President Barker’s Prepared Remarks
House Ways and Means – Higher Education/Tech and Cultural Subcommittee Budget Hearing
January 16, 2013
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            I bring you greetings from the faculty, students, staff and alumni of Clemson University. It is a privilege and a pleasure to represent them here today.

            I’m pleased to let you know that the state of the university is very strong.

·         We continue to be considered among the nation’s best public universities – ranked #25 in terms of quality by U.S. News and World Report, and #34 among the best values in public education by Kiplinger’s. Which proves that it’s possible to be good and affordable.

·         These ratings enhance two things:  1) the value of a Clemson degree and 2) the reputation of South Carolina among industries looking for a place with a strong business climate and a capable, well-educated workforce in which to locate.

·         Before I begin my formal remarks, I’d like to offer a portion of my time to McKee Thomason, undergraduate student body president, and ask that he introduce himself and offer any thoughts he would like to share.

            It’s always a pleasure to meet with this subcommittee because it gives me an opportunity talk about Clemson’s achievements and how they are benefitting our students and the state.

            Since last session Governor Haley has proposed funding higher education based on performance.  We endorse that concept and have been applying these accountability metrics for our last 10 year plan and our current 10 year plan.   I’d like to take a moment to show you how Clemson would measure up to the performance-based, highly accountable metrics.

             First, let’s talk about graduation rates: With six-year graduation rates now surpassing 80 percent, Clemson has moved into the ranks of the most successful national universities – and the best among public institutions in the state. We’re also ranked among the nation’s top producers of African American engineers by Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine, and we were one of only 18 schools honored by the American Football Coaches Association for having graduation success rates above 90 percent for that sport. 

            The second metric is accessibility for in-state students and under-represented populations: Clemson is strategically and thoughtfully growing freshman and transfer undergraduate enrollment to increase access to a Clemson degree – while taking care to maintain the academic quality, course selection, campus life and engagement opportunities students and parents expect from a top-ranked university.

            After another record year for applications, we enrolled our largest – and brightest -- class ever, with 3,450 freshmen boasting an average SAT of 1246. We also enrolled more than 600 students in the Bridge to Clemson transfer partnership with Tri-County Technical College. And we saw about a 5 percent increase in the number of minority students.

            In the past 10 years, we have grown total undergraduate enrollment by roughly 20 percent, while maintaining the 65/35 in-state/out-of-state ratio that has been our standard for at least a quarter of a century.

            We will continue to look for ways to expand access for our students without compromising quality. We don’t think South Carolina students should have to choose between a top-tier education and a LIFE Scholarship. 

            The third metric is job placement for our graduates. SmartMoney Magazine – a publication of the Wall Street Journal -- has ranked Clemson number 7 on its list of 50 of the nation’s top colleges and universities whose graduates get the best return on their tuition dollars. We ranked higher than all Ivy League schools and higher than many public universities typically found at the top of national quality rankings.  

            We’re also providing students with relevant, hands-on work experience that makes them more marketable after graduation. Clemson ranked fourth in the nation on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top 10 schools with the highest percentage of students who hold internships or co-op positions as an undergraduate student.  Based on data from the 2010-2011 academic year, the report shows that 67 percent of Clemson’s graduating seniors held an internship or co-op position before graduation.

            The fourth metric is support for economic development:   In 2012, we commissioned a study of Clemson’s statewide economic impact last year as a part of our observance of the 150^th anniversary of the Morrill Act – which created the land-grant system of colleges and universities. 

            In 2010 – the most recent year of the decade studied -- Clemson was responsible for nearly 25,000 jobs and $1.8 Billion in total economic output statewide. 

            The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville now has 15 faculty members …  nearly 200 graduate students . . . 34 research partners … and 17 campus partners. Two new facilities opened in 2012 -- The Center for Emerging Technologies is designed to launch entrepreneurs and start-ups companies, and the new BMW-certified component testing lab, which will allow suppliers to test their products here in South Carolina versus sending those products to Munich.           

            As you are aware, Chairman Limehouse, work progresses rapidly on development of the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North Charleston – which is largely based on the CU-ICAR model. At the core of CURI’s 27-acre research and innovation campus sits what soon will become the world’s most-advanced wind-turbine drivetrain testing facility. The unique testing facility will accelerate product testing to support the targeted growth of the global wind energy industry.  Let me take a moment to say thank you for funding $3 million as part of last year’s budget for the grid simulator – a very integral part of this project. 

            The facility, scheduled to be completed this year, will offer testing capacity three times greater than any other now operating. Virtually all of the major wind industry companies worldwide are represented on the facility’s advisory board. 

            This past summer the family of Anita Zucker, a true champion for education and quality of life in South Carolina, donated $5 million to help build the Zucker Family Graduate Education Center on the CURI site – which will provide an academic anchor for the energy, restoration and conservation education and research programs. 

            Both CU-ICAR and CURI owe their existence to innovative funding initiatives created by the General Assembly. Your investments in endowed chairs and research university infrastructure are paying substantial dividends. When the state has invested in Clemson, we have delivered.

            These performance metrics are also  at the forefront of a new initiative at Clemson – a renewed focus on helping our students and citizens move from where they are now . . . to where they want to be.

            We call it Clemson’s “Readiness Agenda” – because it’s all about making sure that our citizens are ready to compete and succeed at every level in the job market.

            The readiness agenda is about collaborating with K-12 to ensure that our high school students are ready for college.

            It’s about working with the state’s technical colleges to develop job-specific training to ensure that their graduates are ready for skilled jobs in automotives, aviation and other advanced manufacturing industries. 

