Volume 13 | Issue 5
May 14, 2021
May 2021 News and Notes


Public Policy updates impacting higher education in South Carolina

Message from SCICU President and CEO Jeff Perez

Congratulations to Class of 2021 graduates! SCICU campuses return to in-person commencement exercises

College / university campus news and updates

SCICU Business Partners
The SCICU monthly News & Notes newsletter will be on hiatus during June and July, but we will bring you a special edition should there be important breaking news.
SCICU campuses return to in-person commencement exercises in 2021

Joy and excitement returned to commencement exercises in spring 2021 as SCICU colleges and universities persevered through the 2020-2021 academic year and held in-person graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2021 graduates.

Please click on the name of your favorite college and university to view videos and photos from their 2021 commencement exercises:

Independent Higher Ed - Its impact is even greater than you think
Message from SCICU President and CEO Jeff Perez
Jeff Perez, Ph.D.
SCICU President and CEO


As a new report from the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) reveals, independent higher education is vitally important to their students as well as the communities and states in which they’re located.
South Carolina update

Yesterday (May 13) was the official end of the 2021 session of the General Assembly, but they will be back. Unfinished business includes redistricting, allocating the federal COVID-19 relief funds, and the state budget, which includes a couple of items that are important to colleges and universities but fly under the radar of most citizens.
Washington update
SCICU’s top priority in D.C. is to double the Pell Grant, a federal financial aid program for the most economically disadvantaged students. 
Introducing SCICU's guide to private colleges and universities in South Carolina! Click on the guide cover image 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:


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 | Buffkin Baker | 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 | Gravity Diagnostics LLC | 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 | TKC Management Services | 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 [email protected] or 803-799-7122. Mailing address: PO Box 12007, Columbia, SC 29211.