UofSC makes student-focused state budget request
Posted on: January 28, 2020; Updated on: January 28, 2020
By Dana Woodward, ddhaesel@mailbox.sc.edu, 803-777-3691
Last year, the university was successful in holding tuition increases in check across the system because of our collective work with elected officials to make college more affordable and improve the lives of all South Carolinians. Building on the promise of last year’s state budget, the university is committed to freezing tuition at current levels and again aligned its request with the tenets of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the legislation that will make tuition stability a priority in years to come. Here are the university's requests for the next fiscal year, which advocates will support as they visit the State House for Carolina Day on Wednesday (Jan. 29):
- Approximately $12 million in recurring funding in order to freeze tuition for in-state students across the eight campuses.
- $23.4 million in one-time funding to maintain and upgrade aging facilities across the system. Our buildings are state assets, and state funding to help keep them up to date will ultimately help keep tuition costs down.
- $35 million in one-time funding to help construct a new facility for the UofSC-Columbia medical school in partnership with the state.
In addition to requests for funding, the budget request also seeks regulatory reform for smaller, more routine construction projects. Currently, projects costing more than $1 million must go through numerous layers of state approval. By reducing state approvals, for projects costing less than $5 million, we could complete capital projects faster and more efficiently while still maintaining proper state oversight.
For more on Carolina Day and how to get involved, visit the Carolina Day website.
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