Regional group takes stance against proposed USC Beaufort name change

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It looks like a regional organization made up of elected officials from Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton and Colleton counties is opposing a proposal to change the University of South Carolina Beaufort to the University of South Carolina Sea Islands.

According to minutes from a Nov. 3 Hilton Head Town Council meeting the Lowcountry Council of Governments voted on a resolution asking USCB not to change its name and is asking all other regional governments to do the same.

Here's what the minutes say, in part:

He also reported LCOG voted on a resolution asking USCB not change their name due to the cost. Included in there solution it was recommended if USCB does change their name it should be changed to Lowcountry which ties in to the region. 

The name-change discussion heated up a few months back when several area politicians, including Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling and state Rep. Shannon Erickson weighed in.

Chancellor Jane Upshaw then held a meeting with students to discuss the proposal, and that didn't go all that well.

Since then the conversation has died down quite a bit.

We emailed the Council of Governments to ask them about the resolution, but we've not heard back. But if Hilton Head Town Council is taking this up surely all of the other municipalities and counties won't be far behind.

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