USC has 11 people running to replace trustees. Here is what you need to know

After months of controversy surrounding the University of South Carolina’s presidential search, state lawmakers will have a chance to change who is on the school’s board of trustees.

The incumbents and those seeking to challenge them for four contested seats testified before the College and University Trustee Screening Commission, comprised of both S.C. House and Senate members, on Monday and Tuesday.

The candidates were asked about how they would move the board forward following criticism from the school’s accrediting body and a consultant, how they would boost the number of in-state students and how they would improve diversity.

Challengers to incumbents said they could move the board forward by offering fresh perspectives while many of the incumbents say they learned from the process and heard feedback from consultant and accreditors first-hand.

The USC board was criticized last year after it named four presidential finalists, including three white men, in April. Later that month, the board voted to continue the search and named an interim president. In July, at the urging of Gov. Henry McMaster, the board voted to hire former West Point superintendent Robert Caslen.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, USC’s accrediting body, said in January that McMaster’s involvement in the presidential search was “undue influence.”

“The institution has not yet demonstrated that its governing board protects the institution from undue influence by external persons or bodies,” SACS said in a letter.

Ideas for how to improve diversity included possibly waiving application fees, lowering tuition, recruiting in minority and rural areas and relying less on standardized test scores to recruit students. A civil rights group at Harvard University has said high standardized test scores tend to skew toward the wealthy.

Despite the public outcry against the board of trustees last spring and summer, few people stepped up to challenge incumbents.

Of the eight seats up for renewal, half of them were uncontested, meaning incumbents Miles Loadholt, Rose Buyck Newton and Leah Moody will likely hold their seats. Brian Harlan, the CEO of the Laurens YMCA, is the lone person running to replace the late Bubba Fennell for the Greenwood-area seat.

One thing that won’t happen is an increase in board diversity, an issue that frequently came up during the presidential search. Of the 11 people running for four contested seats, only one is a woman and none are African American.

All candidates who testified Monday and Tuesday were approved. The next step will be for members of the General Assembly to vote on each candidate.

Here are some key takeaways for all the contested seats, all of which expire in 2024. USC board members are elected by judicial circuit districts:

4th Judicial Circuit (Chesterfield, Marlboro, Dillon, Darlington counties)

Eugene Warr (incumbent): Warr, a Florence attorney, served as the chair of USC’s board of trustees from 2012-2016. When Sen. John Scott, D-Richland, asked him how Warr would improve diversity, he noted his support for Caslen, who improved diversity while he was superintendent at U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Rep. Gary Clary, R-Pickens, asked Warr how he would change the board after the presidential selection controversy, Warr said.

“We have to be mindful of the walls we need to keep around us,” Warr said.

James Williamson: Williamson is a healthcare administrator and educator, but his biggest selling point was his experience leading schools that feed USC. Williamson has served as the head of the S.C. Technical College System, the president of North Carolina’s community college system, president of Northeastern Technical College in Cheraw, a member of the Chesterfield County school board and more.

6th Judicial Circuit (Chester, Lancaster, Fairfield counties)

Hugh Mobley (incumbent): Mobley, a pharmacist and owner of Mobley Drugs in Lancaster, was one of the Caslen’s most active supporters during the presidential search.

Mobley told lawmakers he was ready to cast his pro-Caslen vote in April, when trustees first considered presidential finalists. For the July vote, Mobley said he didn’t believe outside forces affected the outcome of the vote.

As for improving diversity, Mobley entertained the idea of reexamining how USC looks at standardized test scores for admission.

Spiro Poulos: This Chester County attorney and son of Greek immigrants believes he can boost diversity and the number of in-state students at USC by increasing outreach to students in rural and minority areas. He also said he was open to waiving application fees for some students.

15th Judicial Circuit (Horry, Georgetown counties)

Egerton Burroughs (incumbent): Burroughs, who works at a real estate investment company, is one of the more fiscally conservative members of the board and has been vocal about his desire to reduce tuition, lower the school’s debt and cut spending.

He has also pushed for diversifying the skill set on the board, which is comprised of mostly lawyers.

L. Morgan Martin: Martin, a Conway personal injury lawyer, graduated from USC’s law school in 1978. Outside law, he served as the chairman of the S.C. Department of Transportation, according to his website.

Jasper Ramsey: Ramsey — a Chick-Fil-A manager who has worked in multiple fields including managing a Myrtle Beach motel and working in sales for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, a minor league baseball team — promises to bring an every man’s perspective to the board. His daughter, Mary Ramsey, recently graduated from USC after being editor-in-chief of The Daily Gamecock. Ramsey said his middle-class status will help him understand what students and families who attend USC are going through.

10th Judicial Circuit (Oconee, Anderson counties)

Chuck Allen (incumbent): Allen is an upstate attorney and former Gamecock football star. During the presidential search, he originally sided with Caslen, but later voted against him because he saw the process as deeply flawed.

Allen said all of his votes on the board were in the spirit of independence and that he already makes an effort to remain neutral from outside forces.

Emma Morris: Morris, an attorney with a background in finance, promises a taciturn, analytical approach to the board of trustees. Her mother and grandmother were career educators, and her daughter is a student at Furman, which she said gives her a unique perspective on the board of trustees.

To boost diversity, Morris said she wants to drill down into specific data around applicants, outreach and recruiting to pinpoint the source of the problem.

Phillip Owens: Owens, a former state representative, wants to focus on controlling USC’s growth and restoring the “balance” between in-state and out-of-state students.

“We always have to favor our South Carolina, in-state students,” Owens said.

Blair Stoudemire: Stoudemire, an assistant solicitor in the 10th circuit, wants to help USC students get jobs by setting up direct lines of communication between the school and potential employers. He also wants to raise money by strengthening the connection between the alumni and USC, he said.

This story was originally published March 3, 2020 at 3:34 PM.