GSA Daily Staff Report
Published June 16, 2010

The S.C. State University board of trustees voted Tuesday afternoon not to renew the contract of President George Cooper, according to a university spokesperson.

Cooper, whose contract ends June 30, became S.C. State’s 10th president after he was voted unanimously into the presidency and served in that role slightly less than two years.

Cooper replaced Andrew Hugine, who was fired in December 2007 by the board before his contract ended. Hugine filed a lawsuit over his firing and eventually settled out of court.

University spokesperson Erica Taylor confirmed that the board decided not to renew Cooper’s contract, but referred all other questions to the school’s board of trustees. Several messages were left with board members who could not be reached this morning.

During his time, Cooper faced a slate of problems, including declining state funds and stalled construction of the James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center.

“The real challenge is to maintain academic excellence in the face of declining resources,” Cooper said in December 2008 during a visit to the Business Journal.

In that meeting, Cooper talked about the importance of forging strategic alliances with alumni and community leaders to improve the profile of the school and increase giving.

In December 2008, the university also was placed on a warning list by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the school’s accrediting body. The warning, which was lifted a year later, was sparked by concerns about the school’s finances and operations, as well as the roles of the administration and the governing board.

Prior to coming to S.C. State, Cooper worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as deputy administrator for science and education resources development. He has also held posts at Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M University.

Cooper could not be reached for comment today.

John Smalls, senior vice president of S.C. State, was chosen to handle daily operations of the university until an interim president is selected.

S.C. State Presidents 1896-present

Early in its history, South Carolina State University enjoyed stability at its top post, with several presidents serving lengthy tenures. Now, the historically black college is looking to hire its sixth president in 20 years.