COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster recently called for a study to consider consolidating colleges ahead of what they are calling an ‘enrollment cliff,’ something national experts warn will happen due to state and national birth rates dropping over 20% since 2007.
The enrollment cliff is said to make it harder for smaller colleges to fill classrooms, which is why McMaster says he is asking legislature to put $3 million in state surplus toward an independent study of the state's higher education landscape.
In a statement to News 19, the governor’s office said:
“Using state and national experts, the study seeks an assessment of the utilization of existing physical space at our colleges and universities, and the certificates and degrees awarded as compared to the projected workforce needs of our state.”
The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) supports the study, saying:
“CHE’s mission aligns with Governor McMaster’s proposal to assess South Carolina’s public higher education system through an external study. It is imperative that we, as a state, adapt to shifting enrollment trends and the increasing demand for a highly-skilled workforce with postsecondary credentials to support our growing economy.”
Currently, South Carolina is home to 33 public colleges. The governor's study would aim to address the sustainability, accessibility, and affordability of public higher education.
Examples of potential mergers include colleges like USC’s satellite Sumter campus and Central Carolina Technological College that sit next to each other in the middle of Sumter County.
“I think that would be a wonderful idea to combine the two in a way because the more the merrier. A bigger family and it would also separate that energy or that divergence between the two,” said former USC Sumter student Keelan Ross.
However, not everyone reacted the same as Ross.
“It would definitely be a challenge I think, because you're dealing with more kids,” USC Sumter Freshman Briggs Bent said.
The timeline for conducting the study to consider the consolidation of certain institutions will rely on whether or not the legislature approves the $3 million in funding.