South Carolina S 844: Dr. David H. Mruz

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 844 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 21, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 844

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Senate: Cromer, Young, 
Bennett, Adams, Alexander, Allen, Bennett, Blackmon, Bright, Campsen, Cash, 
Chaplin, Climer, Corbin, Davis, Devine, Elliott, Fernandez, Gambrell, Garrett, 
Goldfinch, Graham, Grooms, Hembree, Hutto, Jackson, Johnson, Kennedy, Kimbrell, 
Leber, Martin, Massey, Matthews, Ott, Peeler, Rankin, Reichenbach, Rice, Sabb, 
Stubbs, Sutton, Tedder, Turner, Verdin, Walker, Williams, Young, Zell

Attorney: Good

Drafting Assistant: 
Charlton

Date: January 21, 2026

DOC. ID.: /LEGISLATIVE 
COUNCIL/DG/DRAFTS/LC-0386DG-EB26/LC-0386DG-EB26.DOCX

A senate RESOLUTION

To recognize and honor the University of South 
Carolina on the occasion of its two hundred twenty-fifth anniversary, and the 
entire university of South Carolina system, for its many and significant 
contributions to the education, health, and civic life of our citizens and to 
declare Tuesday, February 17, 2026, "CArolina Day-225 Years of Service" at the 
State House.

Whereas, founded in 
1801, the University of South Carolina (USC) marks its two hundred twenty-fifth 
anniversary in 2026, and for more than two centuries has been integral to the 
prosperity, progress, and civic life of the State by educating generations of 
South Carolinians and serving as the state's flagship institution; and

Whereas, the USC system 
serves as a vital engine for South Carolina's economy, workforce, and quality 
of life through education, research, healthcare, and public service; and

Whereas, with support 
of the General Assembly, USC educates more South Carolinians than at any time 
in its 225-year history, while maintaining affordability by freezing in-state 
tuition since 2019; and

Whereas, the USC system 
serves nearly sixty thousand students statewide and benefits from record 
in-state enrollment, record applications, and the strength of a global alumni 
network including more than two hundred thirty thousand in South Carolina; and

Whereas, USC remains on 
strong financial footing, with revenues exceeding expenses, healthy reserves, 
disciplined fiscal management, high credit ratings, and fourteen consecutive 
years of national recognition for excellence in financial reporting; and

Whereas, USC continues 
to earn national distinction for student success, including ranking first among 
public institutions for first-year experience, graduation rates among the top 
ten percent nationally, and more than sixty nationally ranked academic programs; 
and

Whereas, USC has 
established itself as a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by providing 
free AI tools to students, faculty, and staff, offering AI credentials, 
launching AI-4-SC to expand AI education statewide, and preparing graduates for 
the demands of a rapidly evolving workforce; and

Whereas, USC set 
records in research and philanthropy in 2025, achieving more than three hundred 
twenty million dollars in sponsored research awards and record private 
fundraising, reinforcing its designation as a Carnegie R1 research university 
focused on solving South Carolina's most pressing challenges; and

Whereas, USC has 
launched the Center for American Civic Leadership and Public Discourse to 
promote civil dialogue, cooperation, and understanding of America's founding 
ideals, a mission of particular importance as the nation approaches its two 
hundred fiftieth anniversary; and

Whereas, as South 
Carolina's leading producer of health science graduates, USC is expanding 
healthcare capacity through its new Health Sciences Campus, anchored by a new 
School of Medicine, a growing Brain Health Network and Brain Center, and the 
Southeast's first comprehensive neurological hospital and rehabilitation 
center; and

Whereas, USC 
student-athletes continue to excel both on the field and in the classroom, with 
nearly three-quarters earning SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition each year; 
and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina Senate values the enduring commitment of the University of South 
Carolina and the entire USC system to access, affordability, innovation, 
financial stewardship, healthcare advancement, and service to the people of 
this great State. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the 
South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, 
recognize and honor the University of South Carolina and the entire University 
of South Carolina system for more than two centuries of service and leadership, 
and for its many and significant contributions to the education, health, 
economy, and civic life of our citizens, and declare Tuesday, February 17, 
2026, as "Carolina Day-225 Years of Service" at the State House.

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