SC

Clemson President Stepping Down

Clemson University President James Barker – whose big government boondoggling and childish efforts to artificially inflate his school’s academic standing brought shame to the state – is stepping down from his post after fourteen years. Barker’s all-consuming goal of making Clemson one of the nation’s Top Twenty public universities was…

Clemson University President James Barker – whose big government boondoggling and childish efforts to artificially inflate his school’s academic standing brought shame to the state – is stepping down from his post after fourteen years.

Barker’s all-consuming goal of making Clemson one of the nation’s Top Twenty public universities was not accomplished.

What was accomplished? Some serious unnecessary spending – including Clemson’s wasteful “public service” division, a wind turbine facility and an entire campus devoted to a Confederate submarine. Barker also pushed for the creation of a new architecture school in Charleston, S.C. – which will be paying him a six-figure salary just as soon as his replacement is found.

How convenient, right?

Barker will forever be remembered as the guy who ranked his institution ahead of schools like Harvard, Stanford and Yale on a “peer assessment” – part of a broader effort to artificially inflate Clemson’s position on the U.S. News & World Report college rankings.

After this website exposed the extent of Barker’s manipulation, the school’s upward trajectory on those rankings stopped. What hasn’t stopped? The upward trajectory of the school’s tuition costs – which more than tripled under Barker’s fourteen-year reign in Tigertown.

Barker did his best to put a positive spin on things in a statement issued by the school.

“There is never a perfect time for a transition in leadership, but certainly a very good time is when a university is in high demand, able to attract outstanding faculty, staff and students, enjoys strong support from alumni and friends, is financially healthy, and has a strategic plan that is firmly supported by its governing board,” Barker said. “That is exactly where Clemson finds itself today.”

Barker’s resignation comes as Clemson – which is ruled by an unconstitutional governing board – seeks to shift vast percentages of its “assets, programs and operations” to a so-called “enterprise zone,” which would enable it to evade accountability from the state while still consuming hundreds of millions of tax dollars each year.

News of this latest scam was first exposed by FITS earlier this month …

As we have stated repeatedly, Clemson (along with South Carolina’s other institutions of “higher learning”) should be set free to pursue their destinies as private colleges and universities. Funding higher education – to the extent our colleges still do that – is not a core function of government. And even if it was, South Carolina spends a much larger percentage of its budget supporting this function than other states.

Clemson is slated to receive $783 million in the current version of the FY 2013-14 state budget – an increase of $6 million from last year. Its “public services” division will receive another $69.4 million.

***

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78 comments

Face in the Crowd April 16, 2013 at 11:25 am

Could be a coincidence, but the timing is interesting in that SACS, Clemson’s accrediting body, will conduct its on-site visit tomorrow (Wednesday).

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 12:03 pm

Face, obviously you are clueless.

Reply
Face in the Crowd April 16, 2013 at 12:14 pm

Sorry to disappoint you CNSYD, but it’s a fact. Stop in.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 1:11 pm

Face, the only “fact” is that Barker is retiring. You think (as you try to imply) he is/was scared of SACS? You wish. At age 65 and 5 bypasses, why should he not want to retire?

Reply
Face in the Crowd April 16, 2013 at 1:22 pm

Uh, no. I said it might be a coincidence. But seeing as on-site reviews only occur every 10 years, I am not sure how many university presidents would step down the day before the on-site visit.

God April 16, 2013 at 1:22 pm

Not to mention his utter failure to achieve his greatest objective, which was to get Clemson ranked in the Top 20 of US News & World Report’s national university rankings.

CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 1:31 pm

To never try would be utter failure. Did Clemson climb in the rankings ? Yes or no?

Plumb Line April 16, 2013 at 7:43 pm

The timing is so whacked you can hear clocks breaking. You might wave off the day before SACS as not too bright, and so what. But the week before the biggest legislation in Clemson’s history, S.535, “The Clemson University Enterprise Act “is voted on, and in the middle of Clemson’s largest capital campaign? Plus, add in the fact that he just had a sit down with the trustees. Sounds like the Jim Bakker of higher ed just got defrocked.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 8:41 pm

multiple bypasses would cause anyone to reevaluate their life.

Reply
Face in the Crowd April 16, 2013 at 11:25 am

Could be a coincidence, but the timing is interesting in that SACS, Clemson’s accrediting body, will conduct its on-site visit tomorrow (Wednesday).

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 12:03 pm

Face, obviously you are clueless.

Reply
Face in the Crowd April 16, 2013 at 12:14 pm

Sorry to disappoint you CNSYD, but it’s a fact. Stop in.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 1:11 pm

Face, the only “fact” is that Barker is retiring. You think (as you try to imply) he is/was scared of SACS? You wish. At age 65 and 5 bypasses, why should he not want to retire?

