USC System Mission Statement

Approved by the Board of Trustees - October 13, 2023

Approved by SC Commission on Higher Education – December 18, 2023

Next Board of Trustees Scheduled Review - October 2027

The primary mission of the University of South Carolina System is to provide outstanding education, research, creative activity, community engagement, and service that drives community and economic impact for benefit of the state, nation, and world. This public university system serves students from its flagship Columbia campus, three comprehensive universities (Aiken, Beaufort, and Upstate), and four regional Palmetto College campuses (Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, and Union).

The University of South Carolina System offers degree programs at the associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral levels. Through classroom and laboratory instruction delivered in a variety of face-to-face and distance learning formats and modalities, degree programs are offered in the following areas:  arts and sciences; business; education; engineering and computing; hospitality, retail, and sport management; information and communications; law; medicine; music; nursing; pharmacy; public health; and social work.

The University of South Carolina System confers nearly 40% of all bachelor’s and graduate degrees awarded at public institutions in South Carolina, giving the system a profound relevance, reach, and impact on the people of the state. Through engagement in nationally and internationally recognized research, scholarship, service, and artistic creation, the University of South Carolina System imbues its students with the hallmarks of the highest-quality education, including the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for success and responsible citizenship in a complex and changing world.

USC Columbia Mission Statement 

Approved by the Board of Trustees - October 13, 2023

Approved by SC Commission on Higher Education – December 18, 2023

Next Board of Trustees Scheduled Review - October 2027

Mission Statement

The mission of the University of South Carolina Columbia is to educate students through outstanding teaching and to provide research, scholarship, and service that drives community and economic impact for the benefit of the state, nation, and world.

Description of the University

As the flagship institution of the USC system, our university is dedicated to pioneering innovative educational approaches that are attuned to the evolving needs of the workforce, ensuring that our graduates are not only well-prepared but also empowered to shape the future as engaged, global citizens. Through personalized learning journeys and an array of experiential opportunities, we equip our students with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in an ever-changing world. The University propels transformative research and discovery, elevates knowledge and culture, and pursues truth for an enhanced quality of life.

The University of South Carolina Columbia boasts its renowned campus where academic and professional ambitions come to life and where more than 200 years of collective history meet breakthrough academics and research that change the world in real time. The University of South Carolina Columbia is the major research institution of the university system and its largest campus serving a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate students with widely varying backgrounds and career goals. The university offers degrees at the bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional program levels, including some with global dimensions, affording students a comprehensive array of educational programs. The university provides additional opportunities for associate degrees through the regional Palmetto College campuses (Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, and Union). Personal and career development are also provided through outreach and continuing education.

To fulfill its mission, the University employs world-class faculty and staff members from diverse academic backgrounds. Through classroom and laboratory instruction delivered in a variety of face-to-face and distance learning modalities, degree programs are offered in the following areas: arts and sciences; business; education; engineering and computing; hospitality, retail, and sport management; information and communications; law; medicine; music; nursing; pharmacy; public health; and social work. Beyond the classroom, students engage in a variety of high-impact experiences that develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities to stimulate personal growth and a lifetime connection to the Carolinian community. The University is recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a top research and community engaged institution and confers over 30% of all bachelor’s and graduate degrees awarded at public institutions in South Carolina.

History

Chartered in 1801 as South Carolina College, the University of South Carolina was the first state university to be supported continuously by annual state appropriations. In the years before the Civil War, it rapidly achieved a reputation for academic excellence in the classical tradition and was known as one of the best endowed and most distinguished colleges in the United States. Its faculty included Francis Lieber, editor of the Encyclopedia Americana and author of On Civil Liberty and Self-Government; the nationally known scientists John and Joseph LeConte; and chemist William Ellet, who produced some of the first daguerreotypes in the United States. By the 1830s, distinguished alumni virtually filled the state’s General Assembly. James H. Hammond and Wade Hampton were the most prominent of a parade of future governors, senators, judges, and generals who graduated during the antebellum period.

The pre-Civil War campus included Longstreet Theatre and all the buildings in the area known today as the Horseshoe (with the exception of McKissick Museum). When the voluntary enlistment of all students into the Army of the Confederacy forced the college to close in June 1862, the buildings were used by the Confederate government as a hospital. By the time General Sherman’s army reached Columbia in February 1865, the hospital housed wounded Union soldiers as well. A fire soon started that destroyed most of the city, but federal troops helped save the campus buildings from the flames.

After reopening in 1865, the institution went through six reorganizations and name changes during the last decades of the 19th century, while legislators, administrators, and faculties reassessed the institution’s goals and struggled to define its mission. Finally in 1906, at the beginning of its second century, it was rechartered for the third, and last, time as the University of South Carolina, with a graduate school.

