as follows:
1.0 SC Higher Education Tuition Grant Program
1.1. Support the FY 2009-10 budget request of the SC Higher Education Tuition Grant Commission for an additional $2,486,922. This figure represents increased funding commensurate with the increase in the Higher Education Price Index for the past two years. If funded, the maximum award will increase from $3200 to $3400
1.2. Resist all efforts to reduce appropriations allocated to higher education grants and scholarships from the levels established in the previous year's budget
1.3. Resist all efforts to amend the statue that exempts tuition grants and other scholarships from mid-year budget cuts
2.0 Need-based Scholarships
2.1. Support the budget request of the Commission on Higher Education for an increase of $16.3 million in need-based scholarships. The Tuition Grants Commission receives approximately 18% of the need-based appropriation to CHE to be used for tuition grants. The 18% relates to the proportion of students attending independent colleges and universities compared to the number attending public higher education institutions
3.0 Merit-based Scholarships
3.1. Advocate for full funding of Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE, and Lottery Tuition Assistance scholarships to all eligible students
4.0 PASCAL (Partnership Among South Carolina's Academic Libraries)
4.1. Support CHE's $2.3 million budget request to restore full funding to PASCAL
(Note: PASCAL is a partnership among public and private higher education academic libraries that promotes and enables all the partners to exchange resources through a central electronic card catalogue and delivery system. PASCAL also operates a purchasing consortium that negotiates reduced costs for subscriptions to electronic journals. SCICU members benefit from the expanded resources and cost efficiencies of PASCAL, elements essential for maintaining accreditation.)
SCICU staff is already engaged in the plan's implementation. A student and parent letter writing campaign and other grassroots initiatives are being organized with the help of campus legislative contacts who will meet with the SCICU staff in Columbia on January 16. Contact Mike LeFever to receive a complete copy of SCICU's Legislative Strategic Plan.
The State Budget and Control on Thursday ordered all state agencies to reduce their budgets by 7%. This is the third time since the July 1 beginning of the fiscal year that agencies have been forced to reduce their operating costs. For some programs like public higher education, the cuts now total 25%. State economists warn that the continued decline in revenues and increasing unemployment could lead to more cuts in the future.
Converse College, Limestone College, Wofford College and Spartanburg Methodist College hosted a luncheon for the legislative delegations from Spartanburg, Cherokee, and Union counties at the SMU campus on December 4. Three state senators and five representatives enjoyed a meal in a small group setting with administrators from all four schools. SCICU President and CEO Mike LeFever and Tuition Grants Commission Executive Director Earl Mayo made presentations about the significant contributions that independent colleges and universities make to the state and the importance of tuition grants for ensuring that South Carolina students have an opportunity to pursue a college education that best meets their needs.
Governor Mark Sanford recently appointed Kenneth B. Wingate of Columbia as Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education for a four year term. He succeeds Dr. Layton McCurdy who resigned after completing his term. With his appointment, Ken becomes the newest member of the SCICU Board of Trustees as an ex-officio member.
