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2009
April 29
Bus Tour Meeting
10:30 a.m. at SCICU Office
June 8
SC Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission Meeting
10:30 a.m. at SCICU Office
June 11
Public Policy Committee Meeting
10:00 a.m. at SCICU Office
June 15-19
Guidance Counselor Campus Tour
August 27
Finance Committee Meeting
10:00 a.m. at SCICU Office
September 10
Executive Committee Meeting
10:30 a.m. at SCICU Office
September 24
Board of Trustees Meeting
10:30 a.m. at Southern Wesleyan University
Central, SC |
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Governor, General Assembly Recognize Independent Higher Education
In a recent Proclamation, Governor Mark Sanford designated the week of April 20-24, 2009 as Independent College and University Week and April 22, 2009 as Independent College and University Day. In his proclamation, Governor Sanford noted that "independent colleges and universities in the Palmetto State share a common commitment to promoting critical thinking and creativity by preparing students for full lives, productive careers, and active citizenship." The Governor is a graduate of SCICU member Furman University.
The South Carolina House of Representatives and the Senate in a Concurrent Resolution joined Governor Sanford "in expressing deep appreciation to all these fine South Carolina [independent higher education] institutions for their role in providing outstanding education to students from all walks of life." The General Assembly declared that our SCICU institutions "have established an unparallel record of excellence in teaching and nurturing students, adapting to ever-evolving student needs, technological advances, and social trends while providing a full range of educational experiences."
SCICU and its member institutions are grateful for the support of both the Governor and the General Assembly and will continue to work to maintain and promote their confidence.
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SCICU Celebrates Excellence in Teaching
 As part of South Carolina Independent College and University week, top administrators, faculty, and friends from twenty independent colleges and universities gathered at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on the evening of April 21, 2009 to celebrate and recognize the outstanding professor from each institution. They were joined by members of SCICU's Board of Trustees and other invited guests including seven members of the General Assembly and State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex. Entertainment was provided by the Columbia College Chamber Ensemble.
Those honored with the 2008 SCICU Excellence in Teaching Award include:Mrs. Mildred H. Steed, Allen University; Dr. Teresa M. Jones, Anderson University; Dr. Ronald Henry High, Benedict College; Dr. Brian Stanford Miller, Charleston Southern University; Dr. Isaiah R. McGee, Claflin University; Dr. Joseph E. Flaherty, Coker College; Dr. Hyman S. Rubin, III, Columbia College; Dr. Joel S. Williams, Columbia International University; Professor Brent Glenn, Converse College; Dr. N. Bradley Christie, Erskine College; Dr. T. Lloyd Benson, Furman University; Dr. Paul R. LeFrancois, Limestone College; Dr. Cherry S. Harmond-Early, Morris College; Dr. Vinetta Witt, Newberry College; Dr. Marianne Holland, North Greenville University; Dr. Richard R. Heiser, Presbyterian College; Dr. Harold M. Waters, Southern Wesleyan University; Dr. J. Kristian Pratt, Spartanburg Methodist College; Dr. David F. Caslan, Voorhees College; Dr. Carol Brasington Wilson, Wofford College.
Along with a certificate, each of the award winners received a $3000 professional development grant.
SCICU especially wants to acknowledge and thank our event sponsors: AT&T, BB&T of South Carolina, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Duke Energy Foundation, NBSC, TIAA-CREF and Vulcan Materials Company.
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Record Numbers Turn Out for SCICU State House Day
 More than 140 students assembled in Columbia on April 22 to learn about the process of legislative advocacy and to thank their representatives and senators for supporting independent higher education through the need-based Higher Education Tuition Grants Program and other merit-based scholarship programs. Lottery scholarships, such as the LIFE, HOPE and Palmetto Fellows awards, and Tuition Grants provide financial assistance to over 16,000 South Carolina students who attend one of SCICU's twenty colleges or universities. Earlier in the session, students from SCICU schools wrote almost 1200 letters of appreciation to members of the House and Senate.
During their day at the State House, the student representatives heard from Rep. Brian White, a member of the Way and Means Committee, before visiting with individual members. Rep. White is a graduate of SCICU member Erskine College. They also met with Sen. John Courson, Chairman of the Education Committee, who presented them with a Concurrent Resolution recognizing the importance of independent higher education in South Carolina.
Serving more than 33,000 students across the state, independent colleges and universities are dedicated to providing high quality, post-secondary educational opportunities to a diverse group of traditional and non-traditional students in a manner that meets their academic, social, cultural, and financial needs.
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Spartanburg Methodist Names New President
 Earlier this month, the Spartanburg Methodist College Board of Trustees named Dr. Colleen Perry Keith as the seventh president of the college.
Dr. Keith will lead the college into its second century and succeeds President Charles P. Teague who is retiring, effective July 1, 2009, after serving as President for 12 years. She currently serves as Executive Director of Development at Ohio University in Athens, OH.
Dr. Keith, a native of upstate New York, has more than 20 years of experience in higher education, in capacities such as student service roles, program development, teaching, fund raising, and administration.She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from State University of New York in Binghamton, a Master of Education from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University.
We look forward to Dr. Keith's active participation in SCICU once she arrives on campus. |
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Robinson Heads Finance Committee
Ann K. Robinson, an at-large member of the Board of Trustees since 2006, is the new chair of the Finance Committee. She succeeds president-elect Sara Fisher who will become Board president in September.
A senior vice president for Bank of America in Greenville, Ann previously served on the Development Committee. As a committee chair, Ann will have a seat on the Executive Committee.
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Senate Debates FY 2009-2010 Budget
 When the Senate returns on Tuesday, it will continue debating the State budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The $5.7 billion proposal is significantly lower than the $7.1 billion budget that was approved last year. The use of $350 million in federal stimulus money is the main sticking point.
Need-based higher education tuition grants and merit-based scholarships, such as Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE, and Tuition Assistance, are currently funded at the current year's levels. Because of continuing mid-year budget cuts, PASCAL is budgeted at $176, 812. The $2 million in non-recurring PASCAL funding that was cut from the FY 2008-2009 has been very difficult to restore in a year of unprecedented program reductions.
SCICU staff will continue to work on achieving our funding goals and will provide regular updates. | |
News & Notes is published by the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, Inc. Please send all comments or questions to SCICU President & CEO Mike LeFever at mike@scicu.org or 803-799-7122. Mailing address: P.O. Box 12007, Columbia, SC 29211 |
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