Governor Nikki Haley recently released her Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2012-2013. In it, she recommends that state general funds and appropriations from the state lottery for the need-based higher education Tuition Grants be funded at levels similar to last year.

Gov. Haley also recommends that the state’s merit scholarships—Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE, and Tuition Assistance—be fully funded for eligible students. In order to do this, the Governor proposes to add an additional $17.1 million in state spending.

PASCAL, the Partnership Among South Carolina’s Academic Libraries, is slated to receive $164,289 in general funds for the next fiscal year, the same amount that it received in FY 2011-2012. Gov. Haley did not include PASCAL in the Lottery’s Excess Unclaimed Prize account. Last year the General Assembly authorized up to $1.5 million for PASCAL if there was sufficient unclaimed prize money at the end of the year. The actual amount of the funding, if any, will not be known until the books close in June.

The next stop for the FY 2013 state budget is the House of Representatives. Subcommittees of the House Ways and Means Committee have already started agency hearings. On Tuesday, Earl Mayo, executive director of the Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission, appeared before the Higher Education and Cultural Affairs subcommittee. Mr. Mayo requested that the subcommittee recommend an increase of more than $3.5 million for Tuition Grants. The additional funds will help to offset normal inflationary increases plus the loss of federal LEAP and SLEAP grants which were cut in the federal budget.

Advocates for independent higher education and student financial aid still have time to make their voices heard. The full Ways and Means Committee will begin budget deliberations during the week of February 21. House floor deliberation will begin the week of March 13. Letters and telephone calls to House members in support of SCICU’s legislative priorities should be sent before these dates.

College Goal South Carolina is an annual event which helps students and families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the single most important financial aid form for college-bound students. It is required with applications for federal Pell Grants, the state’s Higher Education Tuition Grants, and many other loans, grants, and scholarships.

In addition to getting professional help to complete the FASFA, students are provided information on state scholarships programs as well as information about the state’s public and private two and four year higher education institutions.

This year, College Goal South Carolina events will be held at 17 locations across the state on Saturday, February 18, 2012. Financial aid counselors from area colleges and universities will join with staff from the Commission on Higher Education and community volunteers to assist students and families.

SCICU members Claflin University, Columbia International University, and Newberry College will serve as host sites. For additional information, visit www.sccango.org or www.collegegoalsc.org. The Commission on Higher Education, in cooperation with the host sites, is responsible for College Goal South Carolina.

Dr. John H. Hudgens II has been named acting president of Newberry College following the resignation of Dr. Scott Koerwer, who resigned on November 12 to pursue business and family interests.

A graduate of Newberry College, Dr. Hudgens previously served as Newberry's interim president in 1999 and 2000 and again in 2010. A life-long educator, Dr. Hudgens enjoyed a successful career in South Carolina public schools including nine years as superintendent of Richland County School  District 2. He is a past president of both the SC Association of School Superintendents and the SC Association of Secondary School Principals.

We welcome President Hudgens back to SCICU and wish him well in his endeavors.

SCICU recently distributed $278,000 in scholarship funds to 175 students at the 20 member colleges through the Named Scholars Program. The Named Scholars Program was developed in 1994 to encourage investment in individual student scholars attending participating SCICU member institutions.  Investors in the Scholars Program recognize the need to encourage and assist talented and deserving students in their effort to obtain a college degree.  These scholarships are awarded annually to students selected by the colleges based on criteria established by the donor. For the 2011-12 academic year, the following companies and organizations have established scholarship programs through SCICU: Bailey Foundation, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BB&T, Colonial Life, Duke Energy, SCE&G, SC Student Loan Corporation, Sonoco Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and UPS.

SCICU Executive Vice President, Eddie Shannon, stated, “SCICU is delighted to have a partnership with these outstanding companies and organizations enabling us to give these promising students an opportunity for a successful future”. Further, Shannon remarked, “Thanks to the generosity of the companies and foundations, we are able to provide scholarships to promote success at private institutions of higher education for deserving students, and do so even in challenging economic times.”