In sharp contrast to the South Carolina College’s antebellum, elitist philosophy, President William Davis Melton in 1925 expressed a far-reaching principle that had emerged in the first quarter of the century: “Education is not a special privilege to be enjoyed by a special few.” Thus, in its final reorganization, the University of South Carolina developed this institutional objective: to furnish both liberal and professional education to the people of South Carolina.

Efforts to achieve this objective were almost immediately hampered by the early arrival of the Great Depression in South Carolina. Enrollment declined, some courses were eliminated, and buildings went without repairs. The situation improved greatly in the late 1930s because of grants from federal New Deal agencies. Then America entered World War II, and the campus was virtually transformed into a naval training base, with payments from the Navy helping the school continue to function during the war years.

Fulfillment of the promise of the early years of the 20th century began in earnest in the 1950s. Since then, dynamic academic expansion and the development of a statewide network of campuses have produced highly diverse and innovative education programs. A commitment to graduate education along with involvement in major research programs has attracted an outstanding faculty. A master plan for the campus environment and buildings will preserve the historic campus atmosphere while providing new academic, residence, and campus life facilities.

Today, the University serves the entire state and includes, in addition to the Columbia campus, three four-year campuses (Aiken, Beaufort, and Upstate) and four regional campuses offering primarily two-year programs (Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, and Union). Enrollment on all campuses totals more than 40,000. Of these, more than 27,000 students are on the Columbia campus, about one-third of whom are enrolled in graduate and professional programs. The University offers more than 350 degree programs, including 11 programs of study for associate degrees, baccalaureate degrees in 140 areas, master’s degrees in 150 areas, doctoral degrees in 66 areas, and professional doctorates in law, medicine, and pharmacy. Many programs are nationally and internationally ranked, from the creative arts, liberal arts, health and physical sciences, to law, business, and engineering. Regional campuses primarily offer associate degrees to students who may earn 60 hours of credit applicable toward a baccalaureate degree program. The four-year campuses, in addition to basic courses, primarily offer programs leading to the baccalaureate degree. Graduate courses are also offered at more than 50 sites throughout the state under the Extended Graduate Campus program administered by the Columbia campus. Other programs are broadcast via closed-circuit television from studio classrooms on the Columbia campus and through the state’s ETV digital satellite network.

Coinciding with this statewide outreach program has been the establishment of the South Carolina Honors College on the Columbia campus. The college is designed to offer academically gifted undergraduates the finest advantages of a small college in the context of a large comprehensive university.

The University’s effort in the international area, particularly important to the state’s development of foreign trade and investment, continues to expand; academic exchange programs and research linkages have been established with European, African, and South American universities, as well as with China and Japan.

In keeping with both its 19th-century and its 20th-century heritage, the University continues to promote academic excellence while responding progressively to its educational responsibilities and the citizens of South Carolina. It has committed itself to earning a place in the Association of American Universities (AAU), which includes 60 of the finest institutions of higher learning in America. Pursuing this goal, the University aspires to build upon its commitment to enhancing not only our students’ knowledge, understanding, and economic viability, but also their sense of character, empathy, and mutual respect. Such ambitions and ideals were cornerstones of the original college and remain fundamental to the University’s purpose in South Carolina and in society.

Accreditation

The University of South Carolina Columbia is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees.  The regional Palmetto College campuses (Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, and Union) are branch campuses of the University of South Carolina Columbia; the branch campuses’ accreditation is dependent on the continued accreditation of the University of South Carolina Columbia. Questions about the accreditation of the University of South Carolina Columbia may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, by calling 404-679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org). 

In addition to this comprehensive accreditation, the professional schools on the Columbia campus are individually accredited by their respective associations as follows:

College of Arts and Sciences: In the Department of Psychology, the graduate degrees in clinical-community psychology are accredited by the American Psychological Association; graduate degrees in school psychology are accredited by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the National Association of School Psychologists with the doctoral program also being accredited by the American Psychological Association. The Master of Public Administration degree offered by the Department of Political Science is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. The Department of Theatre and Dance is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre and the University/Resident Theatre Association. The Department of Art is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The Department of Chemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society.

Moore School of Business and the School of Accounting: American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.

College of Education: National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Other Related Educational Programs.

Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing: ABET, http://www.abet.org, accredits university programs in engineering and computing.

School of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management: Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration.

Joseph F. Rice School of Law: American Bar Association, Association of American Law Schools.

College of Information and Communications: The School of Journalism and Mass Communications is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. The School of Library and Information Science is accredited by the American Library Association.

School of Medicine: Liaison Committee on Medical Education of the American Medical Association—Association of American Medical Colleges.

School of Music: National Association of Schools of Music.

College of Nursing: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

College of Pharmacy: American Council on Pharmaceutical Education.

Arnold School of Public Health: Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Education for Public Health, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification.

College of Social Work: Council on Social Work Education.

