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 Sumter 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 Sumter regional Palmetto College campus is a branch campus of the University of South Carolina Columbia. Sumter has as its mission to provide higher education and intellectual leadership, contributing to the primary mission of the University of South Carolina System so stated as “outstanding education, research, creative activity, community engagement, and service that drives community and economic impact or the benefit of the state, nation, and world.” At the heart of this mission is a teaching faculty of high quality dedicated to excellence in instruction, scholarship, public and professional service, and creative endeavor which enrich the classroom experience. The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus offers a varied curriculum grounded in the liberal arts and focused on preparing students to continue their education in the University of South Carolina System and throughout life.

The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus recruits students prepared to succeed in completing a baccalaureate‐ level education. While the institution does not offer remedial instruction, it is nonetheless able to admit most students who apply due to the close working relationship between students and faculty. The original design of the institution incorporated a flexibility that has allowed changes in institutional capability with increasing educational demands of constituents.

Through classroom and laboratory instruction delivered in a variety of face-to-face and distance learning formats and modalities, the institution awards the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees and provides for the completion of selected bachelor’s degrees on campus through cooperative agreements and delivery structures with other University of South Carolina System institutions. The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus also provides general education and upper division coursework applicable to baccalaureate degree programs offered through colleges and universities nationwide. In addition to academic coursework, the mission of the campus includes noncredit courses, seminars, and workshops made available to the community for cultural enrichment and professional development.

The traditions of cultural diversity and freedom of thought are valued at the Sumter regional Palmetto College campus. In a learning environment that develops respect for racial, geographical, intellectual, and economic diversity and an awareness of individual, societal, and global responsibilities, Sumter promotes courses, activities, and attitudes that instill in students a thirst to continue learning throughout life.

The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus emphasizes the development of the whole person and especially seeks to foster in students the disciplines essential to an educated citizenry. Core competencies, including the ability to communicate through effective writing and articulate speech; computational and quantitative mastery; creative and critical thinking; and the duties of citizenship are strategically integrated within the curriculum. Classroom experiences, student activities, and physical education programs also provide opportunities for cultural enrichment, leadership development, intellectual growth and interpersonal relationships, all contributing to a sense of self‐reliance and a joy of learning.

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). 

USC System 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

Mid-Carolina Commission for Higher Education

Kay Oldhouser Davis – Chair
John Brabham – Vice-Chair
Robert B Smith – Treasurer
Isaac Carr – Member/Sumter
Angus McDuffie – Member/Sumter
Grady Brown – Member/Lee
August J. “GG” Cutter – Member/Clarendon

Sumter Partnership of the USC Educational Foundation

William Dwayne “Chip” Chase, President
Paul E. Robbins, Treasurer
Charlie R. Allen
Whitney M. Brown
L. Harvin Bullock, Sr.
Alan S. Cannon
David W. Durham
Francis “Frank” L. Hill, Jr.
Joyce H. Hodge
Jonathan S. “Johnny” Houston
James “Jim” E. Jones
Amy Anders Land
Theo L. Lane, Jr.
Damien K. Picarello, Ph. D.
Delores “Dori” Ditty Poston
C. Talmadge Tobias
Harold “Hal”Turner, Jr.
Hendrikus “Hennie” E.J.M.L. van Bulck, Ph.D.
Melissa “Boo” H. White
Walter S. “Chuck” Wilson
Michael E. Sonntag, Ph.D., Palmetto College Campus Dean, USC Sumter, and Director of Sumter Partnership of the USC Educational Foundation, ex officio
Vicki M. Singleton, Secretary/Assistant Tresurer, ex officio
Kay Oldhouser Davis, Ph.D., Chairman, Mid-Carolina Commission for Higher Education, ex officio

USC Sumter Administration

Office of the Dean

Michael E. Sonntag, Ph.D. Palmetto College Campus Dean
Paula Epperson, Executive Assistant to the Dean

Academic Advisement

Hayes D. Hampton, Ph.D. Coordinator of Advisement

Academic Affairs

Eric M. Reisenauer, Ph.D., Executive Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
Carol J. Reynolds, Administrative Assistant

Administrative and Financial Services

Hendrikus van Bulck, Ph.D., Interim Assistant Dean for Business and Administrative Management

Admissions Services

Keith E. Britton, Director
Darren Witt, Admissions Counselor/Recruiter
Latasha McKnight, Admissions Counselor/Recruiter
Carolyn June, Admissions Processor
Renee Cocklin, Admissions Processor
Aretha Tomlin, Admissions Processor

Educational Partnerships/Continuing Education

Lara Richardson, Director of Educational Partnerships and Continuing Education
Ray McManus, Ph.D., Director of Faculty, Curricula, and Courses for Dual Enrollment Programs in Lexington and Richland Counties, Professor of English
Hannah Barrick, Administrative Coordinator

