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I think that my predecessor here at the podium touched on a couple of good ideas. One is we need to work more with the business sector in the, not only the Waccamaw region of our state, but the entire state to promote more private giving. I know that Max Lennon (ph) at Clemson had a massive capital campaign where they raised a hundred million dollars of private money and the reports I've seen from our Development office do not show us in that ballpark even. We need to do a lot more with private giving and alumni giving, and I think also corporate giving.

So that - that would be one answer that I would have if we're just faced with no further increases in state funding. If it continues to remain level, we will definitely have to go to the business sector, ask them to take a little pride in their community and in their community college and to kick in some funds to help us with our programs because many of the programs at Coastal Carolina benefit the entire community. Will Wright Auditorium hosts a number of events for the community and the community uses the campus for a number of events, swimming pool and a number - numerous facilities, that's another option. Some of the facilities that are used by the community, perhaps a fee could be charged or fees could be increased, for instance, for the use of the swimming pool, for the use of the auditorium, some of these ways. Some user fees could be enacted or raised.
THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Littlejohn.
EXAMINATION BY REPRESENTATIVE LITTLEJOHN:
Q. Mr. Smith, the university system has a working agreement with technical colleges to do remediation for certain students coming in. Do ya'll have a working agreement with tech schools in your area to remediate problem students, because it is cheaper to do it that way?

One thing I might add, Coastal Carolina until - and again, I'm not an administrator, so some of the facts and figures, I'm not absolutely certain of. But I can tell you that Coastal Carolina was an open admissions institution until only a few years ago. I think 1988, in 1989-1990 calendar - or school year, academic year, the college actually set in some admission standards, and since then it's not just an open door, you have to meet admissions standards to come to Coastal Carolina and we've been able to do that in the last five years and still be able to - to meet our budget which I'm very proud to say that's been done.

Some colleges in the state I think may have raised their standards beyond what they can to be able to keep the school in the black, but we have I think walked a middle line of having high admission standards without pricing ourselves out of the market.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any other questions? Yes, ma'am. Senator Glover.
SENATOR GLOVER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
EXAMINATION BY SENATOR GLOVER:
Q. Mr. Smith, in light of the ever present conversations on affirmative action, as a trustee member, what would you do or have been doing to look at the affirmative action goals? All of our universities have such goals. Are you aware of them at Coastal, and are they good and what will you do about them?
A. Well, we have a strong affirmative action program at Coastal. In fact, the director of Personnel, her full title is the director of Personnel and Affirmative Action. That's a part of her title. That's what she has to see on her door every day and on her business card and concentrate on is not only personnel and employment, but affirmative action.

And our - our plan that we have in place seems to be working quite well, and she has focused her efforts on that and spent a lot of time making sure that our institution is reflective of the state and the nation and that we are doing our part to help all of our people in the state to achieve

But I think that we're doing - we're doing well with that. In fact, I would argue - and again I'm not an administrator, but I would argue that no school in the state is more sensitive to affirmative action goals and plans than Coastal. So it's a constant issue and it's a constant discussion among the board and the administration and something that we're very serious about.
Q. In your present administration, what are the ratios, just at the administrative level?
A. Senator, I don't think I've ever actually had those figures presented to me. Perhaps there - I'm sure they're in our annual report, and I could - I could get back to you on that. But I don't think I know the exact percentages or the exact numbers to be able to calculate a percentage in.
Q. In the first four, in your president, your vice president or presidents, what do you have right now in terms of minorities and women?
A. We really only have three senior level officers of the university. Our - our president is a white male. Our vice president for academic affairs or our provost is a white male. Our vice president for financial affairs is a white female. I'm trying to think through our deans now. We have a -
Q. That's okay.
A. We have a white female dean. Her job is open now. It seems that we are in the process of hiring a replacement for her. On the administrative level, the very top positions, I would say it is somewhat white male dominated and white female.
Q. All right. Thank you.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any other questions? Thank you, Mr. Smith.
A. Thank you.
THE CHAIRMAN: Next -
SENATOR WILSON: Mr. Chairman.
THE CHAIRMAN: Yes, Senator.
SENATOR WILSON: Previously, the persons who were in uncontested races were acknowledged and then released and we now have Mr. Tony Grant, a long time friend of mine who is present here from the Second Congressional District. He currently holds the seat on the Board of South Carolina State University, and he, I'm delighted to see, is unopposed, and I just want to recognize him and move that he be acknowledged and released.
THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Senator.
REPRESENTATIVE INABINETT: Seconded.
THE CHAIRMAN: We appreciate your - the work you're doing.

