The Furman College Republicans will be hosting a Pub Night on March 24th at the Liberty Tap Room in Greenville, SC. If you are in the area or can make the trip to Greenville please stop buy to support the Furman College Republicans and to enjoy a great night of hanging out and talking politics with the future conservative leaders in South Carolina.
The Furman CR’s will be collecting a $5 donation at the door to help with their fundraising efforts.
The SC College Republican Federation annual convention will be held Saturday April 2nd at Carolina Cup in Camden, SC in the infield. The convention will be held in the morning before the race day festivities start. If you are attending please try to arrive by 10:30 AM.
The convention will feature the year end report from the current administration as well as the voting for our new officers. Once voting is complete there will be a brief period for the new chairman to address the federation, introduce themselves to the chapters chairs that are present and discuss their goals for the coming year.
If you would like more information, please contact Will Sturm (wsturm@clemson.edu 843-422-3768) or Karlen Senn (senn.karlen@converse.edu). We hope to see you there and for a great end celebration to a very successful year!
Today, the US House of Representatives repealed the Health Care Bill and here in South Carolina, the State Legislature met with officials from several higher education institutes from around the state to discuss reform in higher education. But today’s highlight for the Palmetto State was the first State of the State address by Governor Nikki Haley which outlined the necessary steps to get South Carolina back on track.
University of South Carolina College Republican Chairman Sean Bertran offers his take on the days events in this short video from the South Carolina State House
View Sean’s Response here “http://www.facebook.com/v/497256534302“
This will be a more frequent part of these posts so that you can get a better look at what SC CRs are thinking about what is going on in the state and around the country and even what is happening on campus.
William Sturm, Vice Chairman-SCCRF
Clemson University
On February 10th, several College Republicans from South Carolina will travel to Washington DC to participate in the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). The annual conference hosts several workshops, career fairs and speakers from the conservative movement. This year’s conference will likely feature the potential Republican candidates for President in 2012. Last year, around 30 college republicans braved the winter weather in Washington to attend the conference where they gained valuable experience and contacts that proved to make a difference in this falls elections.
CPAC is a great opportunity to meet, mingle and learn from some of the country’s greatest conservative leaders as well as some other conservative students from around the nation. Successful politics is as much who you know as what you know, believe and can debate. This conference is a great chance for South Carolina’s young conservatives to learn about the conservative movement first hand and bring back valuable experience and ideas back to the Palmetto State.
If you would like to learn more about CPAC or would like to contribute to make the trip more affordable for South Carolina CR’s contact Will Sturm to make a donation or contact the Campus leader of the chapter you wish to assist by checking out our Campus Leaders page
Thanks for your Support of the South Carolina College Republican Federation
William Sturm, Vice Chairman, SCCRF
Clemson University
Jody Courtney, University of South Carolina
Beer and politics. Two things that don’t usually mix well, come together to form the somewhat tasteful show, Pub Politics. On October 6th 2010 College Republican Chairman Chelsie Paulson and College Democrats Chairman Austin Jackson were special guests on this week’s edition of this fast growing show. The jabs started early when Paulson ‘iced’ one of the hosts Wesley Donehue. For the better half of the hour the two groups debated their different political insight on current news. No politician was safe from ridicule as a man in a chicken suit walked on camera with a “Rob Miller is too chicken to stick with Nancy Pelosi” sign. Some of the hot topics discussed were, Nikki Haley’s proposal for mandatory drug testing of recipients of unemployment benefits, Rob Miller divorcing himself from Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the campaign trail and Joe Wilson’s laughable attacks against his military projects that are being lobbed by the liberal smear machine.
By the end of the night it was clear the big winners were the College Republicans. They outmatched the Democrats in attendance and in valid arguments. They also outnumbered the Democrats 4 to 1 with guest speakers. If one thing was learned from the October 6, 2010 episode of Pub Politics it’s that the College Republicans truly is “the best party on campus.”
You can view the entire episode right here!
