Clemson University and City of Clemson leaders came together on Thursday, Aug. 6 for an annual kickoff meeting of the Joint City University Advisory Board. Board co-chairs Julio Hernandez and Mayor Robert Halfacre led the 90-minute meeting that saw various committees share successes over the past year.
Attendees included University and City administrators, faculty, staff and members of City Council. The event also signified a first, as President Benjamin Ayers attended and provided opening remarks on the importance of a healthy town and gown relationship at Clemson.
“Being a land-grant university means being a great partner and positively impacting the local community,” Ayers said. “That’s why the work of the JCUAB matters; it brings together University and City leaders to shape daily life at Clemson. The success of the University and City are deeply connected, and our partnership is key to that success. It’s grounded in trust, mutual respect and a shared responsibility. Our goal is to be one thriving community — one that serves students, faculty, staff, residences, businesses and guests in a positive way.”
One of the ways the local community thrived over the summer — traditionally a non-peak season — was through the Death Valley Nights concert series, which attracted country music stars George Strait and Morgan Wallen to Memorial Stadium. The month of the George Strait concert, City tax receipts showed an increase of over $600,000 from May 2025 — a significant economic impact benefitting the community.
Other successes included the installation of 10,000+ sensors on Clemson’s campus, allowing students, employees and guests to view real-time parking availability. CATbus recently added 11 buses to its fleet, which will provide more connectivity between the University and City. Town and gown also worked together on Shred Day, the City of Clemson streetscape project, website and communications enhancements, mutual training for public safety teams, and much more.
The meeting also included a token of appreciation from the board chairs to Todd Barnette, director of University facilities, who is retiring this fall. “Todd sets the standard for being a great teammate,” Hernandez said.
Halfacre said he looks forward to continuing to build on the positive momentum created by the JCUAB.
“It’s great we come together like this today, but the work’s constantly being done throughout the year,” he said. “We have made great strides to enhance the town and gown relationship, and I look forward to continuing that with the University’s new president, Benjamin Ayers.”