And I have one other question that I'd like to ask you, sort of hot issue, as it relates to concealed weapons. There is a possibility if the bill that's now - has been introduced, if passed, may give students the right to bear arms on campus or to carry a concealed weapons. Would you address that issue and the issue of funding?
A. Yes, sir. The - first the weapon issue, at Coastal, we haven't discussed that just - but we just started preliminary talks about that because we didn't think it was an issue. I don't think anybody did until just recently.

Of course, throughout the country there's always been the threat of weapons on - on school grounds and universities, and we have talked

Any of those that - and has to go the periodic meetings, predetermined meetings, those that don't make their major or don't make their mind up, then, you know, of course, academically you're also looking at that, you have these reviews early in their education.

This particular university is also real close to a tech school. We also are working with that school with those individuals who are planning to take majors in this university. Did I answer your question?
Q. Thank you.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any other question for this gentleman? Senator Glover.
SENATOR GLOVER: Thank you.
EXAMINATION BY SENATOR GLOVER:
Q. Mr. Barnette, how important are the affirmative action goals at Coastal to you, personally, I mean, and what do they mean?
A. To me, personally, I think that everybody needs to have an equal opportunity. In the business that I'm in that is what we look at. That's - that's something that I feel very strongly about. The opportunities for

At Coastal, we have discussed that on several occasions. It's something that we need to discuss often quite frankly. Personally, again, I think that - I think it is very important to me, and I think that I'm knowledgeable in the subject and have practiced it in the past.
THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you, sir. Next we have Carey Green. Mr. Green, will you raise your right hand.
CAREY J. GREEN, having been duly sworn, testified as follows:
MR. GREEN - EXAMINATION BY THE CHAIRMAN:
Q. Mr. Green, do you have any health related problems that the screening committee should be made aware of that would prevent you from serving on the board in a full capacity?
A. None whatsoever.
Q. Considering your present occupation or other activities, would you be able to attend board meetings on a regular basis?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you have any interest professionally or personally that would present a conflict of interest because of your service on the board?
A. None.
Q. Do you now hold any public position of honor or trust that if elected to the board would cause you to violate the dual office holding clause of the constitution?
A. No, sir.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any questions? Senator Wilson.
EXAMINATION BY SENATOR WILSON:
Q. How would you face the challenge of the four-year graduation rate?
A. Concerning that, I think you've got to look at it realistically and being a graduate from Coastal, I see that maybe the lack of academic standards to be admitted in the school is one of the problems that - that you might resolve by just raising the standard of entry into the university. That's one.

Number two would be realistically you need to look at community. I think the community being a lot of commuting students and the community's commerce, industry, the tourism is a definite factor in this. And I think if the graduation rate is - is the lowest of any four-year institution in the state, you've got to realistically look at it and see that most of these students may be working jobs, and it's prolonging their education there. They're co-oping, so to speak.

And also as a coordinator, former coordinator of academic advising, I think that if you can capture these people or these students the first year, get them to declare a major as soon as possible, and then get advisors to help them stay focused in a specific area - as coming from Clemson University, we - we capture student athletes or other students and - and get them in a curriculum as soon as possible. And I know they may change majors, but try to cut out the fat as far as taking classes that they just want to take outside their curriculum.

That's a - that's a tough question to answer, but specifically again maybe raising the academic standards to get in school, number one. Number two would be academic advising as soon as possible.
Q. I'm delighted to hear that you've got the experience of working with academic advisors. Do you feel like they're properly trained to and motivated to work with the students or is this something extracurricular that to someone is a burden?
A. Okay, from - from the past, my experience has been it's a burden for - for a professor, instructor, a teacher there at the university. That's in addition to what their normal work load. They would have to take a specific number of students in their - hopefully, just in their discipline and try to coach them so to speak in there and keep them focused in that particular area. That's one thing.

