Statement on Higher Education Transparency Act of 2011

Published: December 1, 2010

CLEMSON — Clemson University President James F. Barker participated in a news conference today at the Statehouse about the Higher Education Transparency Act of 2011 requiring South Carolina’s colleges and universities to publicly disclose all expenditures online.  

His position is reflected below:

Statement on Higher Education Transparency Act of 2011

Clemson University supports the Higher Education Transparency Act, and we congratulate Speaker Harrell and his colleagues in the House for their leadership and thank them for engaging with higher education in the process. We’ve worked closely with leaders in the legislature and the Comptroller General’s office on this issue over the past year.

Clemson is fully committed to transparency, and we’re already working on a Web site that will provide data, context and ease of access for financial transactions. We anticipate that the site will be up and running in January.

Clemson has a long history of transparency and full disclosure.  In fact, we’ve received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the national Government Finance Officers Association for 17 consecutive years, which – according to the association – is reserved for institutions that "prepare comprehensive annual financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure.”

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