New McMaster proposal could freeze SC college tuition

There may be an end in sight for relentlessly rising tuition rates at South Carolina colleges and universities.

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster is proposing to increase recurring higher education funding 6 percent in exchange for the colleges not raising in-state tuition or fees in the 2019-2020 academic year, the governor announced Tuesday.

The proposal, which allocates $36 million in recurring funding to colleges, is a part of the governor’s requested fiscal year 2020 budget plan.

“I think the consensus across everyone I’ve had a conversation with is, this is the year,” McMaster said at a Tuesday news conference. “Education is a statewide problem. It’s a statewide opportunity. It’s a statewide responsibility.”

Average tuition at four-year schools has increased 40 percent since the Great Recession, a time when state college funding plummeted, according to state Commission on Higher Education data.

“My executive budget takes the first step in reigning in these costs by proposing a tuition freeze,” McMaster said.

McMaster’s proposition is a “budget proviso,” which means if the tuition freeze is included in the final budget, it would be effective for the length of the budget, or one fiscal year. However, once colleges freeze tuition for a year, the funding is added to their base budgets, even if they raise tuition the next year, the governor’s office said.

The tuition freeze would apply to all academic fees, but would not prevent colleges from increasing the cost of housing or meal plans, the governor’s office said.

The University of South Carolina has requested $9 million in recurring, additional funding from the state budget to offset tuition raises at its main campus, according to its budget request for next fiscal year. The governor’s budget plan would provide USC $8.3 million in additional funding, according to the governor’s office. Clemson University, which sought $8 million, would receive $5.2 million in additional funding, according to the governor’s office.

In the current year’s budget, lawmakers gave USC an additional $4.6 million in recurring state funding. The university still increased tuition, but the 2.9 percent hike was the smallest percentage increase in 20 years, USC Chief Operating Officer Ed Walton said when the tuition increase was approved.

USC’s requested budget increase for next year covers only part of the university’s $14 million projected cost increase. In November, USC spokesman Jeff Stensland said the $5 million gap between the request and cost increase could be made up with a modest tuition increase. However, if the proviso passes and prevents colleges from raising tuition, it’s unclear how USC would make up for the funding gap.

The budget plan would boost recurring, basefunding to every college in the state. Here is how much extra money would get, according to the governor’s office:

• The Citadel: $676,151
• Clemson University: $5,167,457
• College of Charleston: $1,619,366
• Coastal Carolina University: $826,940
• Francis Marion University: $983,389
• Lander University: $503,941
• South Carolina State University: $876,069
• USC Columbia: $8,313,496
• USC Aiken: $532,304
• USC Upstate: $748,318
• USC Beaufort: $247,470
• USC Lancaster: $166,870
• USC Salkehatchie: $120,004
• USC Sumter: $198,959
• USC Union: $62,121
• Winthrop University: $1,046,846
• Medical University of South Carolina: $4,523,265
• State Technical College System: $9,341,012

This story was originally published January 15, 2019 at 11:20 AM with the headline "New McMaster proposal could freeze SC college tuition."