Athletic Department

Adrienne N. Cataldo, Director of Athletics, Head Softball Coach
Bret Watzka, Head Women’s Golf Coach
Timothy D. Medlin, Assistant Director of Athletics, Head Baseball Coach
Andrew Bartelmo, Head Tennis Coach
Paul Harrington – Head Coach – Men’s Golf
Kendall Winge, Co-Head Softball Coach
Brett W. Gould, Head Men’s Soccer Coach
Joshua Long, Head Coach Women’s Soccer
Tyler Miller, Assistant Coach Baseball
Judd Wisener, Volleyball Head Coach

Bookstore

Julie N. McCoy, Manager
Heather Smith, Bookstore Assistant

Business Office

Wendell D. Prescott, Manager/Bookkeeper
Laura L. Curtis, Cashier

Computer Services

Bryan Smith, Director of Information Technology
Bradley Rogers, IT Specialist

Division of Arts and Letters

Andrew J. Kunka, Ph.D., Division Chair, Professor, English
Chase Aunspach, Instructor, Speech Communications
Mary Ellen Bellanca, Ph.D., Professor, English
Park S. Bucker, Ph.D., Professor, English
I. Carolina Cruz, Instructor, Spanish
Wanda Fenimore, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Speech Communications
Margaret Hughes, Instructor, Art
D. Ray McManus, Ph.D., Professor, English
Michele N. Reese, Ph.D., Professor, English
Jane Luther Smith, Instructor, Music
Daniel Stanforth, Ph.D., Instructor, Spanish
Brittany Paige Wallace, Ph. D., Instructor, English
Rachel Webb, Administrative Specialist

Division of Business Administration and Economics

Kajal Ghoshroy, Ph.D., Division Chair
Sheryl S. Grosso, Instructor, Economics
Santosh Nandi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Business Administration
Terrie L. Smith, Ph.D., Buxton Professor of Business Administration
Hendrikus van Bulck, Ph.D., Professor, Business Administration, Ph.D.
Kim L. High, Administrative Specialist

Division of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education

Andrew J. Kunka, Ph.D., Division Chair
Blane DaSilva, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Sociology
David F. Decker, Ph.D., Associate Professor, History
Kathleen Klik, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Psychology
Bianca Rowlett, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, History
Damien Picariello, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Political Science
Erin Baribeau, Ph.D., Instructor, Political Science
Kristina Grob, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Philosophy
Rachel Webb, Administrative Specialist

Division of Science, Mathematics, and Engineering

Kajal Ghoshroy, Chair, Ph.D., Professor, Biology
Soumyadip Acharyya, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Mathematics
Sher B. Chhetri, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Mathematics
Elizabeth Costello, Instructor, Mathematics
Pearl Fernandes, Ph.D., Professor, Biology,
Jessica Gonzalez, Instructor, Biology
Suzanna Hall, Instructor, Chemistry
Matthew Hawkins, Instructor, Computer Sciences
Rebecca A. Hillman, Ph.D., Professor, Mathematics
Matthew Holley, Senior Instructor, Mathematics
R. Austin Jenkins, Jr., Ph.D., Senior Instructor, Biology
Daniel A. Kiernan, Ph.D., Senior Instructor, Biology
Mark Roberts, Ph.D., Senior Instructor Biology
Lukasz Szatkowski, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Chemistry
Kim L. High, Lab Specialist

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veteran Affairs

Lisa Jeffords, Director of Financial Aid
Theresa Jordan, Financial Aid Counselor
Nada Morant-Wilson, Veterans Affairs Counselor

Fire Ant Café

Windy Brown, Manager

Human Resources

Marchetta L. Williams, Human Resources Officer

Institutional Research

Charles W. Wright, Institutional Research Analyst

Library

Sharon H. Chapman, Head Librarian/Tutoring Center Director
Connie M. Pender, Library Manager
Ann Bryant, Computer Lab and Testing Proctor
Lora Brown, Library Technical Assistant

Maintenance Services

William Rickard, Facilities Supervisor
Lucille C. Green, Building/Grounds Specialist
Kent Oliver, Groundskeeper
Cynthia White, Building/Grounds Specialist

Opportunity Scholars Program

Lisa Sullivan Rosdail, Director
Wanda Baker, Director
Erika Canty, Administrative Specialist
Anne Marie Howell, Counselor
Harry Friday, Advisor
Suzette Britton, Administrative Assistant
Mary Wayne James, Peer Coach Coordinator
Monique McCause, Administrative Assistant
Erica Canty, Administrative Assistant

Public Relations

Alethia Hummel, Marketing and Public Relations Director

Records and Registration

Sandra Rhyne, Registrar
Savannah Williams, Coordinator of Disability Services

Shaw Air Force Base Office

Ricky L. Boyd, Director, Shaw AFB Program

Student Life

Kristopher E. Weissmann, Director of Student Life

University Advancement

Vicki Singleton, Executive Director of Development and Alumni Services
Stacy Nance, Fundraising and Donor Coordinator

Upward Bound Program

Lisa Rosdail, Director
Jodi Robbins, Administrative Assistant
Steve Evans, Program Coordinator
Kyndall Locklear, Academic Advisor
Jodi Robbins, Administrative Assistant

Carolinian Creed

The community of scholars at the University of South Carolina is dedicated to personal and academic excellence.
Choosing to join the community obligates each member to a code of civilized behavior.