Reply
Face in the Crowd April 16, 2013 at 1:22 pm

Uh, no. I said it might be a coincidence. But seeing as on-site reviews only occur every 10 years, I am not sure how many university presidents would step down the day before the on-site visit.

God April 16, 2013 at 1:22 pm

Not to mention his utter failure to achieve his greatest objective, which was to get Clemson ranked in the Top 20 of US News & World Report’s national university rankings.

CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 1:31 pm

To never try would be utter failure. Did Clemson climb in the rankings ? Yes or no?

Plumb Line April 16, 2013 at 7:43 pm

The timing is so whacked you can hear clocks breaking. You might wave off the day before SACS as not too bright, and so what. But the week before the biggest legislation in Clemson’s history, S.535, “The Clemson University Enterprise Act “is voted on, and in the middle of Clemson’s largest capital campaign? Plus, add in the fact that he just had a sit down with the trustees. Sounds like the Jim Bakker of higher ed just got defrocked.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 8:41 pm

multiple bypasses would cause anyone to reevaluate their life.

Reply
capitol fly April 16, 2013 at 11:26 am

Long overdue!
Now, let’s cleanout Peeler and all of the trustees!!

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 12:04 pm

Only elected Trustees can be “cleaned out”. Do a little research on the subject before you speak about things of which you do not have knowledge.

Reply
God April 16, 2013 at 1:20 pm

The State Supreme Court could clean the unelected ones out if anyone successfully challenged the Constitutionality of their existence.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 1:32 pm

Well, what’s holding you back? Call Jean Toal now. You are only 124 years late.

Reply
Sarge April 16, 2013 at 4:15 pm

Good Lawd have mercy. Can you only imagine how Jean Toal could screw this thing up? She has already pushed the state of South Carolina law schools to the very bottom in the nation. What would she do if she were in charge of all of the universities also?

Jimmy April 16, 2013 at 12:07 pm

Also, get rid of Howard Rawl. What a joke.

Reply
Quad April 16, 2013 at 8:45 pm

They use poor Howard.
I’ve seen Peeler and that redhead use Howard….sickening. Eat mo collards!

Reply
BigT April 16, 2013 at 2:12 pm

They hired Dabo. abnd that has been GREAT (for USC)…
Leave Dabo alone. Leave Barker and Peeler alone. They are historical figures at Clemson…

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 2:16 pm

As historic as Jim Holderman and Pam Parsons were/are at USC east?

Reply
Tigress April 16, 2013 at 8:41 pm

Didn’t you mean to say HYSTERICAL?

I seem to remember a coed kicking Peeler’s ass during a Coed ball game. She punched him breaking his nose. He cried like a little girl! I’d hate to think a girl kicked my ass. It was hilarious!

Reply
capitol fly April 16, 2013 at 11:26 am

Long overdue!
Now, let’s cleanout Peeler and all of the trustees!!

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 12:04 pm

Only elected Trustees can be “cleaned out”. Do a little research on the subject before you speak about things of which you do not have knowledge.

Reply
God April 16, 2013 at 1:20 pm

The State Supreme Court could clean the unelected ones out if anyone successfully challenged the Constitutionality of their existence.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 1:32 pm

Well, what’s holding you back? Call Jean Toal now. You are only 124 years late.

Reply
Sarge April 16, 2013 at 4:15 pm

Good Lawd have mercy. Can you only imagine how Jean Toal could screw this thing up? She has already pushed the state of South Carolina law schools to the very bottom in the nation. What would she do if she were in charge of all of the universities also?

Jimmy April 16, 2013 at 12:07 pm

Also, get rid of Howard Rawl. What a joke.

Reply
Quad April 16, 2013 at 8:45 pm

They use poor Howard.
I’ve seen Peeler and that redhead use Howard….sickening. Eat mo collards!

Reply
BigT April 16, 2013 at 2:12 pm

They hired Dabo. abnd that has been GREAT (for USC)…
Leave Dabo alone. Leave Barker and Peeler alone. They are historical figures at Clemson…

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 2:16 pm

As historic as Jim Holderman and Pam Parsons were/are at USC east?

Reply
Tigress April 16, 2013 at 8:41 pm

Didn’t you mean to say HYSTERICAL?

I seem to remember a coed kicking Peeler’s ass during a Coed ball game. She punched him breaking his nose. He cried like a little girl! I’d hate to think a girl kicked my ass. It was hilarious!

