Spartanburg County Commission for Higher Education Donates To USC Upstate Projects

Announces Full Confidence And Trust In Chancellor Moore’s Leadership

SPARTANBURG, SC – The Spartanburg County Commission for Higher Education held its meeting on February 12 and took several actions to benefit the students and faculty at the University of South Carolina Upstate.

The Commission established a $10,000 Student Assist Fund at its December 2014 meeting to provide crucial assistance to students who have textbook, tuition, and/or room and board charges that exceed their available financial aid. Maximum typical awards are up to $500 per semester and students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA (minimum high school GPA of 3.0 for new freshman) to be eligible to receive the funds. The Commission received a report on the success of this fund and the impact it is making on the lives of students.

“What better way can we invest the Commission’s money if not in our students,” asked Commission member Dr. David Eubanks. “I think we need to determine if more money should be made available. This fund could very well be the catalyst that takes a student forward in his or her career and hopefully the students who benefit from this fund will pay it forward to future students.”

The Commission also agreed to contribute $3,000 to a military history book that Frieda Patrick Davison, dean of the USC Upstate library, has spent the last six years researching and writing. “More Than A Name: The Duncan Park Veterans’ Memorial” tells the stories of the 641 young men named on Spartanburg County’s Veterans’ Memorial, all of whom died in military service to the United States from World War I to the present. Davison’s research began when she learned that there was no information about the individual soldiers, beyond the names listed on the monument. She could not bear to think the stories behind many of the names would be lost in history. Her exhaustive research on each soldier has included local and family history, who the soldiers were, how they lived and how they died.

Charles Babb, a Commission member and a Vietnam veteran, was very supportive of Davison’s project and the Commission’s involvement. “Ms. Davison is to be commended for her work and the fact that she is taking no remuneration for it. This book honors our veterans, their families, Spartanburg’s history for its tremendous contributions to the war efforts by being home to the training camps of Wadsworth and Croft, and to USC Upstate for having a faculty member so dedicated to this cause.”

Babb encouraged his fellow Commission members to consider additional ways to support the University, not only as whole, but the individuals like Davison who are involved in worthwhile projects with significant community impact.

Commission members also used the meeting to provide unanimous affirmation to USC Upstate Chancellor Tom Moore. On behalf of the full Commission, Chairman Tommy Young released the following statement, “The Spartanburg County Commission for Higher Education is in full support of the leadership provided by USC Upstate Chancellor Tom Moore and the difficult decisions he has made in tough economic times. We have complete confidence and trust that his leadership will ensure a healthy future for USC Upstate.”

Moore has faced disapproval from groups of faculty members. A special called faculty meeting on January 16 led to a postponed vote on a motion of no confidence until April 24.

“Chancellor Moore has made very sound business decisions in light of the situations facing the University and he has our utmost support and trust in leading USC Upstate through the contentious times,” said Commission member Mike Wood ’77.