FMU Board of Trustees approves new program, names two facilities

The Francis Marion University Board of Trustees held its quarterly meeting Thursday afternoon at The Cottage on FMU’s campus. The Board approved a joint dental hygiene degree program, named two campus facilities, and authorized a holiday bonus for employees.

The Board approved a resolution to establish a joint Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene with the Medical University of South Carolina. This program will be the first bachelor’s degree program in dental hygiene in the state. The South Carolina Coordinating Council for Workforce Development has identified dental hygiene as a priority occupation.

“We are excited to partner with MUSC to offer South Carolina’s first baccalaureate degree in dental hygiene,” said FMU President Fred Carter. “The program will give students another path into the health sciences and help meet the need for more professionally educated dental hygienists across the state.”

Trustees named the Phillip D. Lowe Forestry and Environmental Sciences Building in honor of Representative Phillip Lowe, who has represented District 60 in the South Carolina House of Representatives since 2007. Lowe has long supported FMU’s mission of providing an affordable, high-quality education. He has also helped secure funding for university facilities, campus improvements, and academic programs. 

The Board also named the Dr. Jeremy D. Rentsch Greenhouse in memory of Dr. Jeremy Rentsch, who was on the faculty in the FMU Department of Biology for ten years. During this time, he served on numerous university and departmental committees, mentored twenty-six students in substantive research projects, and devoted hundreds of hours to tutoring students. Rentsch also compiled a distinguished record of scholarship.

“I am delighted that the Trustees have chosen to honor Representative Lowe and Dr. Rentsch with the naming of these facilities,” said Carter. “Phillip has been a staunch supporter of the university for decades and has worked to secure state support for many of our facilities and programs. Jeremy was a distinguished faculty member beloved by colleagues and students alike.”

In his remarks, Carter updated trustees on two major construction projects. 

The Phillip D. Lowe Forestry and Environmental Sciences Building will open in the spring 2027 semester and provide classroom and laboratory space for forestry and environmental science programs. 

Construction continues on the Floyd Medical Consortium Building in downtown Florence. The facility will house students in FMU’s healthcare programs as well as medical students and residents from the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. It is expected to be completed in May 2027. 

Carter announced that fall commencement will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 19, in the Smith University Center on campus. Senator Tom Davis will deliver the commencement address. Davis and Darryl Bridges, FMU’s executive vice president, will receive honorary Doctor of Humanities degrees.

In closing, the Board unanimously approved a request from President Carter to provide all full-time permanent faculty and staff with a $2,000 holiday bonus. FMU has awarded a holiday bonus annually for the past 28 years. 

“We take great pride in the fact that we provide this additional support to faculty and staff annually, especially during the holiday season,” said Carter. “Our faculty and staff are the most dedicated employees in the state. They are deserving of everything that we can provide.”