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 12:02 pm

The best response to this drivel is just to say Sic Willie is full of shit AGAIN! Each “point” could be refuted but it is a waste of time as they have been, over and over. But Sic Willie lives in his own little world of make believe.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 12:02 pm

The best response to this drivel is just to say Sic Willie is full of shit AGAIN! Each “point” could be refuted but it is a waste of time as they have been, over and over. But Sic Willie lives in his own little world of make believe.

Reply
Tunes'n'news April 16, 2013 at 12:21 pm

On balance Barker was good for Clemson. He caused the university to look at peer (and better than peer) universities and to innovate in many ways. Previously, Clemson had been very provincial in its management and philosophy. In my opinion he stayed on several years too long, leading to bloating the place in several ways. Academics and endowment have improved (athletics not so much). Gotta agree that the Hunley thing is completely insane. As is a lot of what appears in the article above.

Reply
Tunes'n'news April 16, 2013 at 12:21 pm

On balance Barker was good for Clemson. He caused the university to look at peer (and better than peer) universities and to innovate in many ways. Previously, Clemson had been very provincial in its management and philosophy. In my opinion he stayed on several years too long, leading to bloating the place in several ways. Academics and endowment have improved (athletics not so much). Gotta agree that the Hunley thing is completely insane. As is a lot of what appears in the article above.

Reply
BeaufortTiger April 16, 2013 at 12:24 pm

How utterly convenient left out the following facts, FITS…

* The SC Legislature agreed to the terms in T.G. Clemson’s will, which called for life trustees. If the State ever tried to override this, it would be in breach of contract and they would be shot down in court.

* Public service activities are required of any land-grant college or university. It is an essential function of any land-grant school. That’s not a Clemson requirement; that’s a federal requirement. A good chunk of federal monies come to Clemson because of PSA. Do you really want the State to pick up the tab for those activities?

* You conveniently left off CU-ICAR, which by all accounts has been a smashing success in complementing the Upstate’s growing automotive industry cluster. Creating CU-ICAR will be Barker’s overwhelming legacy project.

* While tuition raised very quickly at Clemson, it was precisely due to the idiotic decision to invest in a lottery and divert direct state funding from higher education to suspect scholarship programs that nearly half of all students lose within two years.

* Clemson’s academic ranking in US News and by other metrics has risen rapidly. Whereas Clemson has always been seen as a better school academically than your beloved flagship institution, Barker put Clemson on a trajectory that vastly outpaced I-26/I-20 the past decade. Clemson’s academic reputation is far better than any other institution in this state (including Furman) and the value of a graduate’s degree carries far more weight than it did 14 years ago

* Barker helped oversee the transition of a bloated administration comprised of nine colleges down to five, which streamlined costs.

* Research spending tripled under his watch and graduate school programs began to see the effects of increased attention and focus.

Need I say more? Jim Barker wasn’t perfect. He didn’t hit all his goals. He screwed up the US News data manipulation. He pissed off half the faculty. Athletics was not as successful as it should’ve been. All in all though, he left Clemson in far better shape than where it was when he took over.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 1:08 pm

BeaufortTiger,

Sic Willie has been told the above numerous times but his choice is to ignore facts and continue to live in his little fantasy world. Good try though.

Reply
nitrat April 16, 2013 at 3:51 pm

Just let him keep on. Every day he exposes more and more of just how ignorant the in-state Libertarians are about SC history and Libertarians in general are about US history.
They are the dimmest bunch in the country, worse than the Teavangelicals.

Reply
BeaufortTiger April 16, 2013 at 12:24 pm

How utterly convenient left out the following facts, FITS…

* The SC Legislature agreed to the terms in T.G. Clemson’s will, which called for life trustees. If the State ever tried to override this, it would be in breach of contract and they would be shot down in court.

* Public service activities are required of any land-grant college or university. It is an essential function of any land-grant school. That’s not a Clemson requirement; that’s a federal requirement. A good chunk of federal monies come to Clemson because of PSA. Do you really want the State to pick up the tab for those activities?

* You conveniently left off CU-ICAR, which by all accounts has been a smashing success in complementing the Upstate’s growing automotive industry cluster. Creating CU-ICAR will be Barker’s overwhelming legacy project.

* While tuition raised very quickly at Clemson, it was precisely due to the idiotic decision to invest in a lottery and divert direct state funding from higher education to suspect scholarship programs that nearly half of all students lose within two years.