At Clemson, we do have specific working with student athletes, we have the funding there from - from our boosters or gift type, but we've got money that we can focus and hire just advisors for that specific area. And, you know, that's just an advantage we have there.

Back to your question, there would be additional burden to the professor, instructors.
Q. I guess just a comment. I really would hope they wouldn't perceive it as a burden because it's so important to the young people in our colleges and universities.
A. I agree with you.
Q. I would hope somehow they could be inspired that even though they're given these names that would not be a perfunctory meeting of "nice to see you" and let's get on to the next person.

Going from a junior college to Coastal, that's my school, and then getting my master's degree at a major university, in my own career, teaching and coaching at a high school level, and then moving to a junior college and then having this opportunity at Clemson University, I see some parallels.

I see Coastal growing and the future looking great and I want to jump on board. I want to maybe have some insight from my own experiences to try to help Coastal in their direction and their future.

Now, the other part of your question, our graduation rate for women basketball players at Clemson is about four and a half years. It is greater than - I mean it's better than the average student at Clemson, and I think it's because of academic advising. We're keeping an eye on them, and they're not allowed to take classes outside
- well, they're - a few outside their curriculum, but not a wasted - not a - the fat is cut away in their academic curriculum.
Q. And final question, the affirmative action goals of your - of the university, how important are they to you and what would you do in that area?
A. Okay. I personally believe in equal opportunity and just be aware and sensitive to that. I think I am now. I work with one other male specifically in our department there and six females.
THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. - Representative Inabinett.

Those would be the three areas as a board member that I think we ought to explore. Again, fees and alumni and the corporate world from - because I really see that if you touch the corporate world, that's a big one, that you get a co-op program or some funding from them, then you're going to send your best students back to them as an employee.
Q. What about the issue of concealed weapons on campus?
A. Okay. I pray that that don't get passed. If it does, it's sad. That would just put you at the mercy of - of people that may not be mature enough to understand or to carry concealed weapon.

I don't know as a board member that we can address that issue if it's passed and then set up any type of regulations other than - and I'm not even sure that having metal detectors would be a cure from - from that. But I think maybe - definitely in the athletic realm, I know from experience metal detectors have - have been an item there that - that can - could stop concealed weapons coming into the athletic arena.
Q. If it becomes the law, then metal detectors really would have no use, but for some reason I seem to feel that there should be some sort of control. A student driving a car at school, to school or a bicycle, there's designated parking areas. There's some do's and don'ts, and I guess that's the gist of my question. I'm trying to find out how as a board member an issue or concern of this magnitude at least to me would be addressed by college and university board members?
A. If we could set up regulation, I'm all in favor of that. And, again, I hope and pray that that don't happen. But if it was, I would definitely be in favor of setting up some regulations and restrictions according to concealed weapons.
Q. Thank you, sir.

The second thing that's been mentioned, anybody today that's over 21 years of age can carry a pistol in the glove compartment of his car in the state of South Carolina. That's legal right now. So I don't think you need to worry about how you're going to take care of that problem because I think it would be stopped simply because a student couldn't prove a need to carry a gun on campus to be considered for that.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any other questions? Thank you, sir. With the completion of Carey Green, that completes our Coastal Carolina candidates. We now go to South Carolina State University. Moses Wilds. Would you raise your right hand, please, Mr. Wilds.
MOSES A. WILDS, SR., having been duly sworn, testified as follows:
MR. WILDS - EXAMINATION BY THE CHAIRMAN:
Q. Do you have any health related problems that the screening committee should be made aware of that would prevent you from serving on the board in a full capacity?
A. I do not.
Q. Considering your present occupation and other activities, would you be able to attend board meetings on a regular basis?
A. I can.
Q. Do you have any interest professionally or personally that would present a conflict of interest because of your service on the board?
A. I do not.
Q. Do you now hold any public position of honor or trust that if elected to the board would cause you to violate the dual office holding clause of the constitution?
A. No, I don't.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any questions? Senator Wilson.
SENATOR WILSON: Mr. Chairman.
EXAMINATION BY SENATOR WILSON:
Q. Again, my interest, and it's not just at Coastal Carolina, it's every college and university in South Carolina, and that is, what's being done to address the challenge of a four-year graduation rate and what would you support?

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