The SCICU Fall Board of Trustees meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 6 from 10am until 2pm. Newberry College has graciously offered to host this year's meeting and luncheon.

 

The agenda includes the election of officers and trustees for the Class of 2018, the approval of the FY 2015-16 Budget, and a report on the Strategic Vision and Succession Plan.

The House and Senate are at odds over how to spend almost $7 billion in state revenue for the fiscal year beginning July 1. And to complicate matters, the Board of Economic Advisors on Friday certified an end-of-the-year budget surplus of over $400 million. Having additional money is not a bad thing, but ironing out the spending differences and allocating the surplus revenue present monumental challenges for a conference committee of three senators and three representatives.

 

The General Assembly has only three days left in the regular legislative session which ends at 5:00 p.m. on June 4. That is probably too little time for the leaders to appoint a conference committee and for both bodies to agree to and ratify a spending plan that can be sent to Governor Haley. Additionally, a $84 million Capital Reserve Fund bill has been stalled in the Senate by a filibuster. With the July 1 quickly approaching, the General Assembly has taken two preemptive actions.

 

First, the House and Senate have agreed to extend the length of the session to complete work on the budget and the Capital Reserve Fund, address any vetoes by Governor Haley, and consider a very limited agenda of unfinished bills. Members will reconvene at noon on June 16 for a special 3 day session which could be extended if work on the two spending bills are not completed.

 

Second, a joint resolution is making its way through the legislative process which will allow the expenses of state government to be paid at the current year's level if FY 2015-16 begins without an approved general appropriations act.

 

What does this mean for independent colleges and universities? Other than playing the waiting game, we are confident at this point that the Tuition Grants program will receive sufficient funding to be able to increase the maximum award from $3,000 to $3,100 beginning with the 2015-16 academic year. Both the House and the Senate have appropriated an additional $136,722 in recurring general funds, and they are close to agreeing on a figure north of $8 million in lottery funds.

 

The state's merit scholarship program is fully funded in both versions of the budget, but only the Senate included PASCAL, the academic library consortium, as part of the lottery funds appropriation. The two bodies differ over funding the state's need-based grant program through the Commission on Higher Education. The Senate included the necessary $2.6 million to keep the program at last year's level, but the House include only $1 million.

 

After 19 weeks of legislative wrangling, our lawmakers still have a lot of important work to accomplish before the 2015 session can adjourn sine die. 

On April 27, the second annual SCICU Teacher Recruitment Fair took place on the campus of Presbyterian College. Over 60 recruiters representing 40 school districts from the states of South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida participated in the event. Recruiters spent the day interviewing candidates from the pool of nearly 80 education majors from SCICU member institutions who attended the fair.     

 

Lynn Downie, assistant director of career programs at PC, was instrumental in coordinating this year's fair. Career services colleagues from Anderson University, Coker College, Columbia College, Converse College and Limestone College came to assist with the event.     

 

Charlotte Smeak Verreault has been a dedicated SCICU Board member since 2011 and has served as a member of SCICU's Development Committee. We are excited to relay the news that Charlotte has taken a new position with her alma mater and will serve as Vice President for External Affairs and University Relations at Converse College.

As V.P. for External Affairs and University Relations, Charlotte will focus on the development of philanthropy, fundraising, alumni engagement and donor relations, and special advisory boards including the Alumni Board and Board of Visitors, communications and brand management, media and public relations, and events.  Charlotte had previously worked for Milliken & Co. In addition to her involvement with SCICU, she is a Trustee at the Spartanburg Day School, a board member for Habitat for Humanity, and serves as a member of the Furman University Parents' Council.  Charlotte is also a past president of the Converse College Alumni Association.

 

We congratulate Charlotte on her appointment and look forward to working with her in her new role with Converse College.

 

The SCICU grant allowed Natacha to conduct chemical research with Converse chemical professor Dr. Sheri Strickland and to present her grant-funded work at the annual SCICU Research Symposium and at the Western Carolinas American Chemical Society meeting at Furman University. The SCICU grant opened the doors to more sophisticated research at the University of South Carolina.

 

A resident of Kigali, Rwanda, Natacha spent holidays and summers with education professor Dr. Lisa Schoer and her husband, Jack. And when money ran out during Natacha's freshman year, Converse President Dr. Betsy Fleming worked to find the funds to help Natacha bridge the financial gap and remain with her class.

