As reflected in my board meeting recap message, there is a lot to be excited about moving forward for Winthrop, and this is true on the government relations front as well. Please see the following information provided by Gary Simrill:
State Budget for Winthrop
In the 2024-25 State budget, Winthrop received its first priority recurring revenue--$2.546M for tuition mitigation. On the capital side, $6M for maintenance and renovations was included. These funds will allow Winthrop to fully implement our tuition transparency initiative and continue progress on the campus.
Recent information from HR provided details of the salary increases included in the budget which became effective July 1, 2024, and when Winthrop employees will see the increase fully reflected in their pay.
Legislation
Following is the status of legislation which impacted higher education and Winthrop University as considered during the 125th South Carolina General Assembly:
House Bill 3325 received a hearing, however the bill did not progress. This legislation would provide specified public universities, including Winthrop, to offer in-state tuition to students who legally reside in a state that borders South Carolina and otherwise meet admissions criteria, on a limited basis through 2029-2030. If enacted, this bill would repeal the section of state law relating to our ability to offer graduate-level in-state tuition to residents of the Carolina Partnership counties in North Carolina because they would be covered by the new legislation. Meetings will be held in the legislature’s off season to build consensus around the precepts of the bill.
House Bill 4289 was the topic of much conversation and multiple hearings, ultimately passing the House by a vote of 84 to 30 but was not debated in the Senate. This bill would have prohibited a public institution of higher learning from expending any funds appropriated or authorized to promise admission or employment based on a commitment or declaration for or against any certain political ideology or movement, including a promise or statement regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. We can expect to see this legislation reintroduced in the next legislative session.
The Governor’s Higher Education Study was not funded. You may recall that much ado was made in January when Governor McMaster asked the legislature to put $3 million toward an independent study of the state’s higher education landscape. The governor’s plan was for the Education Oversight Committee to commission an out-of-state consultant to conduct an impartial study of the state’s 33 public colleges. This proposal passed the House but was rejected by the Senate.
I hope you find this update helpful, and thanks as always to Gary for his assistance and expertise on the government relations front.
Edward
Edward A. Serna
