Students receiving Tuition Grants and other need-based scholarships will receive additional financial aid if the FY 2013-14 state budget passed by the Senate Finance Committee on Friday holds together. A projected $18 million in surplus lottery revenues enabled the committee to recommend that the Tuition Grants Commission receive an additional $400,000 and that the state’s need-based grant program increase by $1.5 million.

Since the Tuition Grants Commission receives a proportionate share of the state’s need-based grant program, it is estimated that the total additional amount from the lottery surplus would be around $650,000. These are non-recurring funds and would not increase the commission’s base budget.

Earlier in the day, the Senate Finance Committee approved an additional $1.6 million in recurring state appropriations for the Tuition Grants Commission and full funding for the Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE, and Tuition Assistance scholarship programs. PASCAL, the Partnership Among South Carolina's Academic Libraries, is first in line to receive $1.5 million if there is a sufficient excess of unclaimed lottery prize money at the end of the year. These recommendations are consistent with the House budget bill.

The budget still has a long way to go. The full Senate will debate the bill beginning on May 14, and differences between the House and Senate versions will be ironed out in a conference committee. Once the House and Senate agree on a bill, it will go to Gov. Haley who has the authority to veto separate line items. Vetoes will be addressed first by the House followed by the Senate. The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on June 6, but could extend the session if next year’s budget is not finalized.

Subcommittees of the Senate Finance Committee are meeting with agency heads to assess state funding needs for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013. The Higher Education Subcommittee met with Earl Mayo, executive director of the Tuition Grants Commission, on March 19 to consider the Commission's request for an additional $1.6 million in funding. The recommendation of the Finance Committee is expected during the week of April 30 with Senate floor debate beginning on the week of May 14.

The South Carolina House of Representatives approved the FY 2013-14 state spending plan in March. Consistent with earlier recommendations from Gov. Haley and the Ways and Means Committee, the House approved an additional $1.6 million in recurring state appropriations for the Tuition Grants Commission. The budget adopted by the House also fully funds the Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE, and Tuition Assistance scholarship programs. PASCAL, the Partnership Among South Carolina's Academic Libraries, is first in line to receive $1.5 million if there is a sufficient excess of unclaimed lottery prize money at the end of the year. Last year, PASCAL received $1.25 million from the same funding source.

The South Carolina House of Representatives approved the FY 2013-14 state spending plan by a near unanimous vote on Wednesday. Consistent with earlier recommendations from Gov. Haley and the Ways and Means Committee, the House approved an additional $1.6 million in recurring state appropriations for the Tuition Grants Commission.

Earlier this month, the Tuition Grants Commission voted to increase next year's maximum grant from $2800 to $2900 provided that the current funding recommendations and latest projection of eligible students do not change.

The budget adopted by the House also fully funds the Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE, and Tuition Assistance scholarship programs. PASCAL, the Partnership Among South Carolina's Academic Libraries, is first in line to receive $1.5 million if there is a sufficient excess of unclaimed lottery prize money at the end of the year. Last year, PASCAL received $1.25 million from the same funding source.

A proviso introduced on the House floor will require all colleges and universities to grade students receiving LIFE and Palmetto scholarships on a 100 point scale with an average of 80 required to maintain scholarship eligibility. Many institutions will either have to change their grading systems or establish a parallel system to report the grades of scholarship students. SCICU and the public colleges and universities will address this proviso as the bill moves to the Senate.

The House of Representatives will begin crafting the state budget for FY 2013-2014 on March 11 at 1:00 p.m. At this point in the budget process, both Governor Haley and the House Ways and Means Committee recommend that the Tuition Grants Commission receive an additional $1.6 million in recurring state appropriations.

Earlier this week, the Tuition Grants Commission voted to increase next year's maximum grant from $2800 to $2900 provided that the current funding recommendations and latest projection of eligible students do not change.

The budget adopted by the Ways and Means Committee fully funds the Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE, and Tuition Assistance scholarship programs.  PASCAL, the Partnership Among South Carolina's Academic Libraries, is first in line to receive $1.5 million if there is a sufficient excess of unclaimed lottery prize money at the end of the year. Last year, PASCAL received $1.25 million from the same funding source.

The House Ways and Means Committee voted on Thursday to add $1.62 million to the Tuition Grants program for FY 2013-14. The additional recurring state appropriations will allow the Tuition Grants Commission to maintain the maximum award at $2,800. A one-time award of $1.5 million in excess lottery funds last year allowed the Commission to increase the maximum award by $200. The committee’s action follows Gov. Haley’s earlier recommendation and mirrors the Commission’s request.

The budget sent to the House floor also fully-funds the Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE, and Tuition Assistance Scholarship programs. PASCAL, the Partnership Among South Carolina’s Academic Libraries, is first in line to receive $1.5 million if there is sufficient excess unclaimed lottery prize money at the end of the year. Last year, PASCAL received $1.25 million.

H-3710 will be debated by the House during the week of March 11. Earl Mayo, executive director of the Tuition Grants Commission, will make a presentation before the Senate Finance Committee on March 19.

Governor Nikki Haley’s FY 2013-14 Executive Budget includes an additional $1,622,184 in General Funds for the Tuition Grants Commission. This is the first time in many years that a governor included additional appropriations for Tuition Grants.

The Commission requested the additional funding in order to sustain the current maximum scholarship award at $2800. One-time surplus lottery funds were used to increase the maximum award from $2600 to $2800 in the FY 2012-13 budget. More than 13,800 students receive need-based Tuition Grants.

Governor Haley also recommended full funding of the state’s merit scholarships (LIFE, Palmetto Fellows and HOPE). She did not include PASCAL in the lottery budget. For the past two years, PASCAL was the #1 priority in the category of surplus unclaimed lottery funds (those exceeding the certified amount) and recently received an appropriation of $1.25 million.

The Governor’s budget is the first step on the long road to an appropriations act. On January 9, Earl Mayo, executive director of the Tuition Grants Commission, presented the Commission’s request for additional funds to the House Ways and Means Higher Education Subcommittee. The subcommittee will make its budget recommendation to the full Ways and Means Committee during the week of February 18. The House will debate the budget the week of March 11.