University Officials

Board of Trustees

Henry McMaster, Governor of South Carolina, Ex Officio Chair
C. Dorn Smith III, M.D., 3rd Judicial Circuit, Chair
Thad H. Westbrook, 11th Judicial Circuit, Vice Chair
C. Dan Adams, Gubernatorial Designee 
J. Egerton Burroughs, 15th Judicial Circuit
Alex English, 5th Judicial Circuit
C. Edward Floyd, 12th Judicial Circuit
Brian C. Harlan, 8th Judicial Circuit
Richard A. Jones, Jr., Gubernatorial Appointee
Toney J. Lister, 7th Judicial Circuit
Miles Loadholt, 2nd Judicial Circuit
Hubert F. "Hugh" Mobley, 6th Judicial Circuit
Leah B. Moody, 16th Judicial Circuit
Emma W. Morris, 10th Judicial Circuit
Rose Buyck Newton, 14th Judicial Circuit
Robin D. Roberts, USC Alumni Association President
Molly M. Spearman, State Superintendent of Education
John C. von Lehe Jr., Chairman Emeritus
Eugene P. Warr, Jr., 4th Judicial Circuit, 
Mack I. Whittle, Jr., 13th Judicial Circuit
Charles H. Williams II, 1st Judicial Circuit
L. Cameron Howell IV, Ph.D., Secretary

Board of Trustees Office

Osborne Administrative Building
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
Phone: 803-777-3106
Email: trustees@sc.edu
Website: https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/board_of_trustees/index.php

Administrative Officers 

Michael Amiridis, President
Donna Arnett, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Ed Walton, Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer
Stacy Fritz, Chief of Staff
Larry Thomas, Vice President for Communications
Michelle Dodenhoff, Vice President for Development
Julian R. Williams, Vice President for Access, Civil Rights and Community Engagement 
Caroline Agardy, Vice President for Human Resources
Beth Brigdon, Interim Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
Julius Fridriksson, Vice President for Research
J. Rex Tolliver, Vice President for Student Affairs and Academic Support
Scott Verzyl, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Dean of Undergraduate Admissions
Bill Kirkland, Executive Director of the Office of Innovation, Partnership, and Economic Engagement
Walter “Terry” Parham, General Counsel and Executive Director of Compliance Programs
Ray Tanner, Director of Athletics

Academic and Support Services

Libraries

Detailed instruction concerning the use of library facilities is provided both in English 101 as well as in tours offered by the library’s Reference Department. A library guide, which gives information about library services, is available upon request.

Thomas Cooper Library (Greene Street). This library, which opened in June 1976, contains all of the University library collections in Columbia except those located in the South Caroliniana Library, Coleman Karesh Law Library, Mathematics Library, Music Library, Springs Business Library, and Medical Library. Thomas Cooper Library seats approximately 2,500 readers. Included in the seating are more than 900 private, locked facilities for faculty and graduate students involved in research and 40 study rooms seating up to four persons each. The library has three classrooms for use by librarians and other faculty on a limited basis. Two of the rooms are modern multimedia classrooms funded by the University 101 program and used primarily for the library instruction module of UNIV 101. A more traditional classroom is also available for library-related instruction and individual class sessions as requested.

Special areas in the library include the student Computer Lab, the Government Information Department and the Map Library on Level 5, the Science Library on Level 4, the Educational Films Collection on Level 3, and Rare Books and Special Collections on the Mezzanine Level. Access to the collections is obtained through the library’s Online Catalog with terminals located throughout the building.

The library provides multiple research databases that are available via the Web to the University community from both on and off campus. Librarians provide assistance with these resources in person as well as via phone, via e-mail, and online. The Center for Adaptive Technology located in the Computer Lab in the Thomas Cooper Library has four PCs, a Braille embosser, a tactile graphics-capable Braille embosser, screen readers, screen magnifiers, two scanners with OCR translation software, a CCTV, plus other hardware and software for students with disabilities.

Special Collections, Thomas Cooper Library. The department’s foundation stone is the collection of the South Carolina College, assembled by the University between 1801 and 1860. The collections have expanded vastly in recent years. Prominent areas of research strength include English and American literature, historical children’s literature, the Civil War, and natural history and science, including the John J. Audubon Collection and the Claudia Lea Phelps Camelia Collection.

Gift collections of international repute include:

• G. Ross Roy Collection of Robert Burns, Burnsiana, and Scottish Literature: Dr. G. Ross Roy, Curator
• John Osman Collection of Braun and Hogenberg City Views
• Matthew J. and Arlyn Bruccoli Collection of F. Scott Fitzgerald
• C. Warren Irvin Jr. Collection of Charles Darwin and Darwiniana: Dr. C. Warren Irvin Jr., Honorary Curator
• Anthony P. Campanella Collection of Giuseppe Garibaldi: Dr. Anthony P. Campanella, Honorary Curator
• Augusta Baker Collection of African-American Children’s Literature and Folklore
• James Willard Oliver Collection of David Hume
• Joseph Heller Archive
• James Ellroy Archive
• Speiser and Easterling Hallman Foundation Collection of Ernest Hemingway
• Joel Myerson Collection of Nineteenth-Century American Literature: Dr. Joel Myerson, Curator.

