Barker says university must make adjustments to its 5-year plan

By Anna Simon• Clemson bureau • February 18, 2010

CLEMSON — Transportation, health, a sustainable environment, energy, and science and math education are the meat and potatoes of a plan that will drive Clemson University's next five years, Clemson President James Barker said Wednesday.

A simpler and more focused five-year plan, recently adjusted to reflect the current economic climate, is built on three strategies.

Clemson will deliver “a distinctive educational experience” for students, integrate intellectual and economic development, and build on strategic strengths in emphasis areas, Barker said.

On the heel of recent successes, including Proterra's decision to locate at Clemson's International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville, bringing 1,300 jobs, Clemson is poised for new opportunities “to address the great challenges of the 21st century,” Barker said.

Clemson is strong, united and moving forward regardless of stormy economic seas, Barker said late Wednesday in an annual State of the University address.

“We're all still concerned about this recession and how it is going to affect our families and how it's going to affect our tuition, our paychecks, our jobs, our performance and our university,” Barker said.

Clemson's sights are set on providing the talent for a 21st century economy and producing innovative ideas “from which the seeds of prosperity grow,” Barker said.

Barker, along with presidents of the university's student body, graduate student body and faculty and staff senates, addressed a crowd of about 100 people for the annual look at past accomplishments and future goals.

Clemson — now 22nd in a U.S. News & World Report ranking — remains committed to its vision of becoming one of the nation's top 20 public universities, Barker said.

However, adjustments to the university's road map reflect “the current reality of our fiscal environment,” he said.

Since June 30, 2008, Clemson has lost $53.2 million in state funding and $5 million in endowment losses, a total loss of $58.2 million in
the past 18 months, Barker said.

Undergraduate and graduate student body presidents hailed student-driven philanthropic efforts and research achievements but also spoke of needed state support for the university's budget priorities and more competitive graduate student stipends.

Several student questions focused on a greener campus. One student said Clemson is the only campus in the state that still has a coal-burning plant and asked Barker when that would be changed to a cleaner, more efficient energy source.

Two of the university's three coal-burning plants have been replaced, Barker said, and he expressed a desire to move forward on the third but wouldn't pin down a timeline.