South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities

Higher Education Tuition Grants and Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE and Tuition Assistance scholarships survived another round of budget cuts as the Senate Finance Committee reduced the House version of the FY 2010-2011 state budget by $126 million. The latest shortfall was caused by two separate accounting and reporting errors. The committee wrapped up their deliberations late Thursday night less than 36 hours after being visited by independent college students during SCICU State House Day. 

In order to bring the state budget into balance, the Finance Committee reduced appropriations to a number of program areas including $10.1 million in higher education. To avoid reducing the merit-based scholarships, the Finance Committee shifted $7.7 million in general fund appropriations to excess unclaimed lottery prize funds as a first priority. PASCAL, which was designated to receive $1.0 million in excess unclaimed prize funds as a second priority in the House budget, was moved down to the fourth position, but the amount of funding was increased to $1.5 million. 

The first $8.4 million collected from unclaimed prizes is designated for use by the Department of Education and for technology enhancements at public colleges and universities. Unclaimed prizes collected in excess of the $8.4 million certified amount are awarded in priority order until all available funds are spent. 

Based on the average for the past six years, there should be sufficient excess unclaimed prizes to fund fully the Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, and HOPE scholarships. Funding for PASCAL is less certain, but still a possibility depending on how many prizes go unclaimed. 

Senators will probably take up the budget during the week of April 26. The budget is far from settled, so SCICU will continue to promote the interests of independent college students.