Springs Business Library (Close-Hipp Building, 2nd Floor). A circulating collection of business books plus a collection of noncirculating financial, labor, and tax services; corporation annual reports; textbooks; and periodicals. Multiple business indexes are available via the Web, including Business Source Premier, a full-text database that covers most areas of business, including management, economics, finance, accounting, and international business. The reserve reading collection for all courses in business and economics is located in the library. The library is available to all USC students.

Coleman Karesh Law Library (Law Center). A noncirculating collection serving the research and study needs of the students and faculty of the Joseph F. Rice School of Law in the field of Anglo-American law.

Mathematics Library (LeConte, 3rd floor). A collection of books and journals in the subject area of pure mathematics serving the research needs of the mathematics department. Available to all USC students.

Medical Library (V.A. Campus). A special collection serving the research and study needs of the students and faculty of the medical school. Available to all USC students.

Music Library (School of Music Building, 2nd Floor). A collection including more than 90,000 books and scores, 135 periodical subscriptions, more than 60,000 sound recordings in all formats, and more than 300 videos, laser discs, and DVDs. Thirty-two carrels are equipped for remote viewing and listening. The International Index to Music Periodicals, RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, and the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd edition) are available online via the Web. Available to all USC students.

South Caroliniana Library (Horseshoe). Largest collection in the world of South Carolina material. Includes books, pamphlets, newspapers, maps, and manuscripts relating to South Carolina and the South.

Research Bureaus and Institutes

Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences. The institute is a leader in research of coastal ecosystems, with research ranging from the molecular to the landscape level of organization. Assessing impacts of human activities is an integral part of many of the studies. Using a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the complexity of coastal and marine environments, we bring together researchers in many fields. These include the sciences and disciplines such as geography, economics, environmental health, policy, statistics, and geographic information processing and remote sensing technologies. We provide students with opportunities to pursue their research interests, welcome visiting researchers and classes, and offer educational programs for university and secondary-school faculty and students, state and federal agency personnel, nongovernmental organizations, and the general public. The institute was established in 1969 through the joint efforts of the Belle W. Baruch Foundation and the University of South Carolina. A freestanding entity within the College of Arts and Sciences, the institute has headquarters and laboratory facilities on the University’s main campus in Columbia and a 25,000-square-foot laboratory located on Hobcaw Barony, near Georgetown, S.C.

Center for Disability Resources/UCEDD. The Center for Disability Resources (CDR), a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD), is an interdisciplinary training program of the Department of Pediatrics. The CDR receives administrative and operational support from the University of South Carolina and a federal grant awarded under P.L. 106-402, Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities. Through interdisciplinary training, exemplary services, technical assistance, and information dissemination activities, the CDR identifies and uses the vast resources within institutions of higher education to improve the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and their families as well as other citizens of our state.

Center for Electrochemical Engineering. The Center for Electrochemical Engineering (CEE) was created July 1, 1995, within the Department of Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of South Carolina. Its mission is to provide a means for students, faculty, and industrial researchers to interact on projects that involve electrochemical science and engineering. The CEE is dedicated to the integrated study of fuel cells, hydrogen storage, batteries, supercapacitors, corrosion and corrosion protection, and electrodeposition of metal alloys and composites. The CEE serves as a focal point for the development (system identification, specific cell design, engineering, testing, and evaluation) of new power source technologies, novel corrosion protection strategies, and environmentally friendly coatings.

Center for Health Promotion and Risk Reduction in Special Populations. The Center for Health Promotion and Risk Reduction in Special Populations is housed in the College of Nursing. The purpose of the center is to provide the infrastructure to develop a critical mass of investigators to study problems related to the center focus, to promote and support interdisciplinary collaboration in research, and to develop and initiate mechanisms to disseminate research findings into the scientific community, clinical practice, and health care policy. The center supports the College of Nursing’s long-range goal to conduct interdisciplinary research, which builds knowledge in the science of health promotion and risk reduction in special populations.

Center for Information Technology. The center establishes the University of South Carolina as a leader in the research and development of advanced information systems. Under the broad themes of agent-based software systems and information security, researchers at the center are investigating multiagent systems, information awareness and security, ontological engineering, service-oriented computing, and computational intelligence, with applications to enterprise integration, executive decision support, and agent-based software development. The center is part of an ongoing effort at USC to increase information systems security awareness and develop high-quality education and research in this area, with a goal of becoming one of the leading academic institutions in information security education. The center serves as a focal point for the University’s research, public service, and education efforts in these important new areas of technology, providing well-qualified scientists and engineers and an educational and research capability that meets the needs of industry and government.

