Cuts are major threat, Clemson president says

Clemson student Taylor Horton, 20, talks about the rising cost of tuition at Clemson. Staff/Owen Riley Jr. e-mail this story Related Related stories: • Budget limits college tuition hikes

"It strikes at our core mission, and we're going to do whatever we have to do to work with our friends in the House and the Senate to eliminate the impact the proposed budget would have on us," Bill Hendrix said.

Sanford's proposed state budget would cut 41 percent from public service activities and 3.5 percent from Clemson's educational programs

It would cut state support from $38 million to slightly less than $23 million for public service activities, according to Clemson estimates, and directs Clemson to limit public service to traditional agriculture.

Will Folks, the governor's spokesman, said the proposal cuts only $8 million, about the same as last year, if Clemson uses money from a land sale "for operations rather than building what we believe is an unnecessary new conference facility in Northeast Columbia."

Clemson plans to use money from the sale of some land at its Sandhills Research and Education Center in Columbia to build a new facility there that John Kelly, Clemson's vice president for public service, has said would focus on economic development and growth issues, bring in national and international leaders and showcase South Carolina's best examples.

The plan has been approved by the State Budget and Control Board but has become a $7.5 million bone of contention between Clemson and the governor.

The cut "is approximately the same dollar cut as last year if we include the $7.5 million as state 'other' funds that we've asked them to use for operations," Folks said.

"We've requested the General Assembly provide over $22 million and the Clemson board provide $7.5 million for a total of $30 million in state funds.

"Clemson is ignoring the additional $7.5 million we've requested for them."

Folks also disputed Clemson's estimated job loss impact.

"At their budget hearing with Ways and Means this week, John Kelly said that they had lost $15 million in state funds in the past 24 months and therefore had to cut 191 jobs," Folks said.

"If a $15 million cut over two years translates into 191 lost jobs, how does the governor's proposed cut of $8.1 million translate into 300 lost jobs — as Kelly has repeatedly told the press," Folks said.

Clemson bases its numbers on the loss of the additional $7.5 million the governor wants made up with the Sandhills money, plus another $30 million in lost outside research grants and other funds because of projects that would be cut — a $45.6 million loss, Kelly has said.

Clemson President James Barker said Friday that Clemson can live with a 5 percent cut to its public service activities and a 3 percent cut to its academic and operations budget.

Barker's comments came during a Friday morning meeting with Upstate legislators after a two-day summit for the Clemson board in Columbia during which trustees discussed budget issues.

Clemson's public service activities encompass outreach programs that include county extension offices, youth programs, food safety, animal and environmental research and other activities.

Clemson is the largest employer in Pickens County. The university has said that the governor's budget proposal could lead to the loss of 300 jobs.

In an interview, state Rep. Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said the House version of the state budget probably won't cut as deep as the governor's proposal.

"I believe the cut will be in the single digits and obviously significantly below what the governor proposed," Harrell said.

The governor's budget cuts all but basic agriculture, while Clemson officials argue that environmental issues, such as animal waste management, and nutritional issues like food safety, for example, are part of today's agriculture.

Ed McMullen, president of the South Carolina Policy Council, said the governor's "unprecedented evaluation of priorities" asks legitimate questions of what functions should remain public or become private.

For example, he said, Clemson tests soil, but he can have his soil tested for $5 at a local nursery.