            It’s about expanding access to Clemson academic content through new degrees, courses and certifications – delivered online or on-site – geared for working adults who are ready to advance in their jobs or start a new career. 

            It’s about providing the research-based innovations and degreed workforce to ensure that our industries are ready to compete in a global economy. 

            And clearly, it’s about making sure that our own graduates leave Clemson not just with a degree but with essential skills in critical thinking, writing, teamwork and global awareness – skills many employers say they are looking for in today’s college graduates. 

            Our E&G funding requests dovetail with Clemson’s readiness agenda.  We respectfully request that you consider the following priorities for recurring funding:

            $3 million for the Clemson University Center for Energy Systems at CURI, to fund faculty, research scientists, and graduate and undergraduate students to build a world class program in energy systems. Let’s leverage the facilities and technology already in development and make South Carolina a magnet for industries and federal agencies needing to develop, prototype, test and certify innovations for energy systems and electrical grid simulation.

             $5 million for the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development to fund an expanding partnership between Clemson University, the technical colleges, Pre-K-12 partners, state and federal agencies, national research centers, and industry to develop South Carolina’s next generation workforce to support advanced manufacturing. 

            $2 million for Undergraduate Student Engagement programs – such as Creative Inquiry, Internships, cooperative education and undergraduate research.  As you heard from McKee, Clemson is placing a high priority on giving every student the opportunity to better prepare them for the job market. These programs engage students in real-world, hands-on learning and problem-solving – and they build the professional skills that ensure our students are ready for the marketplace.   I have a President’s Advisory Board – which consists of business, industry, education and community leaders.   I spoke with them about this program and their response to me was, “These programs are right on target. You just need to increase participation – by a lot.” That’s what this funding will do.

            We also have two requests for one-time capital funding.

            $10 million for a Freshman Engineering & Science Hall – which will establish a new home for freshmen engineering students within the Watt Family Innovation Center to help us meet the state’s growing need for engineers – which is a core responsibility as the state’s science-and technology – oriented research university. This facility will also provide exposure for freshmen to all engineering disciplines and provide academic advising and career counseling. 

            Over the past four years, we have increased undergraduate engineering enrollment by more than 50 percent – and we need to continue the trend.

            Also, we request $25 million for a new facility to house and consolidate undergraduate programs in the College of Business & Behavioral Sciences Building. These programs are currently housed in Sirrine Hall, which was constructed in 1938 and has not been renovated in 35 years.  The proposed new facility would accommodate increasing enrollment, reduction in class sizes and space for programs to meet job market demands for these graduates.

            While new funding for the Endowed Chairs program has not recently been considered, I want to continue to stress the importance of this program and its continued focus to provide the intellectual capital industries are looking for and that has been proven successful by CU-ICAR and the Clemson University Restoration Institute.

            Also, we remain hopeful that if the opportunity presents itself, you will consider a capital bond bill for higher education.       

            Finally, we ask that you give careful consideration to a legislative initiative currently in development to improve the regulatory environment for research universities.  In the coming months, we will be working with members of the General Assembly to introduce a bill this session to provide greater flexibility in state processes such as HR and capital planning that will allow us to be more nimble, responsive to industry and cost-efficient in meeting the challenges and opportunities facing our state.  I will look forward to meeting with you once this legislation has been finalized.  

            This concludes my presentation. I thank you for your time and your service to South Carolina. I’m happy to respond to any questions you have.

Thank you, President Barker.  My name is McKee Thomason. I am a senior Financial Management and Economics major from Greenville, South Carolina. I have the honor and privilege of serving as Clemson’s Undergraduate Student Body President. Thank you for allowing me a few minutes to share my thoughts.

First, I will start with a personal note about myself. During my first three years of high school, I was convinced that I wanted to go out of state. My senior year, however, I realized how foolish it would be to pass up the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and the opportunity to receive an in-state education. I decided to enroll in Clemson, and have never once regretted my decision. My situation is not unique.  I have run into countless peers at Clemson, and other schools across the state who have expressed similar sentiments. Our state truly is retaining many of its best and brightest minds due to the Palmetto Fellows and Life scholarships.  Thank you for providing the funding to make this happen.

As I see it, one of the main purposes of college is to prepare students for a job in the real world. However, almost any recent college graduate will tell you that it is significantly easier to get a job with several months experience than fresh out of college because employers look for real world working experience. How are students supposed to get this experience while still in school? The old answer was internships during the summer. Clemson, however, is pioneering and innovating a number of unique ways to help students attain marketable and valuable experiences while still enrolled, whether it be through ground breaking undergraduate research, our Creative Inquiry program, or even through on-campus internships.

The program that I would like to focus on today is our Creative Inquiry program, which affords students real hands on practice in whatever academic field they choose. The classes and opportunities offered through this program vary significantly. I am currently enrolled in a Lean Six Sigma class, which hopefully will result in myself and my classmates becoming green-belt certified by the end of the semester. What makes this different from other classes at Clemson is that during the fall semester, not only did we learn in the classroom during the theoretical portion of the course, but we were also able to travel to major manufacturing plants like Boeing, BMW, and Itron in order to see practical applications of what we were learning. Then, this coming semester, we will help these and other local companies find solutions to problems they face in regards to reducing waste, stream lining processes, and reducing defects.  What makes these experiences so valuable is not only the academic knowledge they provide, but also the relationships built with professors and the marketable outputs they give students to refer to and show prospective employers when looking for jobs.

In conclusion, I would like to deliver a message from our students to you all.  Thank you for listening to us, for caring about us, and for making higher education a priority in South Carolina.  Your investment in us is valuable to the future of our state and our nation.