Education

Clemson under fire. 4 stories about politicians ire with university

Stories by The State journalists, with AI summarization

Clemson University sits at the center of political controversies across several articles. Politicians scrutinize the university due to various policy and social media issues. Clemson terminated employees over controversial social media posts regarding Charlie Kirk. The school's delayed response drew criticism. Key legislators pressured Clemson to act. The school eventually fired three people.

Clemson faces legal challenges in its bid to leave the ACC. The state senate says taxpayer money cannot fund the lawsuit. State Sen. Brad Hutto discusses why athletics should handle these costs. University officials removed DEI course criteria after GOP backlash. This change followed criticism over its syllabus content. Lawmakers used social media to express opposition. The university dissolved groups supporting BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities amidst a civil rights investigation. The Heritage Foundation influenced this move. Clemson's DEI policies remain a contentious issue.

Read the stories below:

Sep 30, 2023; Syracuse, New York, USA; Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips talk before the game at JMA Wireless Dome. By Ken Ruinard

NO. 1: CAN CLEMSON USE TAXPAYER MONEY IN LAWSUIT AGAINST ACC? SC SENATE SOUNDS OFF

The conference’s total withdrawal fee has been ballparked at $572 million. | Published April 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos

Clemson University has the smallest percentage of black students among the state’s public schools. Recently there have been calls to rename Tillman Hall, pictured, and improve race relations at the school. By Gerry Melendez

NO. 2: CLEMSON DISSOLVES BIPOC, LGBTQ+ GROUPS AMID CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION

Clemson University has eliminated groups created to support the school’s Black, LGBTQ+ and veteran communities, among others, the Upstate university announced last week. | Published September 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alexa Jurado

A water tower on State Highway 123 in Seneca entering the North end of Clemson University is branded with a logo, and trademark tiger paw. By Ken Ruinard / staff

NO. 3: CLEMSON REMOVES DEI REFERENCE IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CLASS AFTER GOP BACKLASH

Clemson University removed a “DEI” reference in the syllabus of a chemical engineering class Tuesday after it was brought to the school’s attention. | Published September 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos

A plaque on the corner of Clemson University’s campus

NO. 4: WHAT LED CLEMSON TO FIRE EMPLOYEES OVER KIRK POSTS AND WHY DID IT TAKE 5 DAYS?

For five days, public pressure mounted on one of the state’s flagship universities, at least in the realm of social media to take action. | Published September 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.