Gov. Mark Sanford traveled to The Citadel Friday to announce something that could have a major impact statewide. As part of his budget package, he's proposing to let any state public college or university go private.

The benefit to the state would be having fewer schools to divide an increasingly limited amount of money. The benefit to the schools would be freedom from state regulations and requirements.

For example, now a university has to get approval from the state for any new building or curriculum change. The schools also have to complete lengthy paperwork measuring progress in certain areas in order to get additional "performance funding" from the state.

Gov. Sanford says foremost in his mind for this plan are schools that get a small percentage of their budgets from the state, like Clemson and The Citadel. Both schools receive less than 20 percent of their funding from the state.

Meanwhile, Clemson is on an ambitious plan to become a top research university. "And they rightfully say, ‘These are our goals. And you only provide less than 20 percent of our appropriation. Why should you control 80 percent of the decisions?'", the governor says.

Even though the percentage of money that comes from the state may be small, it still adds up to millions of dollars. Wouldn't a school that goes private have to raise tuition significantly to make up the difference?

"Tuition already is up for students in South Carolina," the governor says. "We’re 105 percent the U.S. average, versus Georgia and North Carolina, Florida, all of which are well below that national average. What we also put in place is a basically preferred rate, a cap, if you will, for a South Carolina student."

The governor says schools could raise tuition for out-of-state students, streamline operations and increase fundraising efforts to make up the difference.

Clemson president James Barker released a written statement in response to the governor's proposal. "Clemson is a public university in terms of its character, personality and values, not just in terms of funding," he writes. "Until we have done considerably more research, we cannot know if privatization would be the best way to serve the state, our students, alumni and other constituents."

Citadel officials discussed becoming private during the Shannon Faulkner battle over admitting women to the school. At the time, they decided the college couldn't afford it.

But that was at least partially because it would have had to pay the state back for its land and buildings. Under the governor's proposal, the state would transfer all buildings, real estate and capital improvements to the colleges and universities that take advantage of the offer.

The Citadel also released a written statement, saying, "We await additional clarification of the proposal in order to evaluate its feasibility for The Citadel. As always, we are concerned about the impact such a change would have on The Citadel family--students, faculty, staff and alumni. Also, we must evaluate how such a change would impact our mission."

Even the state's flagship public school, the University of South Carolina, would be allowed to privatize under the governor's proposal. But president Andrew Sorensen released a statement that, while not dismissing the possibility entirely, made it seem unlikely. "It is my feeling that the University of South Carolina will never abandon its fundamental commitment to providing the highest possible educational opportunity to the largest possible number of qualified South Carolinians."

However, he also said the school will work with the governor in assessing his recommendations.