Center for Mass Communications Research. Located in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, the Center for Mass Communications Research engages faculty and graduate students in a wide range of studies for individual and organizational clients involving the processes and effects of mass communication, including audience analysis, readership studies, content analysis, advertising and public relations effectiveness research, communication surveys, polls, samples, and other studies involving consumer and organizational behavior. The center also participates in interdisciplinary studies, especially externally funded projects that involve the communication aspects of scientific research. In addition, the center sponsors conferences and symposia of state, regional, and national interest to mass communications industries and scholars. The center works collaboratively with the College of Mass Communications and Information Studies Office of Research.

Center for Mechanics, Materials, and Nondestructive Evaluation. The statewide center serves as a focus for research in solid mechanics, material science, fracture mechanics, nondestructive evaluation, and advanced joining methods. The center is supported by the Southeastern Electron Microscopy Center, which houses SEM, TEM, STEM, and optical microscopy facilities for microstructural evaluation. With the recent addition of the Advanced Materials Institute, which focuses on industrially relevant research in the area of friction stir joining, the center’s research projects span a spectrum from basic science to industry applications. Areas of expertise include materials characterization, dynamic and static mechanical testing, structural analysis, state-of-the-art noncontacting strain measurement methods, advanced numerical simulations, and fracture mechanics. Facilities include sophisticated mechanical test capabilities (including high-vacuum environmental chambers and dynamic loading systems), optical strain analysis equipment for field and laboratory use, novel nanoscale measurement capability including AFM- and SEM-based systems, and a unique friction stir welding process for manufacturing joints under controlled conditions.

Center for Nursing Leadership. The Center for Nursing Leadership is an interdisciplinary center housed in the College of Nursing. The purpose of the center is to develop and advance dynamic nurse leaders in practice, education, and service and provide the structure to continually build the leadership capacity of nurses. Program development and evaluation, seminars, workshops, and consultation are provided to enrich the leadership opportunities for nursing faculty, clinical practitioners, nursing students, and other professionals. It also serves as a forum for local, regional, and national nurse leaders, other health care professionals, and public policy leaders to engage in shaping the future of nursing, the delivery of health care, and the design and implementation of health policy.

Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE). The primary purpose of the center is to research clinical, economic, and humanistic outcomes related to the utilization of pharmaceutical products and services. The center strives to cultivate an interdisciplinary research environment, which blends expertise and interest from academia, industry, and government. Currently the center is being restructured and is inactive.

Center for Retailing. The University of South Carolina’s Department of Retailing has a goal of becoming the outstanding, comprehensive educational center for retailing education in the world. The department seeks innovative, entrepreneurial initiatives that will serve students while simultaneously benefiting the retail community. One of the major opportunities to accomplish these goals while working closely with colleagues is the Center for Retailing. The Center for Retailing has been developed to support the academic programs and faculty through outreach and research while serving as a resource to the retail community. The ultimate goal of the center is to become a clearinghouse for research in the areas of retail technology and international retailing. The center is supported by founding partners, including Wal-Mart, Miller Brewing Company, Fairchild Books, JDA Software, BIG Research, and Retail Forward.

Center for Science Education. The center, administered as part of the College of Arts and Sciences, coordinates content area aspects of pre-service and in-service science and mathematics teacher training. The center coordinates instruction in all sciences and mathematics, ranging from one-hour in-service presentations through formal, graduate-level course offerings, to multiyear program development. The center draws upon the expertise of science and mathematics faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences and science and mathematics education faculty in the College of Education to provide these services. The goal of the center is the improvement of the quality of instruction in the sciences and mathematics from the elementary-school level through the post-secondary-school level, or K-16.

Division of Research, Moore School of Business. An integral part of the Moore School of Business, the division publishes analyses of significant business and economic problems in its Business & Economic Review and Economic Indicators series. Through its programs the division facilitates research by students and faculty members and encourages the use of economic data by regional businesses and public groups. The division also conducts special research projects for both private and public organizations and sponsors an annual Economic Outlook Conference that features the latest economic forecast from the division’s South Carolina Economic Forecasting Service. All of the division’s research is available to the public.

Earth Sciences and Resources Institute (ESRI-USC). The institute conducts environmental studies primarily integrating geology, hydrology, and geochemistry with advanced computer applications for subsurface characterization, prediction of groundwater flow and solute transport, and agricultural and nonpoint source studies. Applied research programs focus on both site-specific and regional scale hydrogeologic studies that involve field, laboratory, and modeling activities. A key component of the institute’s groundwater research is the use of geophysical techniques to describe the geologic framework of groundwater systems and to determine the extent of groundwater contamination. The institute uses geographic information system (GIS) capabilities for managing large spatially-oriented databases and modeling diverse geographic data.

Funding for the environmental research program comes from both public and private sources. The U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, Argonne National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state agencies, and several environmental consulting firms have recently supported environmental earth science research within the institute.

