SC

SCSU Shutdown Has The Votes To Pass SC House

STRUGGLING SCHOOL IN SERIOUS TROUBLE WITH LAWMAKERS || By FITSNEWS ||  The proposed one-year shutdown of S.C. State University (SCSU) has the votes to pass the state’s House of Representatives, a senior legislative leader told FITS this week. “It’s unfortunate but needed,” the lawmaker told FITS.  “S.C. State and has…

STRUGGLING SCHOOL IN SERIOUS TROUBLE WITH LAWMAKERS

|| By FITSNEWS ||  The proposed one-year shutdown of S.C. State University (SCSU) has the votes to pass the state’s House of Representatives, a senior legislative leader told FITS this week.

“It’s unfortunate but needed,” the lawmaker told FITS.  “S.C. State and has been given every opportunity to formulate a plan for the future and it has failed to do so each and every time.”

The lawmaker – granted anonymity to speak freely – said a proposal by S.C. Rep. Jim Merrill to shutter the school for a year would pass the House if brought to the floor for a vote.  The only way such a vote wouldn’t be taken?

“If a plan is worked out prior to budget week that sends in a leadership team to fire the president,” the legislative leader said.

However the leader reiterated trust in S.C. State was at an all-time low among lawmakers and “at this point the shutdown seems inevitable.”

Wow … and there you have it.

As we noted in our most recent recap of this drama, we believe all “higher education” institutions in South Carolina should be shut down … permanently.  Obviously they can keep their land and buildings  – we’d even give them a ten-year moratorium on paying property taxes –  but after that they need to rise or fall on their own.

Unless of course you think taxpayers should continue subsidizing both sides of the higher ed bubble …

When SCSU received its first taxpayer-funded “loan” for $6 million last May (on top of the tens of millions it is appropriated annually), this website railed against the institution – exposing how the proceeds from the payment weren’t going where University officials claimed they were and how the school’s financial situation was actually much worse than they were letting on.  And when SCSU got a $12 million bailout last December, we exclusively reported on how this expenditure was unconstitutional – routed through a committee not authorized to make appropriations.

The whole thing is a mess … and while we support the one-year “shutdown” plan, no one should kid themselves that it’s going to magically solve the school’s fundamental problem (which is failing to reduce overhead in response to declining enrollment).

Oh, and let’s not forget its rampant corruption, shady boondoggles and overblown bureaucracy …

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37 comments

Rakkasan February 12, 2015 at 11:57 am

Maybe you could include something about return on investment? Also, from Pres. Pastides:

In 2008, I became president of USC at the same time the economic downturn was taking hold. Within a span of three years, the General Assembly had to reduce our state funding by half, slashing public dollars to just 10 percent of USC’s annual budget.

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G.O.B. February 12, 2015 at 12:00 pm

After 1 year, SCSU will lose its SACS accredidation, therefore they won’t be able to offer many financial aid programs and thus effectively driving the final nail in the coffin of that dumpster fire. Actually, a brilliant move by the General Assembly that can then say, “Hey, we only temporarily closed to let you get your finances in order. Too bad, so sad that you can no longer offer the aid.”

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Squishy123 February 12, 2015 at 12:40 pm

Let’s just call it “welfare reform” and be done with it.

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BillBrasky February 12, 2015 at 2:50 pm

Student loans aside, I doubt the three students at that school who actually have the grades to graduate, much less get a scholarship, will have much trouble transferring to equally as prestigious institutions like Benedict and Allen.

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Tazmaniac February 12, 2015 at 12:02 pm

Closing for a year makes as much sense as suspending Lying Brian Williams for 6 months. In both cases it is just a delay of the inevitable reality, just feels better/easier to say.

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Squishy123 February 12, 2015 at 12:38 pm

Only thing they’re doing wrong is not putting up a For Sale sign out front.

What about the Clyburn Transportation Center??? Can it be leased by the Orangeburg Taxi Company?

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Halfvast Conspirator February 12, 2015 at 1:14 pm

What about the Clyburn Transportation Center money??? Did anyone ever find out where it all went?

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Squishy123 February 12, 2015 at 1:34 pm

Mignon eats mignon, that’s all I’m going to say.

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Halfvast Conspirator February 12, 2015 at 2:15 pm

You tawkin bout Fee-lay?

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Mamakin February 12, 2015 at 2:50 pm

Sumpbody betta axe Mayor Bojangles.

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Bible Thumper February 12, 2015 at 9:48 pm

Clybrun … C – L – Y – B – R – U – N
Clybrun Transportation Center

https://www.fitsnews.com/2014/11/13/congratulations-jim-clybrun/

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Libtard February 12, 2015 at 12:43 pm

Good.

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erneba February 12, 2015 at 1:59 pm

This would seem OK if they would use the time and put forth the effort to get the institution back in order. This loan a few million this year, a few million next year scheme will not work. In the process, if they ever want to recover, make it clear that everyone’s head down there is on the chopping until they can prove that they have set up an institution that can remain economically viable for the future. If not accepted by the entrenched staff down there, just unilaterally cut the cord and turn them loose.

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Fed up February 12, 2015 at 2:08 pm

Finally some good news out of SCSU. That place is nothing but a place for thugs to congregate and get an “education” on tax payer dime anyway. Labeled as the only state funded traditional black college is another way of saying no whites allowed. Thought segregation ended in the ’60’s? Seems like a double standard to me. Just imagine what would happen if there were a traditional white college where the entire staff was all white. (Enter Al and Jessie).

