University of South Carolina System
Encyclopedia
The University of South Carolina System is a state university system
of eight campuses set up in 1957 to expand the educational opportunities of the citizens of South Carolina
as well as extend the reach of the University of South Carolina
throughout the state. With over 44,000 students at the eight campuses, the system is the largest institution of higher learning
in the state of South Carolina.
The system includes the flagship and research campus at Columbia
, three senior campuses, and four regional campuses. USC also has several thousand future students in feeder programs at surrounding technical colleges.
, Beaufort
and Spartanburg
offer both undergraduate
and graduate
degrees. The four regional campuses offer associate's degree
as well as providing a straightforward process to transfer to one of the senior campuses.
Three of the campuses have branches in nearby locales. USC Beaufort
has a branch in Bluffton
, USC Union
has a branch in Laurens
and USC Salkehatchie
has its main campus in Allendale
with a branch in Walterboro
.
, three are ex officio members, and one is appointed by the Governor of South Carolina
.
A President is appointed by the Board to serve as the chief executive officer
of the system and to manage with the day-to-day affairs of the campuses. In addition, the President is tasked with long-range planning of the system and recommending improvements to the Board of Trustees. Each senior campus is administered by a chancellor
and each regional campus is managed by a dean
, all of whom report directly to the President. The duties of the chancellor at the Columbia campus are encompassed by the office of the President.
Both the Board of the Trustees and the President have offices in the Osborne Administration Building, at the northeast corner of The Horseshoe
. The Board of Trustees meets every other month and the President delivers a yearly state-of-the-university address in the Longstreet Theater.
article which pertains only to the Columbia campus, since the Board of Trustees governs the whole system.
The Board of Trustees is a body created by the state of South Carolina
responsible for the maintenance and operation of the university, including the University of South Carolina System. Its primary focus is to set the mission for the University system and to approve all financial decisions.
The board was established in the legislation passed by the General Assembly
on December 19, 1801 for the foundation of South Carolina College. The original board was composed of twenty-five members, twelve of whom were ex officio and thirteen were elected. They first met on February 12, 1802 at the home of Governor John Drayton
. A quorum was not present so they met again on February 14 when they did have the necessary numbers for a quorum.
On May 7, 1970 about 500 students marched to the flagpole on the Horseshoe and demanded that the US Flag be lowered to half staff to honor those who had died in the Kent State shootings. An equal size counter-protest gathered at the flagpole and demanded that flag remain hoisted at the top of the pole. To thwart off any potential bloodshed, President Tom Jones ordered that the flag be lowered. However, the protesters felt emboldened and took over the Russell House. The National Guard had to be called in to dislodge the students from the building and 42 students were arrested.
The board acted to discipline the students on May 11. A crowd of 300 students formed, marched on the administrative building where the trustees were meeting, and demanded amnesty for the students. The board refused and the protesters responded by vandalizing cars parked at the building. One car that was flipped over was bought the same day by a trustee. The protesters occupied the first floor of the building causing the trustees to huddle in a room on the second floor. After waiting a few hours in the room, Hugh Willcox, a trustee in his 70's, simply left the room, walked past the students, and sped away in his car. Sol Blatt, Jr. commented that he would not have done that for $100,000. The National Guard arrived later that night and the protesters dispersed at their sight. The inability of President Tom Jones to control the actions of the students led to the loss of support by the trustees and his eventual resignation in 1974.
The governor's appointee and those elected by the General Assembly serve for a term of four years.
Seven standing committees have been set up to streamline the business of the board of trustees. A special or ad hoc committee can be formed by the Chairman of the Board should a need arise. The following are the seven standing committees:
Up until 1981, the positions of head football coach and athletic director were combined. Despite being the athletic director, the head football coach held little sway over the hiring and firing of the coaches for the other athletic programs. The true power lay with the chairman of the athletic committee and the position was dominated from the 1930s to the 1970s by Solomon Blatt, Sr.
and his son Solomon Blatt, Jr.
Yet in 1966 Blatt, Jr. was trumped when he had lined up Bill Murray
to become the head football coach and Governor
Robert Evander McNair
had instead convinced Paul Dietzel
to accept the position.
