Local officials say Gov. Mark Sanford’s proposal for consolidating smaller school districts and college administrations is worth considering, but not necessarily for their institutions.

“There are some good ideas,” said Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College President Dr. Anne Crook. But Crook says implementing Sanford’s plan would cost some people their jobs.

Also, since enrollment at OCtech has doubled in recent years, Crook believes now is not the time to cut her staff.

Conversely, Orangeburg Consolidated School District Four Superintendent Dr. Darrell Johnson asks how many different administrative positions are needed in a single county.

“Consolidation can be a good thing if done correctly. ... There’s money to be saved,” he said.

Under Sanford’s plan, seven public universities, including South Carolina State University, would consolidate their administrative functions. The state’s 16 technical colleges would do the same, falling under three regional offices. Two- and four-year higher education institutions would keep their presidents.

School districts with fewer than 2,500 students would merge with others in the same county under the plan. Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer said merging districts beyond county lines is not part of the governor’s proposal.

The plan, which would have to be approved by state lawmakers, could save the state more than $50 million annually, Sawyer said. Similar proposals by Sanford have failed in the past.

State Sen. John Matthews, D-Bowman, said the matter is worth discussing to ensure the state gets the best return on its investment. He said he needs to review details.

However, Matthews is opposed to consolidating S.C. State’s administration with other universities. That would isolate smaller institutions of higher education in the state, he said.

He’s also opposed to the governor’s proposal to close the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie.

If the Allendale institution closed, Matthews believes “a lot of those kids would not go to school.”

USC Salkehatchie Dean Dr. Ann Carmichael said closing the satellite campus would harm the community both academically and economically.

“When this idea was proposed previously, the community made clear that closing our campus was not a good solution to an economic crisis. ... We do not believe closing any university campus is in the best interest of the people of South Carolina or the Salkehatchie region,” Carmichael said.

Under the governor’s plan, higher education positions that are “administrative in nature” would be cut, Sawyer said.

Crook said that would result in procurement, information technology and maintenance positions being cut.

She said state technical colleges are already combining certain services, like financial services, data services and procurement. Other measures, like joint purchasing between college libraries, have also generated tremendous savings, she said.

She says there is even more room for collaboration without full-fledged consolidation.

“Obviously, there are some things we could work together more closely on,” Crook said.

There was talk of Bamberg school districts 1 and 2 consolidating prior to the state budget crunch.

Bamberg 2 Superintendent Dr. Secaida Howell is ambivalent about the situation. While acknowledging consolidation would save money, a move in that direction might have political ramifications, he said.

Like Crook, he’s also concerned that people would lose their livelihood.

“It sounds good on the surface but what are you actually saving?” he said.

Not much, says Superintendent Phyllis Schwarting of neighboring Bamberg 1. Research conducted by her office suggests consolidation wouldn’t generate huge savings, she said.

“We have no desire to consolidate with any other district,” she said.

Schwarting believes Sanford and the General Assembly should revisit the property tax relief law passed in 2006 that funds public education with sales tax revenue.

She said her district has lost nearly $1 million due to several rounds of state budget cuts.

“They should fix those problems before they create new ones,” Schwarting said.

OCSD 3 Superintendent Dr. David Longshore said some counties don’t have the students needed to justify having several districts. He declined to give specific examples.

“The primary focus should be on whether (consolidation) will improve the offerings for children and not on money,” he said.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories at TheTandD.com.

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