"It's like drinking water out of a fire hydrant," he said of the flood of information coming out of the committee meetings. The issues will be discussed at today's board meeting.
Douglas, a mortgage broker with First Citizens Bank Mortgage in Columbia, said he brings business experience to the board, but also acknowledges his role as a minority voice on the board.
"Every board needs diversity," he said. "Probably this board needs a little more diversity. We'll see when the issues are on the table how people react."
As school officials discussed minority enrollment at the school Friday -- the college has seen an increase in the number of black students who apply and are accepted -- Douglas made a point of asking about student retention. As he pointed out, losing one minority student can have a larger effect because of lower minority numbers.
Douglas said he also wanted to be a voice for students whose families may be struggling to pay for college. During discussions of college tuition increases, one board member noted that applications to schools such as Clemson University had not suffered despite double-digit tuition increases.
Another pointed out that increases shut out students who can't afford the higher tuition prices.
"We can't just have everybody who can afford to pay $24,000," Douglas said.
A 1992 Citadel graduate, Douglas has been on the Brigadier Foundation board. He replaces Joseph Shine, The Citadel's second black graduate, whom Gov. Mark Sanford appointed to the board in September. Shine died a week later.
Sanford's spokesman Will Folks said Douglas stands out as a man who has distinguished himself through his involvement with The Citadel. "The governor's always valued diversity because of the wider range of perspectives it brings to the table," Folks said.
Twenty-four of 150 college board members throughout the state are black. Ten of those are at S.C. State University, a historically black school.
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