The trustees have the final say on all affairs that are pertinent to the University. Their powers include:
Additionally, according to the Code of Laws of South Carolina (1976), Section 59-117-100, the board of trustees are tasked with ensuring that the President of the University is not an atheist or an infidel.
State university system
A state university system in the United States is a group of public universities supported by an individual state, or a similar entity such as the District of Columbia. These systems constitute the majority of public-funded universities in the country...
of eight campuses set up in 1957 to expand the educational opportunities of the citizens of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
as well as extend the reach of the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
throughout the state. With over 44,000 students at the eight campuses, the system is the largest institution of higher learning
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
in the state of South Carolina.
The system includes the flagship and research campus at Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, three senior campuses, and four regional campuses. USC also has several thousand future students in feeder programs at surrounding technical colleges.
Campuses
The University of South Carolina system currently consists of eight campuses with a flagship campus at Columbia. The campuses in AikenAiken, South Carolina
Aiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
, Beaufort
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
and Spartanburg
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
offer both undergraduate
Undergraduate education
Undergraduate education is an education level taken prior to gaining a first degree . Hence, in many subjects in many educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a bachelor's degree, such as in the United States, where a university entry level is...
and graduate
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
degrees. The four regional campuses offer associate's degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
as well as providing a straightforward process to transfer to one of the senior campuses.
Three of the campuses have branches in nearby locales. USC Beaufort
University of South Carolina Beaufort
Located in the heart of the Carolina Sea Islands, the University of South Carolina Beaufort is a senior institution of the University of South Carolina system serving the southeast coast of Georgia and South Carolina...
has a branch in Bluffton
Bluffton, South Carolina
The weather in the Bluffton, SC area is typical of the Southeast with generally mild temperatures from Fall through Spring and a warm and humid Summer. There can be occasionally snow flurries in the winter but that is quite unusual....
, USC Union
University of South Carolina Union
The University of South Carolina Union is a public university with its main campus in Columbia, South Carolina and a branch campus in Laurens. It is one of the 4 regional USC campuses and is currently a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited two-year school in the USC System...
has a branch in Laurens
Laurens, South Carolina
Laurens is a city in Laurens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 9,916 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Laurens County.-History:...
and USC Salkehatchie
University of South Carolina Salkehatchie
The University of South Carolina Salkehatchie is a public university with its main campus in Allendale and a branch campus in Walterboro. It is one of the 4 regional USC campuses accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as part of the flagship campus...
has its main campus in Allendale
Allendale, South Carolina
Allendale is a town in Allendale County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,052 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Allendale County.-Geography:...
with a branch in Walterboro
Walterboro, South Carolina
Walterboro is a city in Colleton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,153 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Colleton County.-History:...
.
| Campus | Type | Founded | Enrollment (Fall 2010) |
Expenditures (2008) |
Athletics Nickname |
NCAA Category |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USC Columbia University of South Carolina The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House... |
Flagship | 1801 | 29,597 | 753,674,977 | Gamecocks South Carolina Gamecocks The University of South Carolina's 19 varsity sports teams are known as the "Gamecocks". The unique moniker is held in honor of Thomas Sumter, a South Carolina war hero who was given the name "The Carolina Gamecock" during the American Revolution for his fierce fighting tactics, regardless of his... |
Div I SEC Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama... |
| USC Aiken University of South Carolina Aiken The University of South Carolina Aiken is a four-year, public coeducational university in Aiken, South Carolina. The school offers undergraduate degree programs as well as master's degrees in elementary education, educational technology and applied clinical psychology... |
Senior | 1961 | 3,254 | 50,917,985 | Pacers | Div II Peach Belt Peach Belt Conference The Peach Belt Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA’s Division II. The PBC was formed in 1990 with seven charter universities as the Peach Belt Athletic Conference, and took its current name in 2000.-Current members:The league currently has 13 full... |
| USC Beaufort University of South Carolina Beaufort Located in the heart of the Carolina Sea Islands, the University of South Carolina Beaufort is a senior institution of the University of South Carolina system serving the southeast coast of Georgia and South Carolina... |
Senior | 1959 | 1,754 | 17,164,948 | Sand Sharks | NAIA National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA... |
