Clemson Trustees formalize agreement with MUSC for student health services

July 17, 2025July 17, 2025

Clemson University’s Board of Trustees has authorized final negotiations and execution of an inter-institutional affiliation agreement between Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to expand access to high-quality health services on Clemson’s main campus.

As part of this collaborative effort, the Board also approved plans to advance a 30-year ground lease with the Medical University Hospital Authority (MUHA) to enable design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of a new 90,000-square-foot medical office building that will replace the Redfern Health Center.

The facility will deliver a best-in-class health and wellness experience focused on innovation and holistic well-being for Clemson students and the entire campus community. Construction will begin later this year.

Our student body has requested a new student-health facility for several years, and today I am thrilled that we are taking the next steps in creating a state-of-the-art facility for our Tigers as we continue to deliver the No. 1 student experience in the country. Through our collaboration with MUSC, MUHA, Prisma and numerous other partners, we are investing in the health and well-being of our students and employees while advancing innovative approaches to holistic care on our campus.

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT JIM CLEMENTS

The new facility will meet the evolving health care needs of the Clemson community, offering modernized, integrated services that support physical, mental and preventative health. It also advances the University’s Clemson Elevate strategic goal to transform lives statewide and beyond through educational, economic and health outreach.

This agreement builds on Clemson and MUSC’s broader collaboration to improve health outcomes across South Carolina by training future health care leaders, expanding access to care, and addressing the state’s most pressing health challenges.

“MUSC is thrilled to advance to the design and construction phase of building a state-of-the-art student health center, conveniently located on Clemson’s main campus,” said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., MUSC Health System CEO and Executive Vice President of Health Affairs, University. “MUSC is focused on empowering healthy communities. As an academic health system, we believe that providing accessible, high-quality health services for students and employees is crucial for fostering a supportive and thriving academic environment.”

Affiliation Agreement Highlights:

            • Formal partnership between Clemson, MUSC and MUHA to support health care delivery in the new facility

            • Initial operating term of seven years with five-year renewal options

            • Clemson will continue its current level of financial support for Student Health

Services for five years after opening

• After five years, both parties will negotiate mutually agreeable service fees
• Clemson plans to lease health-related academic space in the building, supporting teaching, research and programmatic needs, coterminous with the 30-year ground lease

ABOUT MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,100 students in six colleges and trains 950+ residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health and research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2024, for the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $7.1 billion. The 31,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research and patient care.

ABOUT CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

One of the most productive public research universities in the nation, Clemson University enrolls 28,747 students across the State of South Carolina and has an endowment of over $1 billion. The University operates Extension offices in every county of the state and has five Innovation Campuses and six Research and Education Center locations. Classified as an R1 — Very High Research University by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, Clemson is dedicated to teaching, research and service. Our main campus, located in Upstate South Carolina, sits on 1,400 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, along the shores of Lake Hartwell.

Through the research, outreach and entrepreneurial projects led by our faculty and students, Clemson University is driving economic development and improving quality of life in South Carolina and beyond. For more information about Clemson University, visit clemson.edu.