Bennie Harris, Chancellor, University of South Carolina Upstate

Invest: spoke with Bennie Harris, chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate, about the turbulence shaping higher education, the need for workforce alignment, and the accelerating pace of change across the sector. “We need to change and become much more relevant,” Harris said.

How would you describe the higher education environment, and what changes or trends have had the biggest impact on USC Upstate recently?

The higher education environment has been extremely turbulent in many ways. There are a number of things that have created significant anxiety for institutional leaders, particularly around the Department of Education. There are a lot of changes taking place, and it looks like the department is establishing partnerships with other agencies to administer important programs, such as Pell Grants, student loans, and others that impact higher education.

There is also anxiety related to DEI and how it has been interpreted. In many ways, it has been misconstrued. People ask whether institutions are hiring or admitting based solely on race, and that is not true. It has not been true in a long time. The reality is that America has become much more diverse, and higher education reflects that.

Through my work with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, which represents regional public universities serving about 70% of public undergraduate students, I see that diversity firsthand. More students of color are attending college because education continues to be viewed as a pathway to opportunity.

This year has been filled with challenges and uncertainty. The biggest issues are federal regulations, compliance, and DEI. But what will matter most going forward is innovation, AI, technology, and talent. We do not want to drain America of its intellectual talent or limit our ability to attract talent from across the globe.

How are demographic changes influencing your enrollment growth and planning?

The demographics influencing our planning are not race and gender. About 65% of our students are women, and about 48% are students of color, but we do not have goals tied to those demographics.

We are focused on first-generation students, nontraditional students who want to reskill, and traditional-age students. What is changing is the workforce. Entry-level jobs are evolving, and more experienced workers are filling roles that used to be entry level. That means those jobs now require higher-level skills.

So the question is how we prepare graduates to compete. What we are doing is an and, not an or. We still need thinkers across disciplines, but we also need to equip students with credentials alongside their degrees so they can participate immediately in the workforce.

For example, a graphic design student should also have certifications tied to AI tools. Across higher education, technical disciplines are increasingly working with the humanities to improve how people ask questions and generate outcomes using AI. Those skills remain essential.

How does your position in the Upstate South Carolina corridor shape your approach to partnerships and engagement?

As a regional public university, our value proposition is tied to both the current workforce and the workforce of tomorrow. We must prepare students for employment and for continued growth.

We are located in a region with over 575 international companies, so we have to be global. That does not just mean study abroad. It means preparing students to work comfortably in global environments.

We want students to engage with different cultures, languages, and perspectives. That includes bringing international faculty into classrooms, creating diverse student interactions, and building experiences that develop global awareness.

My mother taught me an important lesson. She told me my cup was too full and that I needed to approach people with an empty cup, ready to learn. That mindset is critical. Students must be willing to listen, learn, and engage with others in meaningful ways.

How are you communicating and delivering return on investment for students?

Accountability pressures are increasing. Students and families are asking what value they receive. At USC Upstate, our value proposition is strong. Our average debt is around $16,000, and our tuition is about $11,500. We have a 99% placement rate within three months of graduation, and strong outcomes in programs like nursing. We are also number one in social mobility in South Carolina.

Eighty percent of our students come from within a 50- to 100-mile radius, and many stay and work in the region. Our impact is visible in their lives and communities.

My role is to create advocates. When students leave, they should feel they had the best experience possible and encourage others to follow that path.

How are economic pressures affecting affordability and institutional decisions?

When people talk about college affordability, they are often talking about the cost of living. Students struggle with rent, food, transportation, and childcare. Those are economic challenges, not tuition challenges.

Students often leave college not because they cannot afford tuition, but because they cannot afford to live while attending school.

We have worked to keep tuition affordable. In South Carolina, tuition has remained flat for eight years due to state support. We are also offering micro-credentials, increasing efficiency, and partnering with organizations to reduce financial barriers.

For example, local programs can provide students with additional funding that, combined with scholarships, can allow them to attend at little to no cost.

What are your top strategic priorities, and how do you see higher education evolving?

There will be greater alignment between institutions and regional workforce needs. Every discipline must connect to where students are going.

Higher education must also adapt faster. We need to change and become much more relevant. The pace of change is accelerating, and institutions must keep up.

We will likely see mergers, especially among institutions facing cost pressures and infrastructure challenges. Many will need to rethink their models.

Internationalization will also remain critical. We must continue attracting global talent.

No day is the same in leadership. It is constant change. My background in industrial engineering, which focuses on systems and change management, has been invaluable. Success is not maintaining the same model over time, but building systems that adapt and evolve.