| USC Lancaster University of South Carolina Lancaster The University of South Carolina Lancaster is a public university located in Lancaster. It is one of the 4 regional USC campuses and is currently a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited two-year school in the USC System... |
Regional | 1959 | 1,588 | 12,806,434 | Lancers | NJCAA National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was... |
| USC Salkehatchie University of South Carolina Salkehatchie The University of South Carolina Salkehatchie is a public university with its main campus in Allendale and a branch campus in Walterboro. It is one of the 4 regional USC campuses accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as part of the flagship campus... |
Regional | 1965 | 1,150 | 8,078,952 | Indians | NJCAA National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was... |
| USC Sumter University of South Carolina Sumter The University of South Carolina Sumter is a public university located in Sumter, South Carolina. One of the 7 regional USC campuses and is currently an accredited two-year school in the University of South Carolina System, it is home to approximately 1,500 students... |
Regional | 1966 | 1,192 | 12,792,151 | Fire Ants | NJCAA National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was... |
| USC Union University of South Carolina Union The University of South Carolina Union is a public university with its main campus in Columbia, South Carolina and a branch campus in Laurens. It is one of the 4 regional USC campuses and is currently a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited two-year school in the USC System... |
Regional | 1965 | 530 | 3,771,112 | No athletics | N/A |
| USC Upstate University of South Carolina Upstate The University of South Carolina Upstate is a public university located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. Formerly known as the University of South Carolina Spartanburg, the school changed its name in the summer of 2004... |
Senior | 1967 | 5,492 | 71,560,964 | Spartans | Div I Atlantic Sun Atlantic Sun Conference The Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference... |
Former campuses
- USC Florence, a campus from 1957 until it became independent on July 1, 1970 as Francis Marion College (now Francis Marion UniversityFrancis Marion UniversityFrancis Marion University is a state-supported liberal arts university located six miles east of Florence, South Carolina, USA...
). - USC Coastal Carolina, a previously independent two-year campus, joined USC system in 1959 and remained until it became independent on July 1, 1993 as Coastal Carolina UniversityCoastal Carolina UniversityCoastal Carolina University is an independent, state-supported, liberal arts university in Conway, South Carolina, USA, located eight miles west of Myrtle Beach. Founded in 1954, Coastal became an independent university in 1993. The University enrolls approximately 8,300 students on its campus...
.
Governance
The University of South Carolina System is governed by the Board of Trustees who oversee the overall management of the system. The Board of Trustees is composed of a total of twenty members. Of the members, sixteen are chosen by the General AssemblySouth Carolina General Assembly
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...
, three are ex officio members, and one is appointed by the Governor of South Carolina
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
.
A President is appointed by the Board to serve as the chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the system and to manage with the day-to-day affairs of the campuses. In addition, the President is tasked with long-range planning of the system and recommending improvements to the Board of Trustees. Each senior campus is administered by a chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
and each regional campus is managed by a dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
, all of whom report directly to the President. The duties of the chancellor at the Columbia campus are encompassed by the office of the President.
Both the Board of the Trustees and the President have offices in the Osborne Administration Building, at the northeast corner of The Horseshoe
Old Campus District, University of South Carolina
The Old Campus District, University of South Carolina, is an historic district centered around The Horseshoe on the main campus of the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, in the United States...
. The Board of Trustees meets every other month and the President delivers a yearly state-of-the-university address in the Longstreet Theater.
Board of trustees
Note: This article was transferred from the University of South CarolinaUniversity of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
article which pertains only to the Columbia campus, since the Board of Trustees governs the whole system.
The Board of Trustees is a body created by the state of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
responsible for the maintenance and operation of the university, including the University of South Carolina System. Its primary focus is to set the mission for the University system and to approve all financial decisions.
The board was established in the legislation passed by the General Assembly
South Carolina General Assembly
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...
on December 19, 1801 for the foundation of South Carolina College. The original board was composed of twenty-five members, twelve of whom were ex officio and thirteen were elected. They first met on February 12, 1802 at the home of Governor John Drayton
John Drayton
John Drayton was the 40th Governor of South Carolina on two non-consecutive occasions from 1800 to 1802 and 1808 to 1810, and was later a United States federal judge.-Early life and career:...