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Halfvast Conspirator February 12, 2015 at 2:15 pm

A lot of white kids go there, probably because they couldn’t get into USC or CU or CoC, and can still get a “degree” in something.

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Squishy123 February 12, 2015 at 4:11 pm

Sort of like a shit sandwich is still technically a sandwich?

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The Colonel February 12, 2015 at 5:09 pm

There might be 60 “white” kids at SCSU.

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The Colonel February 12, 2015 at 3:41 pm

95% African American, 2% white. The other 3% aren’t sure. ..

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preyingonthedumb February 12, 2015 at 4:07 pm

Indeed. Or Allen, Benedict, Clafflin, Vorhees, Columbia College, etc. A complete waste of everyone’s money (since the “degrees aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on, unless you work in education or for the government, and that’s another scam) except the “faculty” and “administrators” who are collecting fat pay checks and bribes. Nothing but dens of shameful thieves, every one.

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Mike at the Beach February 12, 2015 at 11:22 pm

Isn’t Columbia College a private school? Do they get a bunch of state money?

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preyingonthedumb February 12, 2015 at 11:29 pm

No difference. They are still paying (borrowing) for, and being cheated, for an “education” that is worthless. All part of the “everyone is entitled to a college degree” scam perpetuated by scumbag liberal white Democrats fostering the black vote. Pure and simple.

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preyingonthedumb February 12, 2015 at 11:43 pm

Let’s all feel good about ourselves and let everyone go to “college”. Pay no attention to the criminal state salaries and benefits being paid to a bunch of monkey faculty and administration who, on average, couldn’t crack 900 on the SAT.

Mike at the Beach February 13, 2015 at 12:35 am

I totally hear you on the college thing- I’ve said for many years that the “college for all” is a crock. Vocational training for some of those folks would be much more helpful. My only question was Columbia being on that list; they’re private and not an HBC (although they used to be all-female).

preyingonthedumb February 12, 2015 at 3:50 pm

It’s sad that anyone would pay (borrow) money to go to SC State and think they are really in college.

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Guest February 12, 2015 at 5:03 pm

The Senate will never agree to a budget that closes SC State. An unfortunate fact, jack.

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ELCID February 12, 2015 at 6:42 pm

Two other options.

1. Just give the campus to Claflin College right next door.
It’s an impressive College that has better buildings and teachers than SC State.

2. Put it under USC. Very similar to USC Upstate, or other USC extensions. This would solve the Accreditation problems, reduce overhead costs, and give it proper leadership into the future.

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Soft Sigh from Hell February 12, 2015 at 7:16 pm

Also, look at Florida and NC (and GA?) to see how their state HBCU are doing, and if doing OK, how?

(But these proposals don’t please the howling redneck mob.)

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ELCID February 12, 2015 at 7:19 pm

Good suggestions.
We let SC State run lose for far to long.
Something has to be done.
But, if Strom Thurmond sent his daughter there, then there must be something there worth saving. At least I hope it can be done properly.

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kaplony February 13, 2015 at 3:03 am

Re: #2 As a land grant with STEM responsibilities I think it would make more sense to put them under Clemson than in the USC system. That would help strengthen their engineering and agricultural programs, both of which should be priorities for the region of the state they are in.

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ELCID February 13, 2015 at 10:08 am

I looked at that for one of Clemson’s off campus research groups.
SC State was in such a mess that we could not find anything that Clemson wanted to be involved with. I think there is definitely a possibility, but Clemson, probably like USC, would want the problems straightened out before they got involved. There are a lot of things that could be done between SC State and Clemson. Just, right now, it’s just too problematic for them. But, that could change.

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kaplony February 13, 2015 at 10:43 pm

I’m pretty sure that neither USC or Clemson would take on the currents debts and would want the state to take care of those.

On the SCSU side there is a greater chance that Clemson would be more open to them keeping the SC State identity rather than what would likely happen in the other system with them becoming USC-Orangeburg. As trivial as it may be it is important to the black community.

When it comes to strengthening the academic side of the house it makes greater sense for them to do that under the best engineering school in the state, and of course their agricultural programs.

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ELCID February 15, 2015 at 2:37 pm

All good points.
I hope that something can be done to save the school and the SC Taxpayer’s money in the future.

Best Regards

Temperature is Rising February 12, 2015 at 6:49 pm

Lawmakers are in serious trouble with the majority of the voters in South Carolina. It would be wise for the legislatures to start obeying the will of the rightful owners of state government.

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Matt February 12, 2015 at 9:20 pm

Very interested to see how this one plays out. The one year shut down makes zero sense to me.

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William February 15, 2015 at 5:13 pm

Anyone can see that there are some serious problems at SC State. Much of these problems, over the years, seem to stem from mismanagement by members of the Board of Trustees? Who elects the members of the Board of Trustees? By what criteria are these members chosen? Again, if the problems at SC State originate from the Board of Trustees, would not the agency responsible for choosing these individuals and giving them the keys also be responsible for their mismanagement to some degree? Just a question.

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Ralph Hightower February 16, 2015 at 3:46 pm

Either way, if the legislation passes or not, South Carolina should dissolve SC State’s board, along with the firing of the president; then state government should take over SC State to fix their financial problems.

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