ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) -- The president of South Carolina State University calls completion of the school's transportation research and conference center his highest priority, although there has been little progress on building it.

The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg reports that S.C. State president George Cooper said he wants to get the center done as soon as possible. But Rep. Jim Clyburn, whose name will be on the building, has said he thinks "very little" of the progress made on the building so far.

The multifaceted project had a ceremonial groundbreaking in October 2005, but there has been no vertical construction on the Clyburn Center so far. The site work -- which includes clearing land, roads and removing existing infrastructure -- for the project has recently been completed.

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Information from: The Times & Democrat, http://www.timesanddemocrat.com

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