. A quorum was not present so they met again on February 14 when they did have the necessary numbers for a quorum.
On May 7, 1970 about 500 students marched to the flagpole on the Horseshoe and demanded that the US Flag be lowered to half staff to honor those who had died in the Kent State shootings. An equal size counter-protest gathered at the flagpole and demanded that flag remain hoisted at the top of the pole. To thwart off any potential bloodshed, President Tom Jones ordered that the flag be lowered. However, the protesters felt emboldened and took over the Russell House. The National Guard had to be called in to dislodge the students from the building and 42 students were arrested.
The board acted to discipline the students on May 11. A crowd of 300 students formed, marched on the administrative building where the trustees were meeting, and demanded amnesty for the students. The board refused and the protesters responded by vandalizing cars parked at the building. One car that was flipped over was bought the same day by a trustee. The protesters occupied the first floor of the building causing the trustees to huddle in a room on the second floor. After waiting a few hours in the room, Hugh Willcox, a trustee in his 70's, simply left the room, walked past the students, and sped away in his car. Sol Blatt, Jr. commented that he would not have done that for $100,000. The National Guard arrived later that night and the protesters dispersed at their sight. The inability of President Tom Jones to control the actions of the students led to the loss of support by the trustees and his eventual resignation in 1974.
Composition and powers
The Board of Trustees is composed of the following twenty members:- Governor of South CarolinaGovernor of South CarolinaThe Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
, ex officio Chairman of the Board; may appoint a designee in his stead - South Carolina State Superintendent of Education, ex officio
- President of the Greater University of South Carolina Alumni Association, ex officio
- One member elected by the General AssemblySouth Carolina General AssemblyThe South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...
from each of the sixteen judicial circuits - One member appointed by the governor
The governor's appointee and those elected by the General Assembly serve for a term of four years.
Seven standing committees have been set up to streamline the business of the board of trustees. A special or ad hoc committee can be formed by the Chairman of the Board should a need arise. The following are the seven standing committees:
- Executive Committee
- Buildings and Grounds Committee
- Intercollegiate Activities Committee
- Academic Affairs and Faculty-Liaison Committee
- Student-Trustee Liaison Committee
- Health Affairs Committee
- Fiscal Policy Committee
Up until 1981, the positions of head football coach and athletic director were combined. Despite being the athletic director, the head football coach held little sway over the hiring and firing of the coaches for the other athletic programs. The true power lay with the chairman of the athletic committee and the position was dominated from the 1930s to the 1970s by Solomon Blatt, Sr.
Solomon Blatt, Sr.
Solomon Blatt was a long time Democratic legislator of South Carolina from Barnwell County during the middle of the 20th century. He was a principal member of the so-called "Barnwell Ring."-Early life and career:...
and his son Solomon Blatt, Jr.
Solomon Blatt, Jr.
Solomon Blatt, Jr. is a federal district judge in South Carolina and former trustee of the University of South Carolina.-Early life:...
Yet in 1966 Blatt, Jr. was trumped when he had lined up Bill Murray
William D. Murray
William D. "Bill" Murray was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at University of Delaware from 1940 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1950 and at Duke University from 1951 to 1965, compiling a career college football record of 142–67–11...
to become the head football coach and Governor
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
Robert Evander McNair
Robert Evander McNair
Robert Evander McNair, Sr. , was the 108th governor of South Carolina, having served from 1965 to 1971.-Biography:...
had instead convinced Paul Dietzel
Paul Dietzel
Paul Dietzel is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at Louisiana State University , the United States Military Academy , and the University of South Carolina , compiling a career record of 109–95–5...
to accept the position.
The trustees have the final say on all affairs that are pertinent to the University. Their powers include:
- Awarding of honorary degrees
- Purchasing, leasing and selling property of the University
- Setting tuition fees
- Hiring and firing faculty and personnel
Additionally, according to the Code of Laws of South Carolina (1976), Section 59-117-100, the board of trustees are tasked with ensuring that the President of the University is not an atheist or an infidel.