Volume 10 | Issue 9 December 2018
December 2018 News and Notes

December 2018 news highlights include:
  • Message from SCICU President and CEO Jeff Perez
  • Four regional trustee appreciation receptions scheduled for January-February 2019
  • SAVE THE DATE -- SCICU Board of Trustees Retreat March 7-8, 2019 (Wild Dunes Resort, Isle of Palms, SC)
  • SC independent college and universities working to keep tuition affordable
  • Wofford grad Murrell Smith elected Ways & Means chair; Morris Board Chair David Weeks elected to Ways & Means
  • Charleston Southern University installs Dr. Dondi Costin as third president
  • US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos proposes substantial changes to Title IX Law
  • Member College News
  • Upcoming Events
  • Business Partners
Message from SCICU President & CEO Jeff Perez
I am honored to be writing my first message as president and CEO of South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. I am fortunate and blessed to have a great team here at SCICU, a dedicated Board of Trustees, and inspired leadership at all our campuses.

And I would be horribly remiss not to acknowledge Mike LeFever and the ten years he was at the helm. I thank Mike for everything he has done for SCICU. I am standing on very tall shoulders.

I would like to share with you three reasons I am excited to be leading SCICU and working on behalf of independent higher education in South Carolina.


Four regional trustee appreciation receptions scheduled for January-February 2019
SCICU trustees have told us they would like more opportunities to interact with each other and campus leaders. To that end, we are hosting four regional Trustee Appreciation Receptions that will hosted by SCICU’s new president and CEO, Jeff Perez, in Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia and Charleston.

These special receptions will be an opportunity to chat with Jeff, other SCICU trustees, and campus presidents. We will also invite other prominent community members and supporters of SCICU.

Trustees, presidents, and other higher ed supporters will receive invitations to the receptions via email. For more information, please call SCICU at 803-799-7122 or email to [email protected].
2019 SCICU Board Retreat
March 7-8, 2019

Wild Dunes Resort
Isle of Palms, SC

Detailed Information will be emailed to trustees for registration. Additional information is available from SCICU at 803-799-7122 or [email protected].
SC independent colleges and universities working to keep tuition affordable
South Carolina House Representative Chandra Dillard urged advocates for South Carolina’s independent colleges and universities to keep tuition affordability front and center during the upcoming session of the General Assembly.

During her remarks at the December 7 Campus Legislative Coordinators Kickoff in Columbia, hosted by South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, Dillard (D-Greenville) stressed the value of the annual letter-writing campaign for highlighting the importance of state funding for need-based tuition grants and merit scholarships. 


Wofford grad Murrell Smith elected Ways & Means chair; Morris Board Chair David Weeks elected to Ways & Means
SCICU is pleased to announce that Wofford Class of 1990 graduate Rep. G. Murrell Smith, Jr. (R-Sumter) has been elected by the House Ways and Means Committee as its next chair. Rep. Smith also chairs the House Ethics Committee. He previously served on the Wofford Alumni Executive Committee (2003-2005).


Charleston Southern University installs Dr. Dondi Costin as third president
The Charleston Southern University Board of Trustees has installed President Dondi Costin as the university’s third president.

The Honorable Timothy E. Scott, U.S. senator and 1988 graduate of Charleston Southern, presented the charge to the president. He said, “What a wonderful time to be home. I’m so excited about your new leadership, truly.” Scott also thanked the Hunters for their leadership.



US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos proposes substantial changes to Title IX Law
Substantial revisions to Title IX federal civil rights law were proposed on November 16 by U. S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. These changes would supersede previous “Dear Colleague” guidance on the federal laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities that receive federal funding.


Member College News  

SCICU curates 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 member college / university news:

Benedict College

Claflin University

Converse College

North Greenville University

Southern Wesleyan University


Click below to access important information on 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 recognizes the following Business Partners for their renewals:


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  |  Acumen IT, LLC  |  Affinity LTC, LLC (Genworth Financial)  |  Aramark Higher Education  |  Argent Financial Group | Blackboard   |  Cantey Tech Consulting  |  CapinCrouse LLP  |  Church Mutual Insurance Company  |  Coleman Lew + Associates  |  Collegiate Financial Services (IOA)  |  Craig Gaulden Davis  |  CSI Leasing, Inc.  |  Dominion Energy |  Elliott Davis  |  Find Great People, LLC  |  First American Education Finance  | Gillis Specialty Adverstising  |  Giraffe Web Design  |  Harper Corporation General Contractors  |  Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA  |  HillSouth iT Solutions  |  Howard Technology Solutions  |  HRP Associates, Inc.  |  Hypersign, LLC  | Immedion LLC  |   The LearningHouse, Inc.  |  MB Kahn Construction Company, Inc.  |  McAllister & Quinn  |   McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture  | Met@data IT LLC  |  Metz Culinary Management  |  Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting  |  National Management Resources Corporation  | P2Ops, LLC  |  Paymerang (fka AP Advantage)  |  Pioneer College Caterers |  Pollock Company  |  Purple Briefcase  |  S2K Group, Inc.  |  SC Student Loan Corporation  |  ScholarBuys  |  Sodexo  |  Spirit Communications  |  STEM Premier |  Stroz Friedberg  |  Thompson & Little  |  Total Comfort Solutions  | UnitedHealthcare Student Resources  |  USI Insurance Services, LLC | VEMO Education | Vulcan Materials Company  |  Walsh Consulting Group LLC  |   Wyche, PA  | 


SCICU is a member of the Coalition for College Cost Savings (CCCS). This organization, comprised of 33 member organizations in 30 states, serves more than 900 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 Mike LeFever at [email protected] or 803-799-7122. Mailing address: PO Box 12007, Columbia, SC 29211.