The institute contributes to the academic mission of the University of South Carolina through its contribution to the Master’s in Earth and Environmental Resources Management (MEERM) program administered by the School of the Environment. This graduate degree program was initiated in the late 1980s to expand the business- and management-related expertise of technically oriented individuals. The MEERM program offers expanded opportunities to pursue environmental-related course work while maintaining its focus on integrating business and technical decision making. ESRI-USC plays a key role in the MEERM program through teaching, graduate student research opportunities, and graduate student advisement. ESRI-USC also provides many educational opportunities apart from the MEERM program through the availability of graduate research assistantships, summer intern programs, and undergraduate hourly employment. The institute is committed to providing high-quality research opportunities in earth and environmental sciences for graduate and undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina.

The environmental research capabilities of the Earth Sciences and Resources Institute are expanding to meet the increasing need for better understanding of subsurface phenomena. In that regard, the institute is providing state-of-the-science solutions to the environmental challenges before us.

Electron Microscopy Center. Administered as a part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the center is open to USC faculty members and students for training and research in analytical microscopy imaging and microanalysis of materials.

The center is equipped with three transmission electron microscopes (TEMs), including a high-resolution JEM 2100F TEM; three scanning electron microscopes with X-ray microanalysis systems; a wavelength dispersive electron microprobe; a two-photon laser confocal microscope; four ultra microtomes; and other modern equipment necessary for material studies.

Institute for Families in Society (IFS). The Institute for Families in Society seeks to enhance the well-being of families in society through research, education, technical assistance, and consultation at community, state, national, and international levels. The institute’s interdisciplinary group of scholars, researchers, and learners believes that this mission can be accomplished best through collaboration with community groups, social institutions, and government.

The institute advances the mission of the University by integrating the talents of various academic units concerned with family issues while creating bridges among public- and private-sector groups concerned with strengthening families. Working with partners outside the University, the institute

• studies the strengths, needs, and functions of families in a changing society;
• focuses on families who face special risks or challenges (e.g. poverty, disparities, disabilities, violence, or chronic mental or physical illness);
• evaluates how interventions affect families and their members throughout the life span;
• informs policy makers and communities about culturally competent effective practices, programs, and policies.

The Richard L. Walker Institute of International and Area Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences serves as an interdisciplinary research and public-service unit of the University.

The Walker Institute was founded in 1961 and is the principal unit in the University for promoting research, scholarship, and public-service programs in international affairs and the comparative cross-cultural study of human societies as well as for encouraging and facilitating related teaching and public-service activities.

The institute works in cooperation with faculty and research units in various colleges and departments of the University to facilitate research on public policy issues. It provides consultative and training services and undertakes special research projects for governmental and nongovernmental organizations, foundations, and public sector agencies.

Incorporated within the institute are the programs in African studies, Asian studies, European studies, Islamic studies, Latin American studies, and Russian studies, as well as the Association for Research on Ethnicity and Nationalism in the Americas (ARENA).

Institute for Public Service and Policy Research. The institute is an interdisciplinary research and public service unit of the University of South Carolina. Its principal purpose is to address current and emerging issues relating to matters of public policy, governance, and leadership through research, educational activities, publications, and direct assistance programs. The goal of the institute is to improve the quality of social, political, environmental, and economic life, with a primary focus on South Carolina. The institute is composed of several programs, including Environmental Research and Service, Survey Research, Governmental Research and Service, the S.C. Semester Program, the Washington Semester Program, and the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities.

Institute for Southern Studies. The institute coordinates academic research and public service to further the understanding of South Carolina and the South. Although the institute is administratively located within the College of Arts and Sciences, its interdisciplinary emphasis calls for a working relationship with departments and colleges throughout the University. Funding assistance and research fellowships are often provided to community officials as well as out-of-state and foreign scholars studying the many different aspects of Southern culture. In addition, the institute provides information upon request and works closely with other educational institutions within the state. Public programs, publications, scholarly research, and undergraduate courses of study are sponsored by the institute.

Institute for Tourism Research. The institute is administered as part of the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management with the purpose of developing research, education, and service programs for South Carolina’s largest industry—tourism. Among other endeavors, the institute conducts studies in the following areas: feasibility, needs assessment, market segmentation, position analysis, image and advertising effectiveness, visitor profile analysis, and economic impact. At the state, national, and international levels, the aforementioned research enables the institute to provide information to government, industry, and community leaders through publications, workshops, and consultancy.

The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. The center and the University 101 Program at the University of South Carolina form one functionally integrated academic unit. The center’s mission is to support and advance efforts to improve student learning and transitions into and through higher education. The center achieves this mission by providing opportunities for the exchange of practical and theory-based information and ideas through the convening of conferences, teleconferences, institutes, and workshops; publishing monographs, a peer-reviewed journal, an electronic newsletter, guides, and books; generating and supporting research and scholarship; hosting visiting scholars; and hosting a Web site and electronic listservs. As one academic unit, the center and University 101 report to the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.