As a Carolinian…

I will practice personal and academic integrity;
I will respect the dignity of all persons;
I will respect the rights and property of others;
I will discourage bigotry, while striving to learn from differences in people, ideas and opinions;
I will demonstrate concern for others, their feelings, and their need for conditions which support their work and development.

Allegiance to these ideals requires each Carolinian to refrain from and discourage behaviors which threaten the freedom and respect every individual deserves.

History and Facilities

History

The citizens of Sumter and adjacent counties saw a need to provide higher-education opportunities at an affordable price. In 1965, by an act of the state legislature, the Sumter County Commission for Higher Education was created and granted authority to establish in Sumter County facilities to offer standard freshman and sophomore courses and such other courses as were deemed desirable. To fulfill this purpose and objective, the commission entered into a long-term contract with Clemson University for the purpose of operating the new educational facilities.

A local bond issue was passed, and with federal assistance a physical plant, with capacity for 550 to 600 students, was erected on an attractive 35-acre tract of land located in the Palmetto Park area, made available jointly by the city and county of Sumter.

In August 1966 Clemson University at Sumter opened its doors to its first class, and in December 1968 the campus was officially accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The campus has retained its accreditation since that time.

On July 23, 1973, after negotiations between the Sumter County Commission for Higher Education and officials of Clemson University and the University of South Carolina, operations of the Sumter campus were transferred to the University of South Carolina. This change was recognized by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, and after evaluating a self-study and visiting the campus in 1975, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools officially accepted the change. In 1996 the Sumter County Commission for Higher Education was restructured as the Mid-Carolina Commission for Higher Education.

In the fall of 1978, USC Sumter developed a new evening program of courses designed to meet the needs of adult students. This evening program consists of two eight-week sessions per semester and one eight-week summer session, thus enabling students to carry a full-time load solely with evening hours. An identical program is also offered primarily for military personnel at Shaw Air Force Base, but with an emphasis on upper-level courses not regularly taught at USC Sumter.

Facilities

The University of South Carolina Sumter is situated on 50 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, with eight modern and attractive administrative and academic buildings.

The Administration Building houses the offices of the dean; associate dean for academic affairs; assistant dean for University advancement; assistant dean for administrative and financial services; assistant dean for student affairs; director of marketing and public relations; director of admissions, services, and recruitment; admissions; financial aid; records; business; advisement/counseling center; and others. It also has conference rooms and a faculty lounge.

The Business Administration Building contains classrooms and a computer instructional lab. It also houses the Opportunity Scholars Program.

The Science Building has three lecture rooms and fully equipped laboratory facilities for astronomy, chemistry, physics, botany, and zoology. Also in the Science Building are offices for the science faculty and a lobby with tables for group study.

The Anderson Library of the Sumter campus provides a pleasant setting for faculty and students to read and study. The 90,000-volume collection is especially selected to assist students in their undergraduate studies. Recreational reading is also provided. The library houses resources in many formats, including books, periodicals on microfilm, cassette lectures, microfilm readers, and a microfiche viewer. Services offered by the library include photocopying, microfilm copying, online indexes, databases, full-text journals, the online catalog, and bibliographic instruction for groups or individuals.

The Anderson Library also contains computer labs and two computer instructional labs. The Computer Services Division is also located in the library. Art displays can be seen in the University Gallery located off the main lobby. The Anderson Library also has private study rooms for students, a conference room, and a lounge area. The rear of the building contains six large classrooms and lobby space for studying.

The Student Union Building features the campus bookstore, a food court, and an open commons area with an adjacent outdoor terrace, as well as meeting rooms for student organizations. The commons area and terrace offer students a place where they may gather to eat, talk, or study. This commons area can also be used for dances and other recreational programs. The building also contains a lounge area for relaxation, reading, and viewing television.

The Schwartz Building houses the Division of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education. It contains an enhanced classroom with two-way compressed video and audio capabilities, as well as classrooms, faculty offices, and two conference rooms.

The Nettles Building contains the campus recreation and physical education department facilities, which include a wellness center, three racquetball/handball courts, a multiprogram gym, a first-aid facility, and a 500-seat auditorium.

The Arts and Letters building is the home of the Division of Arts and Letters. The building also contains a lecture hall/conference center with small break-out rooms, a banquet hall, and faculty offices, classrooms, and art labs.

Dormitory facilities are not available at the Sumter campus. Students whose homes are not in the Sumter area may find rooms in private homes or apartments.

A limited number of classrooms are also provided by the United States Air Force for USC Sumter’s use on Shaw AFB, as well as office facilities for the Shaw coordinator.