Building an Infrastructure to Support Improvements
Significant changes aim to improve the work experience for faculty and staff in 2024, with the planned deployment of a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to operate all the University’s financial and human resource activities at the center. A review of the significant progress made in 2023 illustrates how Clemson focused on projects that build an infrastructure for further improvements.
Work/Life Balance and Well-Being Support
- Clemson’s In-State Remote Work Policy took effect November 1, 2023, for eligible employees, providing a broad framework outlining the requirements and expectations for in-state remote work at Clemson University. The policy includes guidance for managing remote work within divisions, colleges and departments.
- The Office of Human Resources and partners launched its Well-Being at Clemson University training, which shared how to recognize and respond to distress in oneself and others and how to provide resources to support employees and students.
- The Clemson University Police Department (CUPD) prioritized training and education for its officers to manage incidents involving mental health elements effectively and safely. Deploying $549,991 of funding granted through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Response Program, CUPD was able to partner with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health to develop two co- responder teams comprised of certified mental health clinicians embedded in CUPD with specially trained mental health response police officers. The first phase of this grant project was completed in 2023 with the onboarding of clinicians scheduled for spring 2024.
- Clemson University’s updated Lactation Support Policy, which became effective June 27, provided resources for lactating faculty, staff and student employees. The revised policy ensured compliance with the federal “Providing Urgent Maternal Protections” (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act.
Facilities, Roads, Parking and Transportation
- Work started on the Alumni and Visitors Center, which is slated to be completed this fall. This $56 million project will create approximately 100,000 square feet to provide space for University and related organization groups. The building will house the Clemson University Foundation, Alumni Association, Office of Admissions, Development Office, Board of Trustees Offices, the Michelin Career Center and Visitors Center. The space will also be used for the operation associated with the John E. Walker Sr. Golf Course. The lifespan of the Clemson student from visitor to donor will be represented by this space. The University can also move administrative functions to lower the cost of space and repurpose high-value space in the core campus for student-facing purposes.
- Work was completed on the $21 million Perimeter Road Improvements project, in accordance with traffic control and pedestrian safety. Notably, the University transitioned the road from two lanes to four lanes to accommodate increased commuter traffic throughout the week. The road now features 57 streetlights, 5,725 tons of asphalt surface, new landscaping and a multimodal pedestrian pathway with safety lighting, security cameras and blue light emergency phones. Perimeter Road does more than provide an avenue for cars and pedestrians. In addition to armoring a subterranean Hunnicutt Creek crossing tunnel with headwalls, crews on the project have installed vital utility and roadway infrastructure.
- After the University’s original plans to start a College of Veterinary Medicine, Clemson’s Board of Trustees granted approval to increase the original $10 million Phase 1 budget of construction of facilities at the College of Veterinary Medicine to $110,466,000 to reflect the total funding provided by the State of South Carolina in the FY23 and FY24 budgets. Initial site work for the College is scheduled to begin this April.
- 2023 saw significant planning for a building replacement for Lehotsky Hall to become the new home for the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation (FEC). When completed in Spring 2026, the future $68.3 million building will provide approximately 85,000 square feet for classrooms, offices, laboratories and support areas. The replacement building will be adjacent to the Godley-Snell Research Center, which is an ideal location because several of the FEC research faculty use the research facilities and equipment at Godley-Snell. It will also provide students with an “outdoor lab” for easy access to Hunnicutt Creek and numerous tree sources nearby.
- Built with funding from athletic gifts, the $37 million Sports Complex has its ribbon cutting on January 12, 2024. Home for the women’s lacrosse, gymnastics and rowing programs, the development features a lacrosse stadium, bleacher seating and artificial turf and a 9,000-square-foot operations complex. The gymnastics team will call a 21,000-square-foot facility home for its operations and practice facility. The rowing center will undergo a renovation that updates the training room facility, building infrastructure and several cosmetic updates. A 10,000-square-foot training and recovery facility with designated space for sports science, nutrition and sports medicine will be constructed to serve all three programs adjacent to their facilities, and all three programs will have offices, locker rooms, lounge areas and training rooms.
- Comparing the periods of July through October 2022 and July through October 2023, Park-N-Ride usage increased 81 percent.
- Williamson Road was reopened after a $4.2 million construction project redirected it eastward to intersect with Perimeter Road directly across from Old Stadium Road, creating an intersection with traffic lights and a crosswalk to improve vehicular and pedestrian safety. This redirect provides increased traffic efficiency and quicker access from the main campus to the Madren Center and the future Alumni and Visitors Center. The project also provides a direct pathway from the landscaping facilities to improvements.
- Woodland Cemetery was reopened after a $3.5 million project focused on safety and accessibility updates throughout the site. New ADA accessible paths were constructed, observing the unmarked graves within the cemetery. A new stone and iron gateway were added at the north entry to complement the history of the site. Pathway area lighting was also added.
In 2023…
31,278 applications for Clemson jobs were processed.
2,343 employees were hired.
655 employees advanced their education with the support of Clemson’s Employee Tuition Assistance Program.
21 employees earned a college degree while working.
93 employee families enrolled 114 of their children in the Bradley Early Childhood Education Center.
213 employees donated leave to the leave pool for others.
34,716 emails were sent to ITHELP.
29,932 calls were taken by the CCIT Service Desk and the Network Operations Center, 7,197 CCIT chat help sessions were processed, and 7,615 calls were routed by the University Operator.
12,217 appointments were held at all Clemson Rural Health facilities statewide; 2,499 of those were held at the Joseph F. Sullivan Center.
267,635 square feet of classroom space was utilized on main campus and another 14,111 square feet of research space at innovation campuses.
