Hundreds Rally at Statehouse in Support of SC State

Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — Hundreds of South Carolina State University supporters gathered in front of the Statehouse Monday morning to show their support for SC State. The rally comes less than a week after a house subcommittee advanced a proposal to temporarily close the school for one year due to it’s financial troubles. Several speakers at the rally encouraged people in the crowd to keep showing their support for the University and not back down. Representative Joe Neal, a member of the Ways and Means Committee, was in attendance at the rally. Rep. Neal said he intends to fight to kill the proviso and asked supporters to show their support respectfully at Tuesday’s meeting. The Ways and Means committee is expected to meet Tuesday morning at 10 am to consider the proviso. “The time has come for you and I and everybody else that loves South Carolina State to stand up, be heard and to let folks know where we stand,” said Rep. Neal. Chairman of the SC State Board of Trustees, William Small, said the rally held by the NAACP, draws attention to the issue in a more public setting and rallies support for historically black colleges and universities across the country. “Up until now, the conversation has been between the legislature and school officials but this issue is so important, it has to be a public issue,” said Small. “It’s not just about SC State it’s about the future of young people in this state and this country.” There will be a fundraiser for scholarships February 21 at the Martin Luther King Auditorium on the SC State Campus in support of raising money for the University and it’s scholarships.