Volume 13 | Issue 4
April 15, 2021
April 2021 News and Notes


Public Policy updates impacting higher education in South Carolina

2021 Independent Colleges and Universities Week Highlights

College / university campus news and updates

SCICU Business Partners


SCICU joins federal lawsuit challenging 'Blaine Amendment' language in S.C. Constitution
SCICU on April 14 joined the federal lawsuit, Bishop of Charleston, a Corporation Sole, dba Diocese of Charleston v. Adams, to strike down post-Civil War “Blaine Amendment” language from the South Carolina Constitution.

The suit was filed by attorneys at the Liberty Justice Center, a nonprofit, public-interest litigation center that fights to protect school choice and fundamental constitutional rights.
2021 Legislative Champion Rep. Gary Simrill celebrates Virtual Statehouse Day with SCICU Students

SCICU 2021 Legislative Champion Rep. Gary Simrill and more than 90 SCICU students celebrated the successful 2021 student letter-writing campaign during the April 13 Virtual Statehouse Day gathering.
Students say 'Thank You' more than 7,200 times to S.C. Representatives and Senators
Members of the S.C. General Assembly once again had their mailboxes filled by thousands of thank-you letters from SCICU students during the 2021 legislative session.

S.C. Senators and Representatives received over 7,200 student letters thanking them for their continued support of the S.C. Higher Education Tuition Grants program.
SCICU honors 2021 Excellence In Teaching award winners on 20 campuses

SCICU is pleased to recognize the 20 winners of the 2021 Excellence In Teaching awards and their achievements in the classroom and campus communities.

Please click here to read the biographies and view award presentation photos of the 20 faculty members chosen to receive 2021 SCICU Excellence In Teaching honors.
SCICU president's remarks at April 14 'Blaine Amendment' federal lawsuit news conference
Message from SCICU President and CEO Jeff Perez
Jeff Perez, Ph.D.
SCICU President and CEO


For my column this month I thought I'd share with you my comments at the April 14 press conference announcing SCICU's participation in the federal lawsuite to strike the "Blaine Amendment' from the S.C. Constitution.
South Carolina update

Last week the S.C. Board of Economic Advisors reported the General Assembly would have considerably more resources at its disposal for the next fiscal year (2021-2022) than previously projected.
Washington update
Washington highlights include:

  • Title IX review announced - related to President Biden's March 8 Excecutive Order
  • Appropriations bill - good news for higher education
Introducing SCICU's new guide to private colleges and universities in South Carolina! Click on the guide cover to learn more about admissions, financial aid, campus life, and much more at SCICU member colleges and universities.
Campus operations and response to COVID-19 pandemic at SCICU colleges and universities

SCICU College/University Campus News 

SCICU presents news from its twenty member colleges and universities. Click here to read college news in the Newsroom on the SCICU website.

The following is a sampling of recent news from SCICU campuses:

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 University

Morris College

Newberry College

North Greenville University

Presbyterian College

Southern Wesleyan University

Spartanburg Methodist College

Voorhees College

Wofford College

Click below to access important information from each of the SCICU member colleges and universities:

The SCICU Business Partners program provides a convenient marketplace in which SCICU member colleges and universities can preview offerings tailored to the needs of the higher education community in South Carolina.

SCICU welcomes the following new business partners:


SCICU thanks the following business partner for their renewal:


Directory - Click  here  for a complete list of Business Partners, or access information on individual Business Partners via the links shown below.

ABM Building Solutions, LLC | Affinity LTC, LLC (Genworth Financial) | Aramark Higher Education | Blackbaud | Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC | Brown Edwards CPA | Brown & Brown South Carolina | CampusLogic | Cantey Tech Consulting | CapinCrouse LLP | Cherry Bekaert, LLC | CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP |Coleman Lew Canny Brown | Colonial Life | Craig Gaulden Davis | Design Collaborative | Diligence, LLC | Dominion Energy | Duke Energy | Elliott Davis | Enterprise Holdings | Find Great People, LLC | First American Education Finance | Gillis Specialty Advertising | Giraffe Web Design | GMK Associates | Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA | Hallmark Management Service | HRP Associates, Inc. | Hypersign, LLC | Immedion LLC | Jenzabar | Lower Cost Models Consortium | Lockstep Technology Group | MB Kahn Construction Company, Inc. | McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture | Metz Culinary Management | Mindstream | Nephron Pharmaceuticals | P2Ops, LLC | Paymerang (fka AP Advantage) | Pharos Resources, LLC Pioneer College Caterers | Pollock Company | Purple Briefcase | PVC Fittings Online | Regions Bank | Resource Financial Services | S2K Group, Inc. | SC Student Loan Corporation | ScholarBuys | SEGRA (formerly Spirit Communications | Sodexo | Spinx Company | Synergi Partners | Tallo (formerly STEM Premier) | Timely MD | Total Comfort Solutions | Transact Campus | UnitedHealthcare Student Resources | VEMO Education | Victor Shoreline | The Virtual Care Group | Vulcan Materials Company | Walsh Consulting Group LLC | Williams & Fudge | Wyche, PA | 


SCICU is a member of the Coalition for College Cost Savings (CCCS). This organization, comprised of 35 member organizations in 33 states, serves more than 1,000 higher education institutions and over 3 million students across the United States. The organization and staff are dedicated to helping private higher education institutions improve processes and reduce costs through collaboration.

All SCICU member colleges and universities have access to CCCS's national contracts and services. More information on this important benefit may be found here.
News & Notes is published by the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, Inc. Please send all comments or questions to SCICU President & CEO Jeff Perez at jeff@scicu.org or 803-799-7122. Mailing address: PO Box 12007, Columbia, SC 29211.