SECTION 11 - H03-COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION
���� 11.1.���� (CHE:
Contract for Services Program Fees)� The amounts appropriated in this section
for �Southern Regional Education Board Contract Programs� and �Southern
Regional Education Board Dues� are to be used by the commission to pay to the
Southern Regional Education Board the required contract fees for South Carolina
students enrolled under the Contract for Services program of the Southern
Regional Education Board, in specific degree programs in specified institutions
and the Southern Regional Education Board membership dues. The funds
appropriated may not be reduced to cover any budget reductions or be
transferred for other purposes.
���� 11.2.���� (CHE:
Out-of-State School of the Arts)� The funds appropriated herein for
Out-of-State School of the Arts must be expended for an SREB Contract Program,
administered by the Commission, which will offset the difference between the
out-of-state cost and in-state cost for artistically talented high school
students at the North Carolina School of the Arts.
���� 11.3.���� (CHE:
African-American Loan Program)� Of the funds appropriated to the Commission on
Higher Education for the African‑American Loan Program, 73.7percent shall
be distributed to South Carolina State University and 26.3percent shall be
distributed to Benedict College, and must be used for a loan program with the
major focus of attracting African-American males to the teaching profession.�
The Commission of Higher Education shall act as the monitoring and reporting
agency for the African-American Loan Program.� Of the funds allocated according
to this proviso, no more than ten percent shall be used for administrative
purposes.
���� 11.4.���� (CHE:
GEAR-UP)� Funds appropriated for GEAR-UP shall be used for state grants
programs to reach disadvantaged middle school students to improve their
preparation for college.� Eligible South Carolina public schools and public
institutions of higher education shall cooperate with the Commission on Higher
Education in the provision of services under the Gaining Early Awareness and
Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR-UP) grant.
���� 11.5.���� (CHE:
EPSCoR Committee Representation)� With the intent that the four-year teaching
institutions receive a portion of EPSCoR funding, the State EPSCoR Committee
shall have an executive committee consisting of one representative from each of
the research institutions and one representative from the four-year teaching
university sector.
���� 11.6.���� (CHE: SREB
Funds Exempt From Budget Cut)� In the calculation of any across the board cut
mandated by the Budget and Control Board or General Assembly, the amount which
the Commission on Higher Education is appropriated for Southern Regional
Education Board (SREB) Professional Scholarship Programs and Fees, Dues and
Assessments shall be excluded from the Commission on Higher Education�s base
budget.� Funds appropriated for SREB programs may be carried forward into the
current fiscal year and expended for the same purpose by the Commission on
Higher Education.
���� 11.7.���� (CHE: Performance
Improvement Pool Allocation)� Of the funds appropriated to the Commission on
Higher Education under Section XI. Special Items: Performance Funding, eighty
percent will be allocated to the EPSCoR program under the Commission on Higher
Education to improve South Carolina�s research capabilities and twenty percent
will be allocated to support the management education programs of the School of
Business at South Carolina State University.
���� 11.8.���� (CHE:
Troop-to-Teachers)� Members of the Armed Forces either active-duty, retired, or
separated who are admitted to and enrolled in the South Carolina
Troop-to-Teachers Alternative Route to Certification program are entitled to
pay in-state rates at participating state institutions for requisite program
work.
���� 11.9.���� (CHE:
Need-Based Grants for Foster Youth)� For the current academic year, youth in
the custody of the Department of Social Services and attending a higher
education institution in South Carolina are eligible for additional need-based
grants funding of up to $2,000 above the $2,500 maximum.� Foster youth must
apply for these funds no later than May first, of the preceding year.� All
other grants, both state and federal, for which these foster youth are eligible
must be applied first to the cost of attendance prior to using the additional
need-based grant funding.� If the cost of attendance for a foster youth is met
with other grants and scholarships, then no additional need-based grant may be
used.� The Department of Social Services, in cooperation with the Commission on
Higher Education, will track the numbers of recipients of this additional
need-based grant to determine its effectiveness in encouraging more foster
youth to pursue a secondary education.� No more than $100,000 may be expended
from currently appropriated need-based grants funding for this additional
assistance.
���� 11.10.�� (CHE:
Tuition Age)� For the current fiscal year, the age limitation for those
children of certain war veterans who may be admitted to any state-supported
college, university, or post high school technical education institution free
of tuition is suspended for eligible children that successfully appeal the
Division of Veterans Affairs on the grounds of a serious extenuating health
condition.
