Understanding the Costs of Higher Education:
A South Carolina Parent’s Guide©
 

The concept for the Parent’s Guide arose from discussions with institution Presidents, Provosts, parents, and other interested constituencies of higher education.  Leaders were asked to comment on their questions about higher education in South Carolina and what they perceived to be the areas of greatest need related to research.

Overwhelmingly, comments about affordability, getting good information to parents and students rose to the top, without regard to the type of institution.  For parents and other constituent groups, it related to how financial aid worked and why institutional costs continue to increase.  For the institutions, there was a need to inform the public about the actual affordability of higher education, available financial aid, and how changing demands affect annual costs.

To that end, the Parent’s Guide was initiated by Gary McCombs and Catherine Watt as a project of value to higher education and to the public.  Alliance partners were asked to provide initial feedback on the concept, and authors were drawn from across the state for their specific areas of expertise and interest.  The editors of the volume have instructed the authors to address multiple types of institutions and multiple student paths through post-secondary education.

For more information, please contact:

                        Gary McCombs, College of Charleston, mccombsg@cofc.edu, 843-953-
                        Catherine Watt, the Alliance, cwatt@clemson.edu, 864-656-0847

About the Editors:

Gary McCombs served as Senior Vice President for Business Affairs at the College of Charleston from 1993 through 2006.  He has also served as Vice President for Business and Finance at Valdosta State College (1990-93), Assistant VP for Finance and Business at Winthrop College (1988-90), and Director of Business Systems Development for Clemson University (1980-88). 

Throughout his career Gary has led technology initiatives, physical plant operations, facilities planning, public safety, and human resources.  In addition, he has served, and currently serves, on several state and regional finance committees.   While managing the typical financial functions of the College of Charleston, Gary led the development of a financial and legal framework to finance a very aggressive building program, which when completed, will have increased the College's investment in facilities and infrastructure by approximately 250 million dollars. 

Gary earned a bachelors degree in accounting from Clemson University in 1972, an MPA from Valdosta State University, and has expertise in management and computer science.  He is now a member of the faculty in the School of Business Administration at the College of Charleston, teaching and collaborating on projects involving the financing of higher education.

Catherine Watt serves as Director of the Alliance for Research on Higher Education, an innovative, multi-institutional collaborative research center located in the Strom Thurmond Institute and Clemson University.  Previously, she has served as Director of Institutional Research for Clemson University (2002-2006) and for Washington College (Md) (1997-1999), as well as Coordinator for Institutional Planning at University of Maryland University College (1995-97). 

Her research and publications have focused on statewide issues affecting higher education including performance funding, facilities management, and faculty productivity. 

Catherine earned her bachelor and master’s degrees from the University of South Carolina in psychology and special education respectively.  She will earn her doctorate in Education Policy and Leadership from the University of Maryland College Park in December 2007.