Clemson University president Jim Clements
Photo courtesy of Clemson University
New York
Clemson University’s president on Saturday said his decision to suddenly retire had nothing to do with an ongoing controversy surrounding a local development project and his potential conflicts of interest with it.
Jim Clements, Clemson’s president since 2013, has been criticized in recent months by local officials for his role on the board of United Housing Group, a Columbia-based company that had proposed a large development project in Oconee County, which is one county over from Pickens County, where Clemson University is located.
Oconee County councilman Matthew Durham has criticized Clemson for what he sees as a conflict of interest with the company and the project, which has drawn skepticism at a local level because of possible unwanted growth and traffic.
Clements and university board of trustees member Nikki Haley (the former governor of South Carolina) both sat on UHG’s board of directors and financially benefited from their stakes in the company, per Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Clements and Haley both stepped down from their positions as UHG board members on Oct. 20, around the time Durham, the Oconee County councilman, started asking tough questions and producing public records that he claims show high levels of coordination between the university and UHG.
Clemson has denied any affiliation, financial stake or involvement in the project, which is called the Newry Project (or Clemson West, per some emails) and would feature 5,200 homes and a Clemson satellite campus. The project isn’t being supported by UHG but by a group Durham says is affiliated with UHG.
Amid pressure surrounding that project and alleged conflicts of interest, Clements, who signed a five-year contract extension last fall, announced on Dec. 9 that he’d retire at the end of the 2025 calendar year.
The news came out of the blue. But in his first media appearance since his retirement, Clements said his decision to step away from his presidency for a one-year sabbatical before returning to Clemson as a teacher had nothing to do with the controversy surrounding the project or outside pressure.
Clements was at Yankee Stadium for Clemson football’s Pinstripe Bowl vs. Penn State on Saturday afternoon and participated in a pregame news conference. Afterward, The State asked Clements if the controversy surrounding his UHG affiliation and the project played a role in his retirement.
“No,” Clements said. “No, no, no.”
So, what went into his decision?
“Well, I’ve been doing it for 17 years,” Clements said. “So eventually, after 17 years, you kind of go, ‘Wait a minute, how long am I gonna keep doing this?’ And for me, I needed a break for my health, wanted to spend more time with my family. So that was the decision.”
Clements, who was previously the president at West Virginia, said his decision was “bittersweet.” He also confirmed that he’ll return to Clemson as a professor after a one-year sabbatical and teach students at the university.
Clements was making about $1.5 million annually in his role as president.
“It was a really hard decision,” Clements said Saturday. “I love Clemson. I love my job, but I just needed a break. And so I’m honored to be here for my last bowl game. I love athletics. I love what it does for Clemson … I’m not going anywhere, but really honored to have been a part of something special.”
Clemson, in a statement to media outlets this fall, said that “at no point has the University provided funding for, partnered on or endorsed the planning or construction of any residential development related to this proposal.”
The school has appointed a presidential search committee to find Clements’ replacement. Clemson provost Bob Jones will serve as interim president during the search after Clements formally retires from his role Dec. 31.
Durham, the Oconee County councilman, said he’ll continue filing FOIA requests and pushing for transparency from Clemson leaders about their involvement in the project as a service to his constituents in Upstate South Carolina.
“In my view, it’s a serious conflict-of-interest concern when the leadership of a rapidly expanding state-funded university serves on the very boards of corporations profiting from that explosive growth,” wrote Durham, who has asked state elected leaders to investigate Clemson’s possible connections.
This story was originally published December 27, 2025 at 12:05 PM.
Chapel Fowler, the NSMA’s 2024 South Carolina Sportswriter of the Year, has covered Clemson football and other topics for The State since summer 2022. His work’s also been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, the South Carolina Press Association and the North Carolina Press Association. He’s a Denver, N.C., native, a UNC-Chapel Hill alum and a pickup basketball enthusiast.
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