USC doesn’t want to raise tuition next year. It’s in the hands of the General Assembly
The University of South Carolina says it needs $29.5 million to keep up with inflation and avoid raising tuition for all students at the Columbia campus and another $4.7 million to avoid a tuition hike system-wide.
USC’s board of trustees on Friday approved a budget request for this money for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Overall, the university’s budget for the next fiscal year is $1.8 billion, including $301.1 million in new requests for the main Columbia campus. They will be submitted to the state legislature for consideration.
“This request reflects our priorities: serving our students and enhancing the university’s ability to make a real difference in the lives of South Carolinians,” said USC President Amiridis in a news release.
Board chairman Thad Westbrook said it is a chance to address the needs of the entire state.
“We have a tremendous opportunity to partner with the Governor and General Assembly to ensure we can accomplish that mission together, while keeping tuition prices affordable for South Carolina families,” Westbrook said in a news release.
If approved, it will be the fifth year in a row that the university has keep tuition the same. In-state students currently pay $12,688 per year for tuition and out-of-state students pay $33,928, according to the university website.
The board is also requested $94 million for classroom and lab renovations, a recurring $10 million for the establishment and support of the a statewide Rural Brain Health Network and Brain Health Institute and $30 million to bring the Brain Institute to the new BullStreet health sciences campus. These are the university’s priorities, said spokesman Jeff Stensland.
This story was originally published September 24, 2022 at 5:30 AM.
