Clemson trustees reduce spring semester tuition for in-state students

Published: October 15, 2010

CLEMSON — At their fall quarterly meeting, Clemson University trustees voted to reduce the increase in undergraduate, in-state tuition and fees for spring semester from 7.5 percent to 7 percent. The trustees previously had approved a 7.5 percent increase at its June 24 meeting.

President James F. Barker said the administration recommended the reduction so critically needed construction and renovation projects will not be delayed because of the building moratorium adopted by the State Budget and Control Board on Sept. 29.

The two projects on hold because of the moratorium are renovations and an addition to Freeman Hall and the upfit of the Patewood biomedical and bioengineering translation research facility at the Greenville Hospital System. Neither is funded through undergraduate tuition, and both are related to work force development and job creation.

Provost Dori Helms gave an admissions update, reporting a record of 16,865 applications this year, a 4 percent increase, and a record number of transfer students. She said the average SAT score for entering freshman is 1231.

Vice President for Research Gerald Sonnenfeld reported total research funding for fiscal 2010, which ended June 30, was the highest in the university's history at $187,292,161.

In other action, the trustees approved:

• a request for renovating and improving facilities of the farm animal research center at an estimated cost of $751,000.
• the concept-stage plan for pedestrian safety improvements adjacent to Riggs Field along S.C. 93. The project is part of a city-university initiative to improve the S.C. 93 corridor. It will be supported by a South Carolina Department of Transportation grant, the Pickens County Transportation Committee, the Clemson athletics department and other internal sources.
• extending the current office-space lease at Eagles Landing Professional Park for two years and additional space for Clemson Computing and Information Technology for $267,302 annually.
• renewing the third year of the lease of office and laboratory space in Anderson to StormRider Technologies Inc. for $15,318 annually. Clemson University’s incubation program, the Technology Innovation Partnership, grows and recruits high-tech companies to South Carolina.
• a resolution for issuance of Series 2011 State Institution Bonds, not to exceed $66,225,000, for Clemson University facilities.
• a new Master of Science degree in Science, Social and Immersive Media. The program will prepare students to lead the design, development, evaluation and advocacy of 21^st century platforms for work, play and learning. It is an online collaboration between the graduate school and the schools of education and computing.
• online delivery of courses for the Ph.D. of Interdisciplinary Healthcare Genetics and the Master of Science in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management non-thesis option.
• two new concentrations (inorganic materials and polymeric materials) in the materials science and engineering bachelor of science degrees. The School of Materials Science and Engineering will merge two undergraduate degree programs (ceramic and materials engineering and polymer and fiber chemistry) into a single degree program: materials science and engineering, with two concentrations.
• moving the Master of Science in Marketing program to Clemson at the Falls in Greenville.
• a new Institute of Applied Ecology to focus on applying emerging technologies, management strategies and outreach programs to solve major natural resource problems.
• terminating the bachelor’s degree in polymer and fiber chemistry; the master’s in parks, recreation and tourism management (MPRTM); and the family outreach program in Public Service Activities.

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