Annual Board Report

Our University has achieved remarkable success over the the past year. And with the support of our General Assembly, we have continued to elevate and position Clemson for even greater success in the years to come. Some accomplishments to highlight include: 

• Approving a budget for FY 25, and thanks to a tremendous effort on behalf of the South Carolina General Assembly, the Trustees were able to approve an in-state tuition freeze for the fifth consecutive year. The budget also focuses on meeting the goals of our strategic plan, Clemson Elevate, through supporting the No. 1 Student Experience, research ascension, pursuing AAU status, and further increasing our ability to positively impact and transform lives across the state of South Carolina and beyond.
• Moving forward with the development of Clemson’s first professional school, the Clemson University College of Veterinary Medicine. A special thank you to our State Legislature, who allocated $175 million for FY 25, and over $110M between FY 23 and FY 24 to develop our state’s first College of Veterinary Medicine. Regarding the College of Veterinary Medicine, we also welcomed inaugural dean – Dr. Steven Marks – in August 2023, received provisional College of Veterinary Medicine membership into the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, and have approved the construction of the College of Veterinary Medicine Complex. We are well on our way to welcoming our first cohort in 2026 and look forward to graduating our first class of Clemson veterinarians in 2030.
• Approval of both Phase I and Phase II of a six-level 1,200 space parking garage on the main campus, as well as approval of the Kite Hill Parking project and expansion of the R-4 parking lot. Trustees also approved Phase II of the Bryan Mall Renovation Project – renovating Lever Hall – and constructing an additional residential building at Douthit Hills to increase facilities for on-campus housing for first-year students. 
• The creation of the Clemson University Extension Center for Health Outreach (CU-ECHO), a new Clemson University Center for Human-AI Interaction, Collaboration, and Teaming (CU-CHAI) as part of the College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences, and the Clemson Experimental Forest Land Ethic and accompanying Management Framework to ensure we are meeting the needs of our citizens and preparing for the future.
• The creation of five new programs, including two new master’s programs in Learning Sciences and Computer Science, a new education specialist program within the College of Education, and two new doctoral programs in Health Psychology and in Veterinary Medicine. Trustees also approved the expansion of Clemson’s Nursing degree program to better serve the needs of the state and nation.
• Reviewing and revising the Manual of the Clemson University Board of Trustees to best serve the University.

We also had a record-breaking year in facilities as we continue to create the No. 1 student experience in the country for our Tigers through the work on major construction projects such as the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Forestry and Environmental Conservation building, Advanced Materials Innovation Complex, Alumni and Visitors Center building, the Watt Family Performance and Wellness Center, Tillman Auditorium Renovation, Bryan Mall High Rises Renovation and the Johnstone/Union/Harcombe Demolition, just to name a few. We also held ribbon-cutting events for five new and exciting areas across our main campus and innovation campuses across the state. And major projects, such as reopening Woodland Cemetery and completing the expansion of Perimeter Road and realignment of Williamson Road, were also completed over the past year.