FLORENCE — Getting more students in South Carolina to make the move into higher education was the primary focus of the Wednesday night meeting of the S.C. Commission on Higher Education.
The commission gathered at Francis Marion University to present recommendations for the future of higher education in South Carolina.
The recommendations encompassed a wide range of aspects regarding higher education, including how to bring the state up to the national average for college attendees.
- Among the other items recommended by the commission were to:
- Increase the number of students graduating from high school.
- Expand programs to be more inclusive to non-tradition students.
- Use higher education to bring economic growth to the state.
Ken Jackson, a Higher Education Commission member, said the items recommended are feasible in the long term, even if not in the short term.
“Without getting into specifics, there are things that could be done,” he said. “Especially in times like this, we’re probably all more open to considering ways we can do a better job of serving the public.”
Ron Bartley, president of Northeastern Technical College in Cheraw, said the current economic situation will make it harder, but not impossible to make the changes suggested in the report.
“We just have to start with the ones that don’t cost as much,” he said.
Dr. Layton McCurdy, chairman of the commission, said the decision regarding which programs take precedence will be up to the people of South Carolina.
“We can’t do all the things that are in this report,” he said.
Dr. Fred Carter, FMU president, said the cost of tuition is a major deterrent for many potential college students.
“(Cost of tuition is) becoming an increasing concern,” he said. “Without additional state funding to keep tuition cost low, we are literally disenfranchising thousands of young men and women across the state.”
He said another aspect that needs to be addressed is faculty pay.
“That is a critical need in the state,” he said. “Not only to recruit new faculty but for our existing, excellent faculty.”
Carter said working on the report has had one added, unseen benefit to the higher education community of the state.
“It’s been successful in bringing us as a higher education community closer to each other,” he said.
For more information, about the study committee, visit http://www.che.sc.gov/InfoCntr/HiEdStudyComm.htm.
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