COLUMBIA, S.C. — Continuing its 65-year relationship with SCICU member colleges and universities, Dominion Energy is increasing its scholarship investment to $100,000 – 100 scholarships worth $1,000 each – for eligible SCICU students beginning fall 2021.

“We are committed to equitable educational opportunities across the communities we serve,” said Rodney Blevins, president of Dominion Energy South Carolina. “Investing in these students can help provide future members of South Carolina’s workforce with the tools they need to succeed.”

“On behalf of SCICU’s member institutions and the students they serve I want to thank Dominion Energy for their generosity and support of independent higher education,” said Jeff Perez, SCICU president and CEO. “We are deeply grateful for this additional scholarship support that helps students attend the private college or university of their choice.”

The Dominion scholarships are available to traditional-age students attending SCICU member colleges and universities who meet the following requirements:

1. GPA 3.0 or higher
2. Scholarship recipient or their parent(s)/guardian(s) are current Dominion Energy customers in the 16 states served by the company, including South Carolina and North Carolina
3. STEM-related majors are preferred but not required

Based on these eligibility requirements, financial aid directors at the 20 SCICU member colleges and universities select students for the Dominion Energy scholarships. The increased scholarship availability will begin with fall semester 2021.

“Dominion’s relationship with SCICU began in 1956 with a donation from South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G),” said Eddie Shannon, SCICU executive vice president. “This $100,000 gift will push Dominion’s total support to students at SCICU campuses to more than $1 million.”

“With this gift Dominion demonstrates its commitment to the future of South Carolina by fostering the students at SCICU member institutions who will become our state’s next generation of leaders,” said Perez.

About Dominion Energy
More than 7 million customers in 16 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

Push for enhancing S.C. Tuition Grants —

SCICU joined Governor McMaster, the SC Commission on Higher Education and the SC Technical College System at a press conference advocating an increase in the state lottery’s contribution to needs-based aids, including the South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Program.

In his Executive Budget the governor proposed an additional $10 million of lottery funding for Tuition Grants, which would increase the maximum grant from the current $3,600 to $4,380.

Converse College President Krista Newkirk spoke on behalf of SCICU member institutions. She noted that fully 60 percent of South Carolina residents attending private colleges and universities in the state are supported by the Tuition Grants Program. President Newkirk spoke of the many students who have had families stricken by the pandemic, or lost their jobs, and that the increased aid could make all the difference in completing their education.

Zy’Keria Moultrie, a junior at Columbia College, spoke eloquently on behalf of the more than 12,000 students who receive Tuition Grants. She shared her desire to become a nurse and midwife and that increasing tuition grants would put her closer to achieving that dream.

COVID-19 Liability Protection

The Senate is moving S.147, which would provide businesses and organizations with temporary protection from lawsuits associated COVID-19. SCICU member institutions that have worked so hard to provide precautions should not be second-guessed in time-consuming and distracting lawsuits.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia College nursing major Zy’Keria Moultrie emphasized the continued importance of the S.C. Tuition Grants Program during a Feb. 17 news conference attended by Gov. Henry McMaster and representatives of South Carolina’s private and public universities and technical colleges.

The news conference was an opportunity to express support for the governor’s proposal to increase lottery funding for needs-based scholarships, including the S.C. Tuition Grants Program, for which he recommends an increase of $10 million. Please click here to view the recording of the news conference.

Introduced by Converse College President Krista Newkirk, Moultrie explained that “S.C. Tuition Grants allow me to focus on my future plans and worry less now about funding for college.“

After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees and gaining experience as a travel nurse, the junior nursing major’s long-term plan is to open her own business – Moultrie Midwifery and Gynecology.

“One important thing that Zy’Keria said is that students need to find the place – college, university, or technical college – that works best for them,” said Dr. Rusty Monhollon, president and executive director of the S.C. Commission on Higher Education.

Moultrie was one of five student advocates representing South Carolina’s private and public colleges and universities and the state’s two-year technical college system at the Feb. 17 news conference.

“Sixty percent of students – more than 12 thousand students – attending South Carolina’s private colleges and universities receive S.C. Tuition Grants,” Newkirk said. “Many of our neediest students also work one or two jobs – in addition to going to school – simply to make ends meet. Some even send money home to help family.”

Newkirk noted that the governor’s proposed lottery funding increase for the S.C. Tuition Grants program will put another $780 in the pockets of SCICU’s neediest students. “That will make a huge difference,” Newkirk added.

“If we want to grow South Carolina and support future economic development, then we have to increase access to higher education,” Newkirk said. “Helping our students right now is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do for South Carolina’s future.”

