Students from three South Carolina universities urged lawmakers on Tuesday to be careful when they trim the budget, saying deep cuts to higher education will hurt the state’s economic future.
The nearly 30 student leaders from the College of Charleston, Clemson University and the University of South Carolina who rallied outside the Statehouse said they realize cuts are necessary as the state faces a $700 million shortfall.
“We won’t be immune, but we ask the cuts to be fair, equal and in accordance with other agencies,”’ said College of Charleston student president Isaiah Nelson, a 20-year-old junior from Herndon, Va.
Over the past two years, federal stimulus money has helped offset state cuts to higher education. But legislative leaders say most of the cuts in the 2011-12 budget will likely come from education and Medicaid, because that’s where the bulk of state money goes.
Colleges also have raised tuition and fees to cover shrinking state funding.
Legislators are considering capping tuition increases, saying colleges are pricing a degree beyond the reach of students and parents. Tuition rates at South Carolina universities are the highest in the Southeast, though college officials contend that lottery-funded scholarships keep out-of-pocket expenses for in-state students affordable.
Lawmakers also may limit how many out-of-state students a college can accept.