Columbia, SC-This week, Sean Bertran published an article in the Opinion section of The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina’s student publication. Bertran, a senior political science major and College Republican at USC made the argument for why the University needs to become more frugal with its money and stop handing a larger and larger burden to students and their families by raising tuition in order to pay for new building and wasteful cosmetic spending across campus. [Read Sean's article here http://www.dailygamecock.com/viewpoints/letter-to-the-editor-while-raising-tuition-usc-hemorrhages-money-like-fountain-1.1686151 ]
What’s sad is that more students aren’t taking the same steps that Bertran is taking by letting the university know their opinions. All across the state tuition has been getting higher and higher every year but at the same time campuses are continuing to add buildings and other decorative expenditures while claiming to be hit by hard economic times. What it comes down to is that most schools aren’t responsible for having to account for how their money is being spent and to justify their raises in tuition. As Bertran points out, the School of Arts and Sciences at USC had a $22 million surplus last year but is now claiming to face budget problems. Where did the money go?
The problem isn’t one that just affects USC. At Clemson accountability for how money is spent and justification for raising tuition doesn’t exist in terms of what students know and what the university feels like students are entitled to know. Last year tuition here increased by 7.5%. Why and how is it being spent? Within the University, the College of Business and Behavioral Science has a $1000 a year student fee that goes largely unaccounted for. The college issues a report that highlights projects that the money goes towards but nothing specific. However they just opened a lounge on the groundfloor of Sirrine Hall that was completely renovated and equipped with furniture and a flat screen TV. While nice (and will undoubtedly come in handy when students like me are stuck on campus studying during the NLCS and wanting to see some of the games) it isn’t as nice as having an extra $1000 in my pocket or $1000 less on a loan that I am going to have to pay back.
While the actions of the Budget and Control Board that imposed a moratorium on SC colleges from starting any new building projects until they decrease their tuition costs, costs that according to the Post and Courier have tripled in SC in the last decade, it is only the first step. What really needs to happen is a moratorium on cosmetic spending and making universities produce and publish more detailed spending reports as well as justification for that spending. Only then will universities be forced to be more accountable with how they spend our money.
More students need to act as Sean has and put their opinions in the limelight. Venting to your friends at the bar or on the raquetball court isn’t going to make the administration care. Do like Sean and put your opinion in the student paper. Write your state representative or senator, or if you’re from out of state the legislator from your school’s district and let them know how you feel, the struggle you are going through or will go through when you graduate to pay for school. As is pointed out by Bertran, the universities need to use the money they receive to ensure the academic success of its students or face a sharp decline in performance; a decline South Carolina can’t afford if we are serious about encouraging businesses to come and operate here and for college graduates to make their home in South Carolina.
Read Sean’s article and think about what you as a student, or as a parent and/or Alumni, can do to fix the problem. Remember, college is an investment. The money you invest now in tuition needs to be met with gains from employment after college that only come from academic success. A new fountain or brick sign or renovated green-space isn’t going to get you that return on investment.
William Sturm
Delegates from 14 SC Colleges Elected the New Leadership
SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE REPUBLICANS ELECT NEW STATE CHAIRMAN
Contact: Sally Atwater sally.atwater@furman.edu
Columbia, SC-The South Carolina College Republicans Federation held their Annual State Convention 8:30am Saturday morning in Columbia, SC at the Holiday Inn Express Fort Jackson. Delegates from fourteen schools around the state unanimously elected Karlen Senn, a current Junior at Converse College, to serve as the State Chairwoman of the SCCRF for the 2010-2011 term. William Sturm from Clemson was elected the Vice Chairman for his second term. Sally Atwater from Furman was elected to serve another year as State Secretary, and Mason Sullivan from the Citadel was elected as State Treasurer.
The keynote speaker at the convention was Attorney General and Gubernatorial candidate Henry McMaster. Leighton Lord, Alan Wilson, Robert Bolchoz, Eleanor Kitzman, and Ken Ard also addressed the student organization that has grown from six to eighteen chapters this year. Jay W. Ragley, Adam Piper, and Kurt Pickhardt spoke on behalf of the SCGOP.
This year College Republicans grew from six to eighteen campuses across South Carolina, connected students to volunteer and intern with candidates across the state, volunteered for Bob McDonnell in Virginia, and established themselves on a national level with the College Republicans National Committee. More importantly, the CRs have formed relationships with the SCGOP and groups around the state such as the Young Republicans. Relationships amongst all conservative groups in SC are important to build in order to bridge the generation gap within our Party with the goal of putting Republican candidates in office. The SCCRF hopes to continue building sustainable chapters and to drive student participation, voting, and volunteering for a GOP victory in 2010 and beyond.
For more information about the SCCRF Convention, please contact Secretary Sally Atwater at sally.atwater@furman.edu. For information about the SCCRF, visit www.sccrf.org.
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