Tuition increase aims to fill $26.1 million gap at U of South Carolina - Ellen Meder, the Gamecock

USC’s Board of Trustees passed a $1.1 billion budget for the 2011 fiscal year on June 25, which resulted in a 6.9 percent increase in tuition for Columbia campus students. The increase, will serve to help fill a funding gap left by the South Carolina General Assembly’s $26.1 million cut from USC’s budget. The system-wide budget, which went into effect July 1, includes a $434 million operating budget for the Columbia campus. “The state’s bleak budget picture continues to impact us and, once again, we have to make some gut-wrenching choices,” said University President Harris Pastides. “However, it is imperative that we maintain the quality that we are known for and continue to provide an outstanding educational experience for our students.”