University President Harris Pastides called for a three year moratorium on tuition increases in exchange for increased and “fair” state funding at the annual State of the University address Wednesday morning on the Historic Horseshoe.
The initiative, which he called a “fair funding initiative,” is already in place in Tennessee, Indiana, and Colorado. Pastides wants it for South Carolina as well.
“A degree isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Pastides said. “South Carolina has plans to be a higher education state.”
Pastides said stagnant tuition rates would allow more opportunities for students and a continuation of the flexible student models like Gamecock Gateway, Gamecock Guarentee, Palmetto College and On Your Time Gradution.
Pastides also outlined multiple other plans for USC’s future, including Carolina’s Promise. The $1 billion capital campaign has already received $756.5 million in donations,and newly-hired Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Jancy Houck has arrived from Yale to complete the job.
After many athletic sucesses, the university plans to expand is sports facilities, including an expansion of track lanes and a new indoor football facility.
The university also plans to build a new 60,000 square foot alumni center to be completed in 2015 to “continue building on the great legacy of the students who have been here before.”
The State of the University speech also highlighted USC’s achievements of the past five years during Pastides’ presidency, including 45,910 degrees awarded during his tenure.