COLUMBIA, S.C. — SCICU campus legislative coordinators from across the state gathered on December 6th in Columbia for a legislative brief and kick-off of the annual letter writing campaign, in support of the South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Program.

Last year a record-setting 9,000-plus letters were sent to members of the S.C. General Assembly by SCICU students who received tuition grants. The campus leaders are charged with the goal of having every tuition grant recipient write letters to their respective state representatives and senators, thanking them for making it more affordable for South Carolina residents to attend the independent college or university of their choice in the state.

During this year’s meeting the campus coordinators received an economic and state budget update from Mike Shealy, budget director of the Senate Finance Committee, and a legislative preview from S.C. House Rep. Chandra Dillard.

While there are signs of a recession that inevitably will follow this period of robust economic expansion, Shealy offered a very positive outlook for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. He noted the South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors has projected $1.8 billion in additional funds over the previous fiscal year. Of that total $1 billion is non-recurring, and $800 is recurring – once it’s appropriated it will appear in future budgets.

Katie Harrison, executive director of the S.C. Tuition Grants Commission, reported that the commissioners approved requesting $1.1 million in additional funding, which would permit a maximum grant of $3,600.

Jeff Perez, President and CEO of SCICU, noted the importance of the letter writing campaign in advocating for the increase.

“When I meet with representatives and senators, they immediately acknowledge SCICU student letters, so I know personally the letters get their attention,” said Perez.

Dillard, who represents SC House District 23, and is also the Furman University director of community relations, echoed the importance of the letter writing campaign, and offered her perspective on the upcoming session of the General Assembly. She shared that K-12 education will remain a focus, as it was last year. Whether or not to sell state-owned electric and water utility Santee Cooper will also receive attention.

2019 student letter-writing campaign awards

During the gathering, Anderson University was recognized for its students writing 1,678 letters to their state representatives and senators, the most during the 2019 campaign. Andrew Beckner, Anderson University executive director for public relations, accepted the SCICU award on behalf of Anderson for the greatest number of letters written. With 100% of their tuition grants recipients writing letters, Erskine College was recognized for the highest percentage of students sending letters to their members of the General Assembly.

2020 S. C. Independent Colleges and Universities Day

The 2020 legislative letter-writing campaign will culminate with the 2020 Independent Colleges and Universities Day on April 8, 2020. On that day, students from SCICU campuses will gather at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, across the street from the S.C. State House, for a legislative warm-up and celebration of their letter-writing campaign. The students will then gather at the State House for visits with representatives and senators and recognition as a group in the gallery in the Senate.

Looking to bring in 2020 with concerts, plays, or cheering on your favorite team?

SCICU member colleges and universities have all that and more going on now. Click on the school links below to find events scheduled at your favorite college or university.

Allen University

Anderson University

Benedict College

Charleston Southern University

Claflin University

Coker University

Columbia College

Columbia International University

Converse College

Erskine College

Furman University

Limestone College

Morris College

Newberry College

North Greenville University

Presbyterian College

Southern Wesleyan University

Spartanburg Methodist College

Voorhees College

Wofford College

Looking for opportunities to sing carols, go to an art exhibition, or cheer on your favorite team?

SCICU member colleges and universities have all that and more going on now. Click on the school links below to find events scheduled at your favorite college or university.

Allen University

Anderson University

Benedict College

Charleston Southern University

Claflin University

Coker University

Columbia College

Columbia International University

Converse College

Erskine College

Furman University

Limestone College

Morris College

Newberry College

North Greenville University

Presbyterian College

Southern Wesleyan University

Spartanburg Methodist College

Voorhees College

Wofford College

NACAC agreement –

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) voted late last month to remove provisions from its “Code of Ethics and Professional Practices” in the hope of ending an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for possible antitrust law violations.

Removing the following prohibitions is intended to address the Justice Department’s position that NACAC’s practices were anti-competitive and hindered the capacity of students to secure the best aid package for themselves:

• Colleges must not offer special incentives to students applying through an early decision program
• Colleges must not recruit students after they have committed to, or enrolled in, another institution
• Colleges must not solicit transfer applications from students who had previously applied, but enrolled at another institution

As reported in the Chronicle of Higher Education, college and university staff are concerned that students will be overwhelmed by offers even after having made a decision. I would also note that students may commit to institutions even later in the summer, hoping to secure the best deal. Doing so will make enrollment projections – and budget building – that much more of a challenge. Additionally, colleges and universities with greater resources at their disposal will have an even greater competitive advantage in recruiting students.

HEA Reauthorization –

We now have dueling approaches to reauthorizing the Higher Education Act.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, is very eager for some manner of reauthorization to pass before he retires next year. With negotiations over HEA bogged down, Sen. Alexander endeavored to create an incentive by not allowing the extension of legislation that funds HBCUs and minority-serving institutions (MSIs).

As an alternative to the extension, which expired September 30th, he introduced the Student Aid Improvement Act of 2019, which offers permanent extension of the $255 million in HBCU/MSI funding, along with provisions that:

• Create a streamlined FAFSA
• Remove the ban on Pell Grants for incarcerated students
• Provide access to Pell Grants for short-term job training programs at institutions that keep tuition and fee increases at or under inflation
• Increase requirements for financial literacy training
• Provide a $20 mandatory increase in the Pell Grant maximum, beyond what Congress funds in the annual budgeting process

While we very much appreciate the commitment to student aid, and to the HBCUs, we remain concerned about students draining their Pell Grants on short-term training that will not translate into securing a college degree, which is the purpose of the Pell Grant Program.

The bill is silent on Title IX, which is a high priority for ranking committee member Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), who wants increased protections for survivors of sexual assaults.

Last week, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced the House majority version of HEA reauthorization, the “College Affordability Act.” At 1,165 pages, this bill is certainly comprehensive, and, not surprisingly, contains elements that support independent higher education and our students, as well as provisions that do our institutions a disservice. Elements of the bill that support independent higher education include:

• Continues support for the core student aid programs including:
  • A $500 increase in the maximum Pell Grant award;
  • The preservation of SEOG, including the new emergency grant funding for students in short term crisis;
  • The expansion of Federal Work Study; and
  • The reinstatement of the Perkins Loans Program.
• Provides bonus grants to institutions that graduate on time bachelor degree students who receive Pell Grants.
• Allows students receiving Pell Grants who have not exhausted all their undergraduate Pell eligibility to carry the remainder on to graduate school.
• Increases and permanently reauthorizes mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

Unfortunately, the bill also creates programs hostile to independent higher education and imposes unnecessary federal mandates:

• Creates a free community college program, which would favor funding certain institutions over private, nonprofit colleges, and diverts resources that could enhance the core student aid programs.
• Federalizes accreditation by requiring the U.S. Secretary of Education to develop measures that accreditors must use to assess an institution’s success with completion or workforce participation. Accreditation is meant to promote institutional – and student – success, not enforce compliance with arbitrary federal standards.
• Adds a lengthy list of new reporting and compliance requirements for colleges that will add extensively to administrative costs and reduce the flexibility of campuses to address issues in a manner that reflect their unique circumstances:
  • Extensive reporting and/or educational requirements on hazing
  • Establishing a coordinator position under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
  • The creation of an Office of Accessibility
• Imposes limits on institutions regarding the amount of expenses for programs and services other than instruction. This is excessive federal micromanagement that fails to recognize the importance of institutional investments in tutoring, health services, counselling, or all the student safety and reporting areas the bill requires from colleges and universities.

The competing approaches to HEA reauthorization will require extensive bipartisan negotiations to arrive at a bill that can pass both houses. It remains to be seen whether the current environment on Capitol Hill will permit such collaboration.