Speaker Lucas: House Takes Dramatic Action to Save SC State

Paves way for University’s return to full potential

(Columbia, SC) – House Speaker Jay Lucas (District 65-Hartsville) issued the following statement after the House passed a joint resolution to address the ongoing situation at South Carolina State University.  The adopted resolution mirrors the actions taken in last week’s budget.

“South Carolina State University has served our state well, but has experienced significant challenges in recent years that place it on an unsustainable path,” Speaker Lucas said. “Inaction will yield further decline and denies eager students the quality education they deserve. We have a duty to offer as much assistance as possible to help this historic institution return to its full potential.  Continuing to ignore these concerns is a disservice to the historic institution’s deserving students, faithful alumni, dedicated teachers, and South Carolina taxpayers. It is my hope that our joint resolution – which received unanimous bipartisan support – will put SC State back on a path to success.”

H. 3663 does three things to help South Carolina State succeed. The joint resolution (1) removes the current SC State board members, (2) gives authority over to a newly appointed interim board of trustees who are designees of the five member Budget and Control Board.  These members will have staggering, transitional terms so that a newly elected SC State Board of Trustees will be put in place by 2018, and (3) requires the interim Board of Trustees to remove the current President if they deem that action to be necessary.