Lawmakers hold forum on conditions at SC State

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) — State lawmakers are holding a public forum to discuss conditions at South Carolina State University.

Thursday’s scheduled public meeting is being hosted by the Orangeburg County Legislative Delegation. A House budget subcommittee is not participating because lawmakers are on furlough this week.

The college’s embattled president, George Cooper, stepped down at the end of last month after serving four years as the university’s 10th president. Rita Teal, the school’s acting vice president of academic affairs, is now acting president.

Earlier, faculty leaders had called for Cooper’s resignation and a committee of the faculty senate released a statement saying the historically black university was in a state of crisis.

In February, Cooper fired eight administrators in what was called an ongoing, internal investigation.