* Clemson’s academic ranking in US News and by other metrics has risen rapidly. Whereas Clemson has always been seen as a better school academically than your beloved flagship institution, Barker put Clemson on a trajectory that vastly outpaced I-26/I-20 the past decade. Clemson’s academic reputation is far better than any other institution in this state (including Furman) and the value of a graduate’s degree carries far more weight than it did 14 years ago

* Barker helped oversee the transition of a bloated administration comprised of nine colleges down to five, which streamlined costs.

* Research spending tripled under his watch and graduate school programs began to see the effects of increased attention and focus.

Need I say more? Jim Barker wasn’t perfect. He didn’t hit all his goals. He screwed up the US News data manipulation. He pissed off half the faculty. Athletics was not as successful as it should’ve been. All in all though, he left Clemson in far better shape than where it was when he took over.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 1:08 pm

BeaufortTiger,

Sic Willie has been told the above numerous times but his choice is to ignore facts and continue to live in his little fantasy world. Good try though.

Reply
nitrat April 16, 2013 at 3:51 pm

Just let him keep on. Every day he exposes more and more of just how ignorant the in-state Libertarians are about SC history and Libertarians in general are about US history.
They are the dimmest bunch in the country, worse than the Teavangelicals.

Reply
jimlewisowb April 16, 2013 at 12:43 pm

I ain’t going to comment on this one

Too many proctologists out there who know their assholes

Reply
jimlewisowb April 16, 2013 at 12:43 pm

I ain’t going to comment on this one

Too many proctologists out there who know their assholes

Reply
BigT April 16, 2013 at 12:44 pm

PROMOTE Dabo: I LOVE what he’s doing for (or is it to) Clemson…
We LOVE Dabo!!!!!!…Keep it up, bro…

Reply
Smirks April 16, 2013 at 3:55 pm

Dabo for Director of Athletics! Spread the “success” around!

Reply
BigT April 16, 2013 at 6:32 pm

Dabo’s Title would then be: Dabo Swinney, D.A. (only it’d be official)….Hahahahaha…

Reply
BigT April 16, 2013 at 12:44 pm

PROMOTE Dabo: I LOVE what he’s doing for (or is it to) Clemson…
We LOVE Dabo!!!!!!…Keep it up, bro…

Reply
Smirks April 16, 2013 at 3:55 pm

Dabo for Director of Athletics! Spread the “success” around!

Reply
BigT April 16, 2013 at 6:32 pm

Dabo’s Title would then be: Dabo Swinney, D.A. (only it’d be official)….Hahahahaha…

Reply
Internal Auditor - Clemson U. April 16, 2013 at 1:45 pm

Barker and his family members have received truckloads of wooden furniture they’ve “acquired” over the years — much of it expensed and not capitalized — and some of it provided by other state agencies with no invoice whatsoever. I presume we’ll never get any of that back. Curious where it’s all stashed right now.

Reply
Internal Auditor - Clemson U. April 16, 2013 at 1:45 pm

Barker and his family members have received truckloads of wooden furniture they’ve “acquired” over the years — much of it expensed and not capitalized — and some of it provided by other state agencies with no invoice whatsoever. I presume we’ll never get any of that back. Curious where it’s all stashed right now.

Reply
clemsongirl April 16, 2013 at 2:09 pm

I remember during my sophomore year, I was privileged enough to get to attend a wedding shower hosted by President Barker and his wife. At one point in the evening, I mustered up the courage to ask him how he became president of the university. I expected a short but polite answer, but what I got instead was a personal conversation and an enthusiastic private tour of his home as well as a fascinating history lesson about Clemson and its past presidents. He was so excited to tell me anything I wanted to know. After the party, a girl celebrating her 21st was stumbling up the lawn wearing the typical martini glass shaped paper necklace with a checklist; one item was to take a picture on the steps of the president’s house. She was not expecting a party to walk out the door as she made her attempt. Not only did President Barker laugh about it, but he went outside and asked, “Would a picture on the steps WITH the president be okay?” I will always remember that night as one of many examples of what an incredible president James Barker was, and even though he’ll still be here as a professor, he’ll be missed. So lucky to be one of the last to get to shake his hand while walking across the Littlejohn stage.

Reply
clemsongirl April 16, 2013 at 2:09 pm

I remember during my sophomore year, I was privileged enough to get to attend a wedding shower hosted by President Barker and his wife. At one point in the evening, I mustered up the courage to ask him how he became president of the university. I expected a short but polite answer, but what I got instead was a personal conversation and an enthusiastic private tour of his home as well as a fascinating history lesson about Clemson and its past presidents. He was so excited to tell me anything I wanted to know. After the party, a girl celebrating her 21st was stumbling up the lawn wearing the typical martini glass shaped paper necklace with a checklist; one item was to take a picture on the steps of the president’s house. She was not expecting a party to walk out the door as she made her attempt. Not only did President Barker laugh about it, but he went outside and asked, “Would a picture on the steps WITH the president be okay?” I will always remember that night as one of many examples of what an incredible president James Barker was, and even though he’ll still be here as a professor, he’ll be missed. So lucky to be one of the last to get to shake his hand while walking across the Littlejohn stage.