The Riegel and Emory Human Resource Research Center. The Riegel and Emory Human Resource Research Center was founded in January 1982 through the generosity of Riegel Textile Corp. and the family of the late Mr. German H.H. Emory, former chair of Riegel. The basic objectives of the center are:

• to conduct research in motivation and satisfaction of workers
• to dignify work and the worker
• to emphasize human values in the workplace
• to enhance skills of management
• to encourage higher levels of cooperation in the workplace
• to preserve the values of the free market system.

The center staff and faculty believe that scholarly research is most useful when practitioners, whom the research results might benefit, are involved in formulating the design and carrying out the research. Thus, center staff work closely with an advisory board made up primarily of business executives in determining the problems needing attention and the approaches that offer the most promise. The center also sponsors periodic executive conferences at which faculty and senior human resource practitioners review the center’s research findings and discuss current human resource needs.

South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA). The institute is a full-time research facility and state agency within the University with professional and support staff and facilities for field and laboratory research on a year-round schedule. Under the S.C. Code of Laws (60-13-210 and 54-7-610 et seq.), it has a dual responsibility for service research programs for the state and for academic research programs for the University.

SCIAA has some 60 employees (with an additional 10 graduate and undergraduate student employees) in its Columbia, Aiken, and Charleston offices among its research, cultural resource consulting, and administrative divisions; the Office of the State Archaeologist; the Office of the State Underwater Archeologist; and the Savannah River Archaeological Research Program.

The Underwater Archaeology Division administers some 475 hobby licenses yearly and issues salvage licenses for the recovery of cultural resources located beneath the state’s navigable waters. The institute has the Western Hemisphere’s largest water-logged wood conservation tank and is currently treating numerous cannons, ships, canoes, and other artifacts from around the state.

The service programs under the Office of the State Archaeologist deal with environmental impact archaeology and historic preservation within the same theoretical and methodological concepts of scholarly excellence as the academic programs supported by the University and by grants. The research division of the institute is also excavating, with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Defense/USMC, the 1560s and 1570s Spanish colonial capital of Santa Elena and the French Huguenot site of Charlesfort on the U.S. Marine Corps base at Parris Island, S.C.

The institute is responsible for the statewide inventory of 21,500 archaeological sites, for the curation of all state of South Carolina prehistoric and historic archaeological collections (now amounting to 29,000 cubic feet), and for the synthesis of all research data available concerning the prehistoric and historic archaeology and anthropology of the state, both on land and beneath the waters. This pursuit of research leads to an understanding of the 12,000 or more years of cultural development in South Carolina. The institute sponsors conferences, interdisciplinary studies, avocational societies, and visiting scholars; trains students in research; has an extensive publication program; and has an extensive contracts and grants program. The institute, within the University of South Carolina, participates in numerous University activities, scholarly events, and programs and works cooperatively with other universities to further archaeological and anthropological research.

The South Carolina University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (S.C. UCEDD). The S.C. UCEDD is an interdisciplinary training program of the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine. The S.C. UCEDD receives administrative support from the University of South Carolina and a federal grant awarded under P.L. 106-402, Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities. Through interdisciplinary training, exemplary direct services, exemplary services, and information/dissemination activities, the S.C. UCEDD identifies and utilizes the vast resources within institutions of higher education to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, their families, and other citizens of our state.

The term “developmental disabilities” includes severe, chronic disabilities due to mental and/or physical impairment that become manifest early in life, result in substantial functional limitation, and require long-term coordinated, specialized services.

University Technology Services

University Technology Services (UTS), under the direction of the Division of Information Technology and the chief information officer, provides centralized and distributed computing and telecommunications for academic, research, and administrative use to support the University’s mission and meet the needs of the faculty, staff, and students at the University of South Carolina. UTS provides computing, telecommunications, networking, data security, video transport, Web services, customer support, desktop and server support, installation and maintenance of technology infrastructure, policies and procedures, software licensing and distribution, planning, partnerships, applications development, and support to operational systems that serve the USC community.

For more information, call the University Technology Services Help Desk at 803-777-1800 or go online. UTS offers computer support for the University community.

McKissick Museum

McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina, accredited by the American Association of Museums, is located at the head of the historic Horseshoe. Remodeled in 1976 to serve as a center for the University’s museums, art gallery, and archives, McKissick was formerly the central library at USC. In order to “tell the story of Southern life, culture, and community,” the museum administers a broad range of activities. Exhibitions and collections include: Southern folk art; works by state and regional artists; artifacts relating to the University’s history, the history of South Carolina, and the material culture of the South; and the Bernard Baruch Silver Collection. The Howard Gemstone Collection, which is part of one of the finest collections of minerals in the Southeast; the extensive Ferillo political campaign memorabilia collection; and the South Carolina Folk Arts Resource Center are also parts of McKissick Museum. Art, history, and science traveling exhibitions are offered as well as exhibitions based on the permanent collections and faculty research interests. Special cultural events and other educational activities are also regularly scheduled. McKissick also administers a graduate-level certificate program in museum management.

