Education

How much do SC colleges spend on DEI? Here’s the cost of diversity programs at each school

A Texas woman is accused of bank fraud at banks in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Colorado, Tennessee and Texas.
A Texas woman is accused of bank fraud at banks in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Colorado, Tennessee and Texas. Getty Images/iStockphoto
As funding for college diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the country face the chopping block, state lawmakers are seeking information about how much money is being funneled towards the initiatives in South Carolina.
Following similar requests in other red states, the S.C. Commission on Higher Education asked each of the state’s 33 public colleges and universities for spending associated with diversity, equity and inclusion — or DEI — in early February.
The request, which was obtained by The State, asked for the cost of any policy, procedure, program, training or activity associated with race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, as well as efforts referencing social justice, intersectionality and more.
The commission found that S.C. colleges and universities spent a combined $8.3 million on these programs, according to self-reported figures collected by the Commission on Higher Education and obtained by The State.
State Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, chair of the House Education and Public Works Committee, told The State that the numbers provided were “all over the map.”
DEI costs were broken down by the amount of money spent on salaries, operations and trainings. Below are the combined one-year spending totals for each state school.

Four-year colleges and universities

▪ Citadel Military College of South Carolina: $129,615.95
▪ Clemson University: $2,520,097.94
▪ Coastal Carolina University: $488,741.21
▪ College of Charleston: $707,228
▪ Francis Marion University: $64,750.75
▪ Lander University: $31,582
▪ Medical University of South Carolina: $1,213,566
▪ South Carolina State University: $0
▪ University of South Carolina - Aiken: $120,390
▪ University of South Carolina - Beaufort: $9,065
▪ University of South Carolina - Columbia: $1,723,412
▪ University of South Carolina - Upstate: $334,495
▪ Winthrop University: $59,109

Two-year regional colleges

▪ University of South Carolina - Lancaster: Unknown

▪ University of South Carolina - Salkehatchie: Unknown

▪ University of South Carolina - Sumter: Unknown

▪ University of South Carolina - Union: Unknown

Technical schools and community colleges

▪ Aiken Technical College: $31,662

▪ Central Carolina Technical College: $148,140

▪ Denmark Technical College: $16,686.90

▪ Florence-Darlington Technical College: $0

▪ Greenville Technical College: $141,547

▪ Horry-Georgetown Technical College: $249,758

▪ Midlands Technical College: $50,000

▪ Northeastern Technical College: $20,208.57

▪ Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College: $15,083

▪ Piedmont Technical College: $5,000

▪ Spartanburg Community College: $0

▪ Technical College of the Lowcountry: $39,903

▪ Tri-County Technical College: $0

▪ Trident Technical College: $1,000

▪ Williamsburg Technical College: $16,496.74

▪ York Technical College: $36,795.06

This story was originally published April 18, 2023 at 5:30 AM.

Profile Image of Alexa Jurado
Alexa Jurado
The State
Alexa Jurado is a news reporter for The State covering Lexington County and Richland County schools. She previously wrote about the University of South Carolina and contributes to this coverage. A Chicago suburbs native, Alexa graduated from Marquette University and previously wrote for publications in Illinois and Wisconsin. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Milwaukee Press Club and the South Carolina Press Association.
Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW