South Carolina Commission on Higher Education

The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education was established in 1967 and serves as the coordinating board for South Carolina’s 33 public institutions of higher learning. In addition to partnering with institutions to deliver an effective statewide higher education system, the CHE acts both as an oversight entity on behalf of the General Assembly, and an advocate for the citizens of South Carolina as they seek opportunities to improve their lives, and those of their families, through higher education. **CHE's Role** The agency performs a range of work to support and coordinate the state system of higher education. Generally, this entails: - Administering state, regional, and federal programs, in addition to state-funded lottery scholarships and grants. - Approving new academic degree programs and revisions to mission statements at public institutions. - Collecting, analyzing, and reporting comprehensive data on postsecondary education in South Carolina. - Coordinating the interests of federal and state government, institutions of higher education, public K12 education, students and their families, and the business community. - Licensing non-public educational institutions operating and soliciting within the state. - Recommending policy to the governor, the General Assembly, and relevant state agencies using data. - Reviewing the productivity of existing academic programs and institutions’ missions to ensure they are advancing defined state goals.