WHEREAS, Winthrop University is located in York County; and
WHEREAS, the relative numerical strength of the York County legislative delegation
will be a key factor in determining state support for Winthrop University throughout
the next decade; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Decennial Census of the United States which is done during the
first year of every decade is, by South Carolina statute, the basis for the determination
of the population of the legislative districts in South Carolina for both the South
Carolina House of Representatives and the South Carolina Senate and, therefore, is
the basis for the determination of practical and equitable geographic boundaries for
the legislative districts; and
WHEREAS, the results of the Federal Decennial Census determining the population at
the individual county and municipal level on April 1, 2000 will soon be available
with the best available projections of the population indicating that York County
will be the fourth fastest growing county (19.1 %) among the 46 counties in South
Carolina over the 19902000 decade; and
WHEREAS, the 1990 Federal Decennial Census showed that, at that time, York County's
population clearly justified five South Carolina House Districts and two South Carolina
Senate Districts where the majority of the population in each district was within
the boundaries of York County; and
WHEREAS, since 1992, York County has demonstrably been the most underrepresented county
in the South Carolina Legislature on the basis of the number of both House Districts
(four) and Senate Districts (one) where the majority of the population in each district
was within York County; and
WHEREAS, the level of representation in the legislature has a significant relationship
to the adequate, fair, and equitable representation of the citizens of York County
with respect to issues impacting Winthrop University such as education funding, infrastructure
development, and land use planning; and
WHEREAS, it is essential that the unique needs and desires of the citizens of York
County be adequately, fairly, and equitably represented in the South Carolina Legislature;
and
WHEREAS, it is the unmistakable intent of the South Carolina statutes dealing with
the delineation of legislative districts that the citizens of the state are to have
adequate, fair, and equitable representation in the South Carolina Legislature; and
WHEREAS, the best available projections of population growth show that York County's
2000 population will absolutely justify five South Carolina House Districts and two
South Carolina Senate Districts where the majority of the population in each district
is within the boundaries of York County;
THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Winthrop University supports
the call for the Legislative Delegation representing the citizens of York County and
the South Carolina Legislature as a whole to immediately begin taking the steps necessary
to insure that the citizens of York County are adequately, fairly, and equitably represented
in the South Carolina Legislature for the coming decade through the delineation of
five South Carolina House Districts and two South Carolina Senate Districts where
the majority of the population in each district is within the boundaries of York County.
February 23, 2001