521,744 square feet of research space was utilized on main campus and another 266,524 square feet of research space at innovation campuses.
105 new employee parking spots were created on main campus.
60,122 student applications were processed by employees.
28,747 enrolled students were taught, advised and supported by faculty and staff.
527 employees declared their past military service since joining Clemson.
5,639 employees completed their Annual Required Training on time.
1,506 employees purchased meal plans.
7,515 employees were enrolled for online W-2 delivery.
1,005 employees attended the Annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon.
41 new members were added to the Emeritus College.
5,800 people registered to learn about GIS through Clemson’s Center for Geospatial Technologies (CCGT), which led to CCGT being honored with the Esri Special Achievement Award in Higher Education during the international convention in San Diego.
- On May 16, 2023, the University broke ground on its Advanced Materials Innovation Complex (AMIC). With an investment of $130 million, this project will provide 143,000 square feet of state-of-the-art interdisciplinary research laboratories and teaching facilities. The building will be the home of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Researchers and educators from the departments of Materials Science and Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering will work collaboratively in the new space. Research expenditures in these fields are expected to reach approximately $17 million annually by 2026, which is critical to supporting research goals in the University’s strategic plan, Clemson Elevate. Further, enrollment in these high-demand science and engineering disciplines is projected to grow by 25-30 percent by 2026.
- The Bryan Mall High-Rise Renovations were also initiated in 2023, entering the first of three phases of construction with Byrnes. This project will renovate the approximately 306,000-square-foot, 1,450-bed Bryan Mall high-rise residence halls. The University evaluated the renovation needs and potential scopes to determine the most efficient and best long-term investment to extend the useful life of these facilities. The work includes repairing building envelopes, improving accessibly, installing new fire sprinkler systems and other necessities to update the buildings. In addition, the project will include renovating interior spaces, bathrooms and common spaces to accommodate students. The project is scheduled to take 3 1/2 years.
- Daniel Hall Renovations were completed in 2023. In 1968 when Daniel Hall was built, Clemson’s total student enrollment was 6,250. This project expanded the facility by 60,000 square feet and renovated 68,000. The work included upgrading the HVAC and fire protection systems, improving accessibility and other necessary improvements. The expansion includes new classrooms and a new 250-seat auditorium, a new 165-seat auditorium in the new Daniel Hall, and the completed project has transformed Daniel Hall into a modern facility featuring state-of-the-art classroom technology with multiple student collaboration spaces overlooking the Reflection Pool with a third-floor skywalk over the R.M. Cooper Library bridge.
- At the start of Fall 2023, Tiger Walk was completed, which features a pedestrian introduction to the West End Zone and important safety features like enhanced lighting to create both a unique game day experience and important weekday C-2 parking.
- Throughout 2023, work was underway to ready the University Union for demolition. The Union has reached the end of its useful life and is costly to maintain, so it will be demolished with its neighboring buildings, Johnstone Hall and Harcombe Dining Hall, starting in 2024. Major utilities servicing these buildings will be rerouted as part of the construction scope of work. Once the demolition is complete at the end of 2025, the space will be enjoyed by students, faculty, staff and visitors as a park-like green space in the heart of campus.
- Construction began on the Tillman Hall Auditorium Renovation in September 2023. This $11.5 million project is to renovate the approximately 13,165-square-foot auditorium. After the renovation, this auditorium will become the largest teaching auditorium on campus and is a high capital priority for Academic Affairs. The renovated space will create a modern auditorium in the heart of campus. The project includes renovating the auditorium to make it function as a large-scale, 600-seat classroom/auditorium. New restrooms will be installed in the main building, the stage rescaled, spaces created for guest lecturers and performers, and opening the space to more natural light. New HVAC, lighting systems and interior finishes will also be installed.
- The Brook T. Smith Launchpad was constructed in 2023. This downtown Clemson 8,000- square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is now open. A unique initiative designed to help students, faculty, staff and alumni from all disciplines succeed in constructing maintainable and expandable for-profit, nonprofit and social entrepreneurial ventures, this facility provides a range of support programs and resources, including workspace, networking, educational opportunities, mentoring and training. The Launchpad now serves as Clemson’s entrepreneurship hub and one-stop-shop — from ideation to execution. It will drive innovation and impact global businesses by facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration, entrepreneurial thinking, ethical leadership skills and inventive research.
Operational Support of Clemson Elevate Objectives
The University’s strategic plan set forth in Clemson Elevate is supported by a long-range framework plan that will advance opportunity at Clemson to deliver the No. 1 student experience, provide key research space to double research expenditures and transform the lives of South Carolinians.
Delivering the No. 1 student experience will require investments in all student touchpoints — from residential and dining areas to academic success and experiential learning. And because the student experience starts at recruitment and, for alumni, never ends, it requires investments in gathering places such as the new 100,000-square-foot Alumni and Visitors Center to be completed in fall 2024.
Doubling research expenditures will require strategic investments in research space. The $130 million Advanced Materials Innovation Complex detailed above is a prime example of Clemson’s strategy of blending research with experiential learning. All students in the complex will conduct research, helping prepare them to be future leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs in advanced materials. The discipline is transformative in numerous fields, including advanced manufacturing, transportation, energy and health innovation.
Transforming the lives of South Carolinians supports educational opportunities in the state of South Carolina and includes providing more than 90 percent of all undergraduate applicants from the state a pathway to a Clemson undergraduate degree. Also, Clemson’s commitment to start the state’s first college of veterinary medicine underscores the University’s emphasis on growing jobs, outreach and economic development statewide.