SwampFox

Is having a top 20 public university essential for SC? (Originally published in Swamp Fox in January 2007)

Originally published January 7, 2007

Governor Sanford released his executive budget last week. I agree with the Governor that the way we run state government, including higher education, is entirely too fragmented and uncoordinated. In fact, it's an unaccountable, inefficient mess.

The Governor is frustrated that we are not able to develop a comprehensive strategy for higher education in South Carolina, and I agree with that too. But if we could develop a coordinated strategy, one thing that certainly would be a priority is that South Carolina needs top flight research universities, in fact we need a top 20 public university, to supply the world class minds who will drive the future of the state.

The clearest indicator of what we think is important is where we spend money. Page 144 of the budget states:

Our mission for higher education is simple: to provide a quality education at an affordable price for the citizens in our state.

Few would argue that this is not important, but is it a sufficient mission of higher education for SC to be successful? The budget document quotes Thomas Friedman, who most articulately describes the global competition we are in for the best and brightest people.

I was in Bangalore, India, the Silicon Valley of India, when I realized that the world was flat.

The budget document goes on to say:

South Carolina continues to create an economic climate that attracts new businesses and allows existing ones to thrive and grow.

But can companies in South Carolina be globally competitive if we don't have a pipeline of globally competitive talent to fuel those companies?

The budget document also quotes,

The late Milton Friedman, the great Nobel Prize winning economist and guide to many within the Republican Party, [who] often spoke of this: “The preservation of freedom is the protective reason for limiting and decentralizing governmental power. But there is also a constructive reason. The great advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science or in literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government.”

If the great advances of civilization don't come from government, where do they come from? World class universities? Preeminent corporate research facilities? Outstanding entrepreneurs? Isn't best in the world talent a prerequisite for achieving some of the great advances of civilization, and in a flat world don't we need to be best in the world in focused areas in order to be globally competitive?

Then interestingly, while quoting Friedman, one of the most articulate advocates of free markets in history, the budget document argues for price controls.

The alarming rate at which tuition increases are outpacing both the decline in higher education appropriations, as well as our citizens’ ability to pay for college, is apparent and clearly demonstrates the need for cost controls and systematic reform.

But is there really a clearly demonstrated need for cost controls? Applications to Clemson and USC are increasing. USC issued a press release indicating that applications are up 10 percent. And SAT scores are increasing at Clemson and USC. Clemson reports that average SAT scores have risen from 1035 in 1990 to 1225 in 2005. USC reports:

Average SAT scores have gone up 99 points in the past 10 years. Incoming freshmen in 2005-2006 had an average score of 1166, and the University's most elite students have far higher scores. Averages for freshmen were 1310 in the new Capstone Scholars program, 1404 for those enrolling in the South Carolina Honors College, 1454 for McNair Scholars (the top out-of-state scholars), and 1471 for Carolina Scholars (top in-state scholars).

The budget document says that the mission for higher education is to provide a quality education. We know that Clemson and USC have improved greatly in recent years. But let's be realistic about where we are. The average SAT score at the University of North Carolina is 1,292, and at Georgia Tech it is 1375. And here's how universities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia rank in the US News and World Report list of the best national universities.

8. Duke University
18. Emory University
27. U. of North Carolina—Chapel Hill
30. Wake Forest University
38. Georgia Institute of Technology
60. University of Georgia
70. Clemson University
81. North Carolina State
112. Univ. of South Carolina—Columbia

Despite the significant improvement in Clemson and USC, we are merely on the cusp of being competitive for the best and brightest talent, and we still have a long way to go. We're spending a lot of money now, but we're trying to overcome in a relatively short time decades of benign neglect of our research universities. We're playing an expensive game of catch-up, and the rest of the world isn't standing still but rather they are redoubling their efforts in a flat world too.

The best and brightest talent in the state, and talented people outside the state, are only now beginning to believe we are serious about being competitive. Applications are up at Clemson and USC, despite the increased cost. And higher quality education at Clemson and USC is attracting higher performing students. Wouldn't Milton Friedman say the market has spoken and is working? Is now the time to cut back on investments in our research universities?

The answer to that is clear. No.

Before you think I am insensitive to the cost of a college education today, you need to know that my daughter is a freshman at Clemson, so I understand first hand the concern that the Governor legitimately has about the increasing cost of a university education in South Carolina. But in a flat world, we have no choice but to attract, develop and retain the best talent on the planet in focused areas. The Governor is right that we need a comprehensive plan for higher education in South Carolina that gets us there and gets us every bang for our buck we can get. It's the only hope that we have.