Gov. Haley discusses college funding plan

By Jonathan McFadden
mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

More Democrats received lower scores on their report cards than Republicans. Photo by Aimee Harman • harmana@mytjnow.comGov. Nikki Haley said on Monday that Winthrop might earn a spot on the list of higher education institutions set to receive more state funding if the university meets accountability funding standards.

Trekking to the Richardson Ballroom at 6:30 p.m. during the first stop on a series of town hall style meetings so she could unveil her legislative report cards, the first female South Carolina governor told a room of about 200 students, citizens, faculty and media personnel that the state will change the way it deals with higher education.

That change includes switching to a “pay for performance situation,” Haley said.

“Winthrop will actually receive some help when we go to that new accountability funding because they will be able to show measurables as to what they’re doing,” Haley said. 

What students can hope to see, Haley said, is a demonstration of college presidents and herself standing together before the General Assembly and saying “this is what we want you to do.” 

Lawmakers will be able to see how well universities are doing in relation to the measurables and allocate funding based on merit and not “based on a hand out,” Haley said.

Without rhyme or reason, Haley said “the number of alumni in the legislature, or football tickets,” funded higher education in the past. 

Now, students will see a new funding approach that measures: in-state students, alumni job placement, how much money goes towards the students and tuition increases, Haley said.

The House Ways & Means Committee will receive a list of categories by which to judge schools.

“The good thing is, the schools that do well will get more funding,” Haley said. 

As for the schools that don’t do well, Haley said they will now have incentives to want to do better.

Even in light of deep cuts to higher education, Haley said her number one administrative priority remains “jobs, jobs, jobs.”

Haley boasted that over 13,000 jobs have been announced in the state since she took office in January.

Those jobs include manufacturing, aerospace, research and development and automotive jobs, she said.

“And those don’t include the construction jobs that come with it or the secondary jobs,” Haley said.

Yet, Haley admitted the question remains: With 13,000 jobs in the state, why does it have an almost grisly unemployment rate?

The answer: Haley’s administration didn’t expect a huge number of retirees reentering the workforce to deal with the fragile economy, she said.

The large number of college graduates unable to find jobs has also made matters worst.

When making deals with companies to move to the Palmetto State, Haley said she requires businesses to hire South Carolina citizens and use small state businesses to help with work.

More than that, the governor said her administration is encouraging businesses that don’t normally look to set up camp in smaller counties to consider moving their operations to rural counties.

Before the next legislative report card is released, Haley promised that job-training programs will sprout to train retirees and college graduates for employment.

Something not close to the top on the governor’s priority is funding for the arts, an issue several students asked the governor about Monday night.

Haley’s stance remained the same as it had in previous months.

Though she and her family value the arts, Haley said she doesn’t believe it’s the government’s role or the taxpayer’s burden to fund the arts. She also said 77 percent of arts funding was going into salaries. 

College Republicans President Timothy Kroboth (right) asked Haley about higher ed funding. Photo by Aimee Harman • harmana@mytjnow.comIf people want the arts to survive, Haley said they should encourage the businesses to fund the programs.

Like other charitable organizations, the arts should have to petition for funds, Haley said.

 “Government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people,” she said. “It was not intended to be all things to all people.”

At a time when the state is dealing with high unemployment numbers, “we can’t afford the arts,” Haley said.

“I can focus on raising money for the arts or I can focus on getting people jobs,” Haley said. “Right now, I need to focus on people getting jobs.”

A theatre major asked Haley if she’s willing to aid with distribution with private funds for the arts.

Haley said she doesn’t mind promoting where it should go, but the answer lies in businesses getting involved.

Emphasizing that the arts do not only include music but also comprise debate and science programs, senior political science major Kayla Barber questioned Haley on how she justifies cutting those programs. 

Haley said funding for arts education programs was never on the chopping block, but instead arts-funded grants received the axe.

“Education in the arts is still going on, still being funded, all those things are still happening,” Haley said. 

After the meeting, Barber wasn’t satisfied and said she felt the governor 

Haley also used the meeting to unveil her legislative report card, a progress report measuring how closely legislators supported her goals and priorities.

When College Republicans president Timothy Kroboth stepped to the microphone, he prefaced his question with a joke: “I just wanted you to know that not all college students at Winthrop University are crazy liberals,” he said.

Not everyone thought the comment was funny.

Angered by Kroboth’s comment, a student asked the governor what she planned to do about the actions that lead to such rhetoric.

“Both parties have made mistakes,” Haley said. “There are no saints in the room when it comes to Republicans and Democrats.”

The only thing that matters on the state, local and federal level are results, Haley said.

Pointing back to her legislative report card, Haley said that a mix of Democrats and Republicans received both A’s and F’s.

“We’ve seen total chaos in Washington,” Haley said.

To Haley, resolving the state’s unemployment rate and promoting state government efficiency isn’t a bipartisan issue.

As students fielded questions about funding for the arts and higher education, one resident who took a gander through the DiGiorgio Campus Center called into question higher education’s fragile condition. 

“It looks to me that higher education is doing pretty good from the taxpayer’s standpoint,” he said.

Endowed as they may be, Haley said the passion of “young people” has to be appreciated. 

“We need them to be a part of the solution,” Haley said

“…And a lot of that is talking them through it…”