University of South Carolina Press

The University of South Carolina Press shares the University’s central missions—to advance knowledge and to enrich the state’s cultural heritage. Established in 1944, it is one of the oldest publishing houses in the South. With more than 1,500 books published, the press is important in enhancing the scholarly reputation and worldwide visibility of the University of South Carolina. The press publishes in a variety of disciplines, including history (African American, American, Civil War, maritime, Southern, and women’s), contemporary literature, regional studies, religious studies, rhetoric, and social work. The press now has more than 600 titles in print and publishes approximately 50 new books annually.

Fellowships and Scholar Programs

The Office of Fellowships and Scholar Programs was established in 1994 to provide innovative education initiatives for academically talented students. Reporting to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, the staff of the office facilitates the pursuit of nationally prestigious fellowships by University students and coordinates an enhanced University experience for the Carolina and McNair Scholars. The involvement and leadership of these scholars make them prime candidates for national fellowships and scholarships. In addition to the scholars, other high achieving students are identified, recruited, and advised to compete for such prestigious scholarships as the Rhodes, Truman, Marshall, Rotary, NSF, Fulbright, Mellon, Udall, and Goldwater. Once identified, students are provided support and assistance in every aspect of candidacy, such as selecting appropriate courses, completing applications, writing essays, and interviewing. Although the ultimate goal is for University students to be awarded these competitive and prestigious scholarships, the preparation process for potential scholars is designed to be developmental and thus rewarding in and of itself. This program is available for qualified University students.

The coordination of scholar programs is also assigned to this unit. Scholar programs provide an enhanced University experience for Carolina and McNair Scholarship recipients through programs, communication, and student group advisement. An advisory committee representing a wide range of academic and administrative units on campus assists the operations of the office. The office is located in Room 220 of Legare College on the USC Horseshoe.

Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support

The Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support focuses on the promotion of the intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual, cultural and social development of students and educators, thus preparing them for a life of learning, service, and engagement. The division collaborates with campus and external constituents to provide access, facilitate students’ progress and persistence, and advance learning at the University of South Carolina and in the higher education community.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of myriad opportunities to develop leadership, academic success skills, personal physical and emotional wellness, multicultural perspectives, life goals, and personal and civic responsibility, among many others. Such opportunities reflect the university’s mission and philosophy of multifaceted learning and development that occurs in and beyond the classroom, in the community, and around the globe.

Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Academic Common Market

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Academic Common Market (ACM) enables students from specific states to pursue eligible out-of-state programs at a reduced tuition rate. Students must apply for ACM in order to receive the ACM tuition reduction for a future term. Once USC approval is granted, students must remain in their USC ACM approved major, remain fully and continuously enrolled each major term (Fall/Spring), and must maintain good academic standing. 

Beginning Fall 2019, new ACM students that wish to declare a dual/double major may only choose majors which are ACM-eligible for their state of residence. ACM students that change their major from their primary USC ACM approved major will lose their USC ACM tuition reduction. Current students with non ACM-eligible dual/double majors will be grandfathered in under the same major for five (5) years from the first term of enrollment at USC. Current students who change their USC ACM approved major will lose their USC ACM tuition reduction. More information is available on our Maintaining ACM page. 

Student Health Center

Student Health Services offers general medical and urgent care; women’s care; lab, radiology and pharmacy services; an allergy, immunization and travel clinic; sports medicine and physical therapy clinics; counseling and psychiatric services; wellness and prevention programs; and sexual assault and violence intervention and prevention services. The student health fee, which is paid through tuition each semester, covers the cost of some but not all services at Student Health Services.

Student Ombudspersons

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Ombudspersons serve as a resource for addressing student problems and concerns.

• Dale Moore, Graduate Student Ombudsman, Byrnes Building, Suite 301
• Lisa Jerald, Undergraduate Student Ombudperson, Osborne Administration Building, Room 110

State-specific student complaint procedures are available on the USC State Authorization website.

Distributed Learning

The Office of Distributed Learning provides support for students pursuing degrees and taking courses using alternative delivery methods. Students can search for online courses and find information about online programs, test proctoring, and other services at: www.sc.edu/onlinecourses.

Professional Licensure Information

State boards of professional licensure and certification may limit distributed learning and/or experiential learning activities outside of South Carolina for programs leading to professional licensure. Information for each program leading to professional licensure is found in the Professional Licensure Outcomes statement. Students should contact the appropriate state licensing board for detailed rules regarding distributed learning (online coursework) or experiential learning in the state prior to enrolling or engaging in online or on-the-ground coursework outside of South Carolina.