Volume 11 | Issue 3 March 2019
March 2019 News and Notes
March 2019 news highlights include:
  • Impressive undergraduate research presented at the 2019 SCICU Research Symposium
  • SCICU congratulates Wofford's men's basketball team on a great season
  • Quo Vadis? Message from SCICU President and CEO Jeff Perez
  • Sen. Vince Sheheen named SCICU 2019 Legislative Champion
  • Independent Colleges and Universities Week Events
  • SC General Assembly Update
  • Federal Update
  • April - August featured events
  • Member college news
  • Upcoming events
  • Business partners
SCICU 2019 Research Symposium Participants
Impressive undergraduate research presented at 2019 SCICU Research Symposium
Based on the talent, knowledge, and enthusiasm demonstrated by undergraduate researchers at this year’s SCICU Research Symposium, these students have bright futures in fields as diverse as chemistry, music, public health, and environmental science.

The Feb. 21 SCICU Research Symposium gave students from SCICU member colleges and universities the opportunity to showcase the findings of the research conducted in the previous year.

The symposium, again hosted by Milliken & Company at their customer center in Spartanburg, featured multimedia presentations on research topics that also included medical issues, literature, history, and psychology. Please click here to review the research projects included in the research symposium.

Please click here to read the complete article on the SCICU website.
SCICU congratulates Wofford's men's basketball team for a great season
Nathan Hoover posted 19 points against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round of the 2019 NCAA tournament. (photo courtesy woffordterriers.com )
SCICU congratulates Wofford men’s basketball team and Coach Mike Young on their historic season. The Terriers were 18-0 in the Southern Conference, and 30-5 overall, including the conference championship and its first NCAA Tournament victory.

That these student-athletes of Wofford (undergraduate enrollment: about 1,600) came within a few points of beating the storied University of Kentucky (undergraduate enrollment: about 22,400) basketball program is a testament to fine coaching, talent, and a lot of hard work. View SCICU's congratulatory post here .

We’re all very proud.

Quo Vadis?

Message from SCICU President and CEO Jeff Perez
Jeff Perez
SCICU President and CEO
Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of participating in my first SCICU Retreat as president and CEO. I very much appreciate the dedication to SCICU of the college/university presidents and trustees, upon whom I have the good fortune to rely on for their wise counsel.

I entitled our roundtable discussion “ Quo Vadis?”, which is Latin for “Where are we going?” I asked the college/ university presidents and trustees to think about an inflection curve, which tracks the evolution of an organization. Typically, organizations will grow — up to a point. They inevitably will face new circumstances which, if they adapt, will permit continued growth and even greater success. If they do not respond, they decline.

Sen. Vince Sheheen is the 2019 SCICU Legislative Champion.
Sen. Vince Sheheen(D-Chesterfield, Kershaw, and Lancaster Counties)
Sen. Vince Sheheen named 2019 SCICU Legislative Champion
Sen. Vince Sheheen, one of the primary architects behind the South Carolina Higher Education Opportunity Act, is the 2019 South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) Legislative Champion.

Throughout his years of public service, Sheheen has been shining a spotlight on the importance of higher education in South Carolina. In particular, he recognizes the essential role served by independent higher education in expanding opportunities for South Carolina residents to succeed in college.

“We’re honored that Sen. Sheheen will be this year’s SCICU Legislative Champion,” said SCICU President & CEO Jeff Perez.

Please click here to read the complete announcement.
Independent Colleges & Universities Week Events
April 8-12, 2019
(click links for details)
SC General Assembly Update
Members of the South Carolina General Assembly have been very responsive to the needs of independent colleges and universities thus far during the current legislative session.

The budget as approved by the House contains the full $1.6 million increase requested by the SC Tuition Grants Commission. This appropriation is a very positive development – in recent memory the House has not approved the full commission request.

Federal Update
The most prominent news from Washington last week was President Trump signing the Executive Order intended to ensure freedom of speech and promote transparency on college campuses. Regarding freedom of speech and SCICU member institutions, the Executive Order does not seem to impose new requirements, but instead emphasizes that colleges and universities receiving federal research and education grants must comply with existing federal law.

Please click here to read the complete update on the SCICU website.

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

Columbia College

Columbia International University
NOTE: Six SCICU colleges and universities participated in this historic meet!

Converse College

Furman University
NOTE: Features a 2016 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award winner!

Newberry College

North Greenville University

Southern Wesleyan University

Voorhees 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 Partner:


SCICU recognizes 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  |  Acumen IT, LLC  |  Affinity LTC, LLC (Genworth Financial)  |  Aramark Higher Education  |  Argent Financial Group | Blackboard   |  Cantey Tech Consulting  |  CapinCrouse LLP  | Cherry Bekaert, LLC |  Church Mutual Insurance Company  |  Coleman Lew Canny Brown  |  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  |  PVC Fittings Online | Regions Bank | 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 mike@scicu.org or 803-799-7122. Mailing address: PO Box 12007, Columbia, SC 29211.
scicu.org | scicu@scicu.org