Meeting Minutes 9/11/2024
Aiken County Commission for Higher Education
September 11, 2024
Business and Education Building, Room 276
ACCHE Members Present: Teresa Haas, Chip Marvin, Jackie Busbee, Debra Gantt, LaWana McKenzie, Sallye Rich, Tim Simmons, Corey Murphy, Joe Lewis, Dan Heimmermann and Phil Bridgmon.
USCA Staff Present: Brian Enter, Mary Driscoll, Christen Engel, Ernest Pringle, Cam Reagin, Ahmed Samaha, Todd Wilkinson, and Julie Radford.
ACCHE Members Not Present: Clarence Jackson and Sharon Marra.
Chair Haas called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m. She stated that notice of the meeting had been published in accordance with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act.
Motion from Ms. Debra Gantt to approve minutes from the last meeting. Mr. Chip Marvin seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
Chair’s Report: Teresa began the report by discussing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and how to ensure compliance.
The chairperson also encouraged commissioners to review the website (which was displayed on the screen) for accuracy of names and titles. Christen demonstrated to the commissioners how to navigate to the ACCHE section of the website. Additionally, the website includes a list of important dates accessible to everyone.
Teresa mentioned that Julie ordered name tags for those who do not have one. Julie also has parking passes available for everyone.
Yesterday, the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness hosted SC Decoded, a cyber conference at the Crown Plaza Hotel in North Augusta, South Carolina. Teresa mentioned seeing Scott McKay and Brad Owens from the SC National Guard in attendance. USC Aiken was included in the conference.
Executive Committee: No Report
Finance Committee Report: Mr. Chip Marvin asked the commissioners to review the balance sheet included in the packet. While there was rebalancing in previous quarters, he noted that there is currently no need for further rebalancing. During the last rebalancing, it was discovered that Joe Sobieralski is still listed as a signer on the account and needs to be removed. Teresa Haas is an authorized signer and Chip has limited authority. Chip explained that a motion is needed to officially approve Cam as an authorized signer on the account.
Chip also clarified that, in his role, he cannot sign but will have limited powers, including the ability to call and rebalance on Teresa’s behalf. A motion is required to submit the minutes for the corporate resolution to Vanguard.
Chip requested a motion to approve Cam as an authorized signer and himself as having limited power of access for this account. The motion was made by Sallye Rich and seconded by LaWana McKenzie. Chair Haas then called for a vote, with all in favor saying "aye" and no opposition.
Vote of approval--Mr. Marvin made a motion from the Finance Committee to transfer $100,000 from Aiken County millage over to the USCA’s Operating Budget. Vote approved.
Buildings and Grounds: Brian provided several updates. The design for phase one of the National Guard Cyber Center has been submitted to the governing boards for approval, which may take until January. Once approval is received, the design will be finalized.
On campus, several projects have been completed. The Etherredge Center received a roof replacement, along with new flooring and renovated restrooms. The majority of roof replacements across campus are now complete. Additionally, the baseball stadium received a new HVAC system, the soccer stadium is in the initial design phase, and the softball field has been upgraded with new turf.
A significant update is the Student Success Center, which will be located on the first floor of the library. Move-in for this project is scheduled for next Friday, Sept. 20.
Before Chair Haas turned the meeting over to Dr. Heimmermann for his report, she took a moment to acknowledge several items included in the packet. These items included recent media coverage and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from Ernest’s department, highlighting partnerships with various businesses and organizations in Aiken County.
Chancellor’s Report: Dr. Heimmermann started his report by introducing and giving a background of Dr. Phil Bridgmon as the new Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Phil spoke about his time here and how he has received a warm welcome.
Regarding enrollment, the preliminary number is just under 4,000 with an estimate of 3,950. This is a record enrollment for the university, while the numbers are not final, they are still very positive. There is a 9% increase of students living in the dorms and 87% occupancy. The retention rate is also up. The programs associated with the AMC such as cybersecurity, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering (in development) will help attract more students.
The Chancellor discussed a variety of options that can be investigated with the master facility plan and emphasized the importance of continued input. In the university’s 63-year history, there is still a significant amount of undeveloped land that offers opportunities for future growth and development.
The primary focus of the plan is to create a more inward-oriented campus, drawing students toward the central quad and minimizing visibility of the parking lots that surround the campus. This approach is part of a broader strategy to improve the overall student experience and campus aesthetic.
Dr. Heimmermann explained the possibility of exploring public-private partnerships, which many universities use to develop amenities like student housing, retail spaces, and restaurants. These partnerships would allow private developers to manage the risk while enhancing the campus and community. Potential sites for mixed-use development were identified in previous plans, and such projects could benefit both the university and the wider Aiken region.
He also proposed the idea of redeveloping existing residential areas, such as Pacer Downs through third-party involvement to provide modern facilities for students. Lastly, he encouraged the commission to consider these ideas and engage in future discussions, noting the development of surrounding areas could attract businesses and residents while enhancing the student experience and contributing to the economic development of Aiken.
Dr. Heimmermann discussed legislative requests for the upcoming year, with tuition mitigation being a major focus. Despite not having increased tuition in seven years, the university is requesting $3.5 million, although there is uncertainty about the future of tuition mitigation. Another significant item is a proposed cyber and engineering building, estimated at $50 million, though receiving the full amount is unlikely. There is a stronger chance of securing funding for an addition to the health sciences (nursing) building, and refreshing the science building is another priority, with an estimated cost of $8-9 million. Moving forward, the university will be more strategic in prioritizing its requests.
On October 4, USC Aiken will host Senator Tom Young and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Peeler to present and showcase the university's needs. Additionally, the university has made a $1 million investment to address salary compression for faculty and staff.
The State of the University Address will be held on October 8 at 2:30 p.m. in Penland 106, providing an opportunity to highlight USC Aiken’s recent accomplishments.
Additional Updates:
Chair Haas welcomed Dr. Corey Murphy as a commissioner and asked if there is anything that the Commission can do that could support him.
Teresa Haas brought to attention the important dates: Joint Legislative Delegation Dinner is on Jan 8th, 2025, Aiken County Council Joint meeting is on March 19, 2025.
Motion to adjourn meeting by Teresa Haas, Second by Chip Marvin. The meeting was adjourned at 6:01 p.m.