Clemson Board of Trustees April meeting focuses on delivering the No. 1 Student Experience  

The 2024 Spring Quarterly Meeting of the Clemson Board of Trustees was held April 3-5 in Clemson, South Carolina, and the Board focused on academic programs and infrastructure projects which facilitate delivering the No. 1 Student Experience, pillar one of the University’s strategic plan, Clemson Elevate.  

During committee meetings over two days and a full board meeting on Friday, April 5, the Board received updates from Clemson President James P. Clements and senior University leadership about ongoing research, education, student support, fundraising and statewide outreach.

The Board meets students at each of their meetings and the April 2024 meeting was no exception when Elizabeth Caldwell, a National Scholar and junior genetics major, shared her experiences interning with St. Jude’s pediatric oncology education program, a competitive opportunity she believes her time at Clemson helped her secure.

The Board approved a new Ph.D. program in Health Psychology within the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. The research-bolstering program will provide a non-clinical pathway for professionals to further mental health, addiction and aging research and builds on the existing M.S. in Psychology previously approved in February 2023.

The Board also approved a new Education Specialist degree within the College of Education, a measure that will expand the teacher workforce. The degree satisfies the Master’s +30 hours requirement for K-12 educators required to receive a higher salary and is offered already at many peer institutions.

For the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Board approved a new Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The rigorous program includes foundational courses, clinical skills, professional development, initial clinical training and clinical clerkships, and all components are designed to meet accreditation requirements. Clemson’s clinical clerkships will be conducted through a distributed model. The University continues to work toward accreditation with its first class of 80 students planned for fall 2026. The Board approval is an important and necessary step in the progress of Clemson’s newest college that will service the strong demand for veterinarians nationwide and in South Carolina while bolstering experiential learning for veterinary medicine and other Clemson majors.

The Board also approved the expansion of Clemson’s Nursing degree. As a result, the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences can strategically plan to address the national and statewide nursing shortage with readiness planning to admit an additional 96 first-year nursing majors starting in fall 2027.

Senior Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors Tanju Karanfil summarized how the pursuit of scholarship and discovery through research has become engrained in Clemson’s culture and how the more than 2,000 externally funded research projects bring students opportunities leading to a unique student experience at Clemson.

The Board received construction updates on two main campus projects, the Tillman Auditorium renovation and the Student Memorial and Meditation Garden, dedicated to the memory of students who have passed away while attending the University.

The Board approved two main campus infrastructure projects. The $2.5 million expansion of the R-4 parking lot using Parking Improvement Funds adds 113 parking spaces to connect lots R-4 and C-1. Construction will begin in May 2024. The R-4 lot is located across the street from the South Carolina Botanical Garden off Perimeter Road. This project will include retaining walls that wrap the southern perimeter to blend in with the existing lot and to make the grade change less severe. This project includes site lighting, security cameras and a stormwater system with a detention pond. The project will be completed in August 2024.

The Board of Trustees also approved upgrades to the Madren Kitchen using $3.6 million Housing and Dining Funds and an additional $700,000 in Maintenance and Stewardship Funds. Upgrades to the kitchen will support increased anticipated demand from the Clemson Alumni and Visitor Center building currently under construction. The 8,624 square foot project includes an interior renovation of a portion of the Madren Center to create a new commercial kitchen along with the necessary support spaces and modifications to meeting and seminar rooms. The work includes new walls, doors and ceilings. This project also includes modifications to the loading dock area. This project will begin May 2024 and is expected to be completed December 2024.

The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held in Clemson, South Carolina, July 17-20, 2024.