Warmack looks ahead as president completes 5 years

Claflin President Dwaun J. Warmack speaks to student reporters on April 9.

“It has been a remarkable run,” Claflin President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack said.

He spoke with student reporters April 9, reflecting on the 2023-24 academic year as well as his upcoming five-year benchmark as Claflin’s president.

“I am unapologetic while stating that I serve the most amazing students in this country, the most fantastic faculty and the most stellar staff, and an awesome alumni base,” Warmack said.

Warmack said a five-year review is in progress. “It's going to be a reflective piece on what we have been able to do here as a team.” 

It will include how “we've increased our endowment more than we have in 150 years, by probably about $39 million. We are roughly about $67 million today in endowment,” Warmack said.

Warmack is proud of there being no tuition increase during his tenure.

“I said in the first interview that I would do everything in my power not to raise tuition and we didn't do it for five years.” Circumstances will dictate whether an increase is in the future.

First appointed in 2019 as Claflin’s ninth president, Warmack said he is grateful for the work of those before him.

“I’m fortunate to stand on the shoulders of eight amazing leaders that came before me,” Warmack said. “We celebrate 155 years of existence here at Claflin this year and only to be the ninth president speaks volumes to who we are as an institution and who we are as a collective.”

Warmack said that retaining student satisfaction has always been his main goal. With the new student center complete, the university is shifting its focus to constructing new nursing and biotech buildings.

The president said he has tried not to give into the “white noise” of criticism. Addressing the ongoing issues around student safety and the plan to close a portion of Goff Avenue through the campus, he said it was the first matter to feel “personal” for him as the presidential residence is nearby.

“I am in the business of education, not politics,” Warmack said of the debate surrounding Orangeburg City Council’s decision on Goff.  “I have sworn to protect and serve every student that comes to this campus.” (The council OK’d the closure on April 16).

Warmack said a primary goal going forward is to see Claflin “be one of the top liberal arts institutions in the country, to be able to compete with every type of school in the country, to continue to increase our graduation rates, our retention rates and to ensure student satisfaction.” 

“When those things happen, our alumni participation continues to happen,” Warmack said. “Our alumni giving has continued to be top in the nation for 14 consecutive years.” 

 As for Warmack's work continuing at Claflin, he said, “I told the board that I was going to do 10 years, that was my goal." But a decision on the future is not his.

“I am doing God's work until God releases me,” Warmack said in calling his position a ministry. “What I am committed to doing is giving 175% every day to this institution.”