 

Contributions from SCICU's many supporters to programs like student research grants and scholarships and the personal attention that students receive at private non-profit liberal arts colleges like Converse College, help to pave the way for thousands of students each year.

 

Read more about Natacha, her family, and her remarkable achievements at http://www.goupstate.com/article/2015150519672.

The Furman University Bridges to a Brighter Future Program (highlighted by Dr. Jolley Christman, and Bridges staff members Pam Davis, Dean Bailey, and Danielle Staggers at the 2015 SCICU Biennial Retreat) is a program preparing first-generation, low-income high school students from Greenville County for college access and success.

 

This year, seven out of the twenty students completing the program will attend SCICU institutions beginning this fall. Anderson University, Benedict College, Converse College, Furman University, Morris College, and Newberry College are the colleges selected by these students.

 

All 20 program students will attend Furman's Crossing the Bridge summer program, which is an intensive, one-week program designed to prepare them for all aspects of their college experience.

 

Those attending SCICU colleges and universities are eligible to receive The Sanders Family Foundation Scholarship, established through the family foundation of SCICU Trustee Dan Sanders. The scholarship operates in coordination with the Furman Bridges Program. Each academic year, ten students participating in the Bridges program and who demonstrate extenuating financial need will receive $1,000 scholarships to attend an SCICU institution.

 

To learn more about the Furman University Bridges to a Brighter Future Program, go to www.bridgestoabrighterfuture.org 

Pictured L to R: CHE Commissioner Temple Hood, Dr. Laurie Hopkins, Dr. Helen Rapoport, Dr. Nancy Tuten

On May 7, the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) presented the 2015 Service Learning Awards. The awards recognize institutions of higher education that have implemented a course or program which focuses on hands-on resolution of community issues followed by analysis and reflection.

Three institutions received awards, presented by CHE commissioner Temple Hood. Columbia College received the award in the independent institution category. Piedmont Technical College was awarded in the public, two-year category, and the Medical University of South Carolina was awarded in the public, four-year category.

 

Columbia College's entry, "Healing Species Compassion Education Program" was rolled out in the pilot stage in August 2014 and became a full-fledged program in January 2015.  Students in Liberal Arts 201 learn about key issues that impact social justice, gender roles, and diversity. Then, they teach lessons and lead activities at the Healing Species Violence Prevention and Compassion Education course at CME/Ebenezer Lutheran's Teen After School Program.

 

Healing Species is an 11-week course targeting elementary and middle school children, who are referred by the Department of Juvenile Justice, teachers or family members. In addition to this hands-on service, the Liberal Arts 201 students keep reflective journals and write a course paper integrating what they have learned from their preparation and community service.

 

Dr. Laurie Hopkins, V.P. Academic Affairs, Dr. Helen Rapoport, Director of the program and English Lecturer, and Dr. Nancy Tuten, Head of the Division of Languages and Literatures, were present to receive the award.

 

We congratulate Columbia College for successfully integrating this service learning course and for their recognition from the CHE. 

       

 

Thank you to all those who contributed through gifts and pledges:

 

Alterman, Jennet Barton, Henry Baskins, Henri Beaty, William Bess, Clyde Bjontegard, Art Blue Cross/Blue Shield of SC BMW  Burnette, Malissa Cox Industries Emard, Lonnie Fort, Jim Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd   Helland, Hans & Stephenie HRP Associates Kimpson, Milton Lasater, Jay   LeFever, Mike Love, Amy Maddrey, Erwin Malloy Foundation

Mayo, Earl McIver, Lucy Grey McKinney, Kathleen Metromont Corporation Midland Agency Insurance  Ogburn, Derial Provista  Reynolds, Jim Sanders Family Foundation Shannon, Eddie Shaw, Minor Smith, Cary SouthState Bank Spinx Company TD Bank Torrence, Andrew & Brenda Walsh Consulting, LLC Williams Family Foundation Weaver, Brent Zeigler, Ed  4eVentures, LLC

SCICU's online network of providers offers goods and services to the independent higher education community in South Carolina.

The Business Partners program provides a convenient marketplace where SCICU member colleges and universities can preview offerings from some of the top companies in the country. 

We are pleased to announce the following company has joined us as a business partner:

eBridge Business Solutions, LLC
The following companies have renewed their partnership:    

Coleman Lew & Associates, Inc.

ScholarBuys

Sodexo

A complete listing of all the Business Partners may be found in the left margin of News & Notes or on our website.