SCICU in DC —

Every year SCICU participates in the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. This year we were virtual.

On February 10th, a delegation of SCICU presidents met via video link with members of Congress and their staffs – we deeply appreciate their making time to join us. We expressed four priorities for Congress this year.

• Additional COVID-19 relief. Our campuses have shouldered the cost of precautions for COVID-19, and they’ve experienced lost revenues. At the same tie they have increased institutional aid for students who are struggling financially because of the impact of COVID-19 on them and their families. Campuses require additional support to continue providing the high-quality living and learning experiences on which students depend.
• Doubling Pell Grants. Pell Grants are a federal program that provides aid to economically disadvantaged students. Demonstrating their commitment to access and opportunity, fully 45 percent of students at SCICU member institutions are Pell Eligible. Doubling the highest grant to about $13,000 would help ensure that students will be able to focus on their studies undistracted by financial concerns.
• Equity among the higher education sectors – rather than free public tuition double the Pell Grants and let students decide what institutions to attend.
• Concern that the autonomy of Christian colleges and universities as provided in law and federal regulations is threatened by the Equality Act.

What is budget reconciliation?

You may have read that the majorities in Congress are endeavoring to pass the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package through “budget reconciliation,” rather than as typical legislation. Why?

“Reconciliation” was created as part of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to allow a simple (50% plus one) majority to pass legislation in order to change policy on spending or taxes in order to keep the nation’s budget under control.

The key here is reconciliation allows the Senate to circumvent the typical 60-vote requirement to pass legislation. With the Senate split 50-50, the Democratic majority will be able to draft the relief package as they see fit, and pass it without any Republican votes, presuming all Democrats vote for it, with Vice President Harris casting the deciding vote in the Senate.

Reconciliation has been used in the past to move legislation. Since 1980, Congress has sent 25 reconciliation measures to the president – 21 were signed and four vetoed. They’ve been used for tax cuts, welfare reform, and healthcare reform.

There are limitations on reconciliation, known as the “Byrd Rule.” These include only policies that change spending or revenues can be included and committees cannot add provisions beyond their purview, and changes to Social Security are not permitted.

The House and Senate have approved a budget reconciliation resolution, which then serves as the vehicle for the legislation.

And here’s the good news. The House Education and Labor Committee has drafted its bill and it makes clear that independent colleges and universities as a sector will be included in provisions for higher education aid.

The bill, written as an amendment to the Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act which passed in December, includes $40 billion for higher education, and $130 billion K-12 education. It passed committee along party lines. The $40 billion breaks down to provide:

• $36 billion for institutions, half of which must be spent on student emergency grants
• $3 billion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority-Serving Institutions
• $396 million for proprietary institutions
• $198 million for institutions hardest hit by the pandemic

Once the legislation passes the House it moves to the Senate, which will have its own ideas and priorities. The two bills will then be brought to a conference committee where a compromise between the two houses will be hammered out.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Student researchers showcased their scholarship during SCICU’s first-ever virtual Research Symposium held Feb. 18.

The symposium is the culmination of year-long research projects underwritten by the SCICU Undergraduate Student/Faculty Research Program.

In recent years the symposium was held at the Milliken & Company headquarters in Spartanburg, S.C., but COVID-19 precautions dictated it be moved to a virtual setting. This year Converse College served as the host and control center.

Twenty-one SCICU students presented research findings at the virtual symposium. Project topics ranged from biology and chemistry to art, music, and social science (Please click here to read the symposium project list.). Students presented their findings via ten-minute oral presentations with PowerPoint slides or five-minute poster presentations. The symposium audience submitted questions virtually to students via the Zoom session moderator.

“The Undergraduate Student/Faculty Research Program and Symposium give students the rare opportunity to conduct graduate level research and present it in a professional setting,” said SCICU President and CEO Jeff Perez. “We’re deeply grateful for the faculty members who work with the students and mentor them.”

“SCICU has sponsored and funded undergraduate student research since 1995,” said Eddie Shannon, SCICU executive vice president. “During 2020, SCICU, through the support of generous donors, provided a total of $85,783 in undergraduate student research funding.”

Research funding for 2020 included $17,929 for five projects that were delayed due to COVID-19. The five projects involving student researchers attending Claflin, Converse, Furman, and Newberry will commence in 2021 and findings will be presented at the 2022 research symposium.

Student Research Donor Support

SCICU thanks donors for their generous support of the 2020 Undergraduate Student/Faculty Research Program and 2021 research symposium:

• Belle W. Baruch Foundation
• BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
• Daniel-Mickel Foundation
• Mills B. Lane Foundation
• Milliken Foundation
• Nephron SC, Inc.
• SCICU General Endowment