���� 11.11.�� (CHE: LIFE
and Palmetto Fellows Enhancement Stipends)� In the current fiscal year before
fall awards are made, to continue eligibility for LIFE and Palmetto Fellows
Enhancement Stipends, students shall certify and the institutions shall verify
that the student is meeting all requirements as stipulated by the policies
established by the institution and the academic department to be enrolled as a
declared major in an eligible program and is making academic progress toward
completion of the student�s declared eligible major.� These determinations are
subject to the verification and audit of the Commission on Higher Education.�
Institutions shall return funds determined to have been awarded to ineligible
students.
���� 11.12.�� (CHE: SmartState)�
The Commission on Higher Education is prohibited from expending any source of
funds on the marketing of the SmartState Program.
���� 11.13.�� (CHE: Higher
Education Excellence Enhancement Program Additions)� Converse College and
Columbia College shall be eligible to receive funds under the Higher Education
Excellence Enhancement Program.
���� 11.14.�� DELETED
���� 11.15.�� (CHE: SCNG
CAP Carry Forward)� Funds appropriated for the South Carolina National Guard
College Assistance Program may be carried forward from the prior fiscal year
into the current fiscal year and expended for the same purpose.� If a mid-year
budget reduction is imposed by the General Assembly or the State Budget and
Control Board, the appropriations for the program are exempt.
���� 11.16.�� (CHE:
College Transition Need-Based Grants)� Of the currently appropriated need-based
grants funding, no more than $179,178 shall be used to provide need-based
grants to South Carolina resident students enrolled at a public institution of
higher education in an established college transition program that serves
students with intellectual disabilities.� The Commission on Higher Education
shall allocate the available funds to eligible institutions on the basis of
student need and enrollment in the established college transition programs.�
All other grants and gift aid for which these students are eligible must be
applied first to the cost of attendance prior to using the need-based grant
funding.� If the cost of attendance for an eligible student is met with all
other grants and gift aid, the need-based grant shall not be used.� The
participating institutions, in cooperation with the Commission on Higher
Education, shall track the number of grant recipients and other information
determined necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of these grants in assisting
students with intellectual disabilities in college transition programs.�
���� 11.17.�� DELETED
���� 11.18.�� (CHE:
Mission, Ethics and Values Statements)� Each public institution of higher
learning shall submit a report that denotes their mission, ethics, and values
statements to the members of the General Assembly by January 3, 2015.
���� 11.19.�� DELETED
���� 11.20.�� (CHE:
Distribution of Materials on College Campuses)� Public institutions of higher
education shall not impose restrictions on the distribution of the Constitution
of the United States or the Constitution of the State of South Carolina by
students properly enrolled in the institution or otherwise eligible to enter
the institution�s property, so long as the distribution does not interrupt a
class in session, a school-wide assembly or other school sponsored function.�
Distribution of copies of the Constitution of the United States or the
Constitution of the State of South Carolina on which unrelated materials or
paraphernalia are attached to, or that are inserted or included within copies
of either Constitution are not subject to the requirements of this proviso.�
For purposes of this proviso, an athletic event is not considered a class,
school-wide assembly or school sponsored function.
���� 11.21.�� DELETED
���� 11.22.�� (CHE:
Required Reading Material Reporting)� (A)� From the revenue appropriated or
authorized by this act, the University of Charleston must utilize at least
$52,000 and USC Upstate must utilize at least $17,000 to comply with the provisions
contained in Section 59‑29-120, related to instruction in the provisions
and principles of the United States Constitution, the Declaration of
Independence, and the Federalist Papers, including the study of and devotion to
American institutions and ideals.� The instruction that must given pursuant to
this provision may be satisfied by providing or assigning reading materials
related to the subject matter.
���� (B)��� A public institution
of higher learning that conducts a non-elective reading program, other than as
part of an instructional class, must provide alternative reading materials to a
student who finds the required reading material objectionable based on a
sincerely held religious, moral, or cultural belief.� A student who requests
alternative materials must not be subjected to any negative consequences or
disparate treatment by any officer, official, faculty member, or other employee
of the institution as a result of making the request.
���� (C)��� A public institution
of higher learning that conducts a mandatory lecture, seminar, or other similar
type presentation or program, other than as part of an instructional class,
must allow a student who finds the program objectionable based on a sincerely
held religious, moral, or cultural belief to decline to attend or otherwise
participate in the program.� A student who declines to attend or otherwise
participate must not be subjected to any negative consequences or disparate
treatment by any officer, official, faculty member, or other employee of the
institution as a result of making the request.
���� 11.23.�� DELETED
institution as a result of making the request.