Reply
Squishy123 April 16, 2013 at 2:25 pm

“Stepping down”, as long as he stays employed he’ll receive 80% of his current salary, which is standard for administrators returning to a teaching position. SC taxpayers will be paying Baker $400,000+ to teach some 101 course to Freshmen.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 3:25 pm

Obviously you are clueless about the curriculum in architecture. Spend a few minutes looking over the course requirements and then decide if you want to modify your response.

Reply
Squishy123 April 16, 2013 at 6:28 pm

Nope nothing to change, are you saying that Barker won’t be paid 80% of his current salary?

Reply
Squishy123 April 16, 2013 at 6:29 pm

Besides, who needs architects in this country, you can have someone in India design what you need for 10 cents on the dollar and probably get the design in half the time.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 8:44 pm

My question was in regard to the courses not salary. I assume these Indian architects you wish to hire are all licensed to practice in SC, right?

Squishy123 April 16, 2013 at 11:08 pm

So he won’t teach Architecture 101? I’m sure they could be licensed to practice in SC, if the licensing process is as difficult as the Bar exam, they should be able to get drunk the night before and still pass. Sounds like you’re an easily upset SC architect… probably upset that you can’t find any work.

CNSYD April 17, 2013 at 11:54 am

Not an architect but am familiar with the licensing system in SC. First hurdle the foreign educated have to get over is having their education evaluated against the accreditation standards in the US. Most fail at that point. If they get by that point, they have to take a nine parted examination. Technical examinations require computation. So there is nothing “fuzzy” about them as there may be on the bar exam.

Squishy123 April 16, 2013 at 2:25 pm

“Stepping down”, as long as he stays employed he’ll receive 80% of his current salary, which is standard for administrators returning to a teaching position. SC taxpayers will be paying Baker $400,000+ to teach some 101 course to Freshmen.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 3:25 pm

Obviously you are clueless about the curriculum in architecture. Spend a few minutes looking over the course requirements and then decide if you want to modify your response.

Reply
Squishy123 April 16, 2013 at 6:28 pm

Nope nothing to change, are you saying that Barker won’t be paid 80% of his current salary?

Reply
Squishy123 April 16, 2013 at 6:29 pm

Besides, who needs architects in this country, you can have someone in India design what you need for 10 cents on the dollar and probably get the design in half the time.

Reply
CNSYD April 16, 2013 at 8:44 pm

My question was in regard to the courses not salary. I assume these Indian architects you wish to hire are all licensed to practice in SC, right?

Squishy123 April 16, 2013 at 11:08 pm

So he won’t teach Architecture 101? I’m sure they could be licensed to practice in SC, if the licensing process is as difficult as the Bar exam, they should be able to get drunk the night before and still pass. Sounds like you’re an easily upset SC architect… probably upset that you can’t find any work.

CNSYD April 17, 2013 at 11:54 am

Not an architect but am familiar with the licensing system in SC. First hurdle the foreign educated have to get over is having their education evaluated against the accreditation standards in the US. Most fail at that point. If they get by that point, they have to take a nine parted examination. Technical examinations require computation. So there is nothing “fuzzy” about them as there may be on the bar exam.

lawzoo April 16, 2013 at 3:20 pm

Barker was not only good for Clemson ……..he provided Country Gentlemen Coattails for Tri-County Tech.

“Just a Step Away” is the motto.

Reply
lawzoo April 16, 2013 at 3:20 pm

Barker was not only good for Clemson ……..he provided Country Gentlemen Coattails for Tri-County Tech.

“Just a Step Away” is the motto.

Reply
VoiceofReason April 16, 2013 at 6:23 pm

The ignorance of SC, Clemson haters and FitsNews has reached a historic low. You idiots have no clue of the tremendous value and contributions CU gives this state. Check your academic facts and accept your jealousy. You idiots make SC look bad. The rest of the country knows the value of CU. Get used to it or shut up.

Reply
VoiceofReason April 16, 2013 at 6:23 pm

The ignorance of SC, Clemson haters and FitsNews has reached a historic low. You idiots have no clue of the tremendous value and contributions CU gives this state. Check your academic facts and accept your jealousy. You idiots make SC look bad. The rest of the country knows the value of CU. Get used to it or shut up.

Reply

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