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University of South Carolina
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The University of South Carolina (also referred to as USC, SC, or Carolina) is a public, co-educational, research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the State House.
The University of South Carolina, Columbia, with approximately 27,488 students, is the
flagship institution of the University of South Carolina System and offers more than 350 programs of study leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from fourteen degree-granting colleges and schools.
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Encyclopedia
The University of South Carolina (also referred to as USC, SC, or Carolina) is a public, co-educational, research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the State House.
The University of South Carolina, Columbia, with approximately 27,488 students, is the
flagship institution of the University of South Carolina System and offers more than 350 programs of study leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from fourteen degree-granting colleges and schools. Professional schools on the Columbia campus include engineering, law, medicine, and pharmacy.
History
The University was founded as South Carolina College in 1801 in an effort to promote harmony between the Lowcountry and the Backcountry. The College became a symbol of the South in the antebellum period as its graduates were on the forefront of secession from the Union. After the Civil War to World War II, the institution lacked a clear direction and was constantly reorganized to meet the needs of the political power in office. In 1957, the University expanded its reach through the University of South Carolina System and rapidly became the state's preeminent and most popular institution of higher education, a status it retains to this day.
Academics
Enrollment (Fall 2007) | College | Undergrad | Graduate |
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| College of Arts and Sciences | 7,182 | 1,196 | | Moore School of Business | 3,472 | 430 | | College of Education | 1070 | 974 | | College of Engineering and Computing | 1,345 | 346 | | School of the Environment | -- | 29 | | -- | -- | | College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management | 1,706 | 85 | | School of Law | -- | 686 | | College of Mass Communications and Information Studies | 1,401 | 549 | | School of Medicine | -- | 475 | | School of Music | 353 | 115 | | College of Nursing | 961 | 138 | | College of Pharmacy | 366 | 463 | | Arnold School of Public Health | 531 | 560 | | College of Social Work | -- | 481 | | -- | -- |
- As found at .
- Graduate programs are run by the respective colleges,
but all graduate degrees are awarded by the Graduate School. - Not a degree granting college.
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Admissions
Classified as more selective, USC admitted just over 58% of those who applied to be Freshmen in 2008. When admitting Freshmen, the university puts emphasis on the rigor of high school study and scores on standardized test, SAT or ACT. It also considers class rank, extracurricular activities, and an optional personal statement. The average incoming freshman had a combined SAT score of 1194. and a high school GPA of 3.9.
Honors college
The University of South Carolina is home to the prestigious, nationally recognized South Carolina Honors College, which is designed to offer academically gifted undergraduates the advantages of an Ivy League quality small college in the setting of a large metropolitan university. After gaining acceptance to the University of South Carolina, students must apply separately to the Honors College and demonstrate significant academic achievement to be accepted. Entering freshmen in the program have an average weighted GPA of over 4.4 and an SAT score of 1410.
The USC Honors College offers housing for freshmen in Maxcy College, located on the University's historic Horseshoe. Additional Horseshoe housing in apartment-style residences is available to upperclassman Honors students in various buildings. A new Honors College residence hall is currently under construction on the former site of the University's "Towers" dormitories.
There are over 120 courses offered exclusively to Honors College students. Students are required to complete a Senior Thesis under the direction of a faculty advisor in order to graduate from the College with Honors.
Research
USC is one of 62 public and 32 private research institutions and the only university in the state of South Carolina to be classified a research institution of "very high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. USC was awarded $206 million in research funding in the 2008 fiscal year, an increase of $21 million over the year prior.
During his tenure, former Carolina president John Palms articulated a "Cathedrals of Excellence" budgeting philosophy. Palms was an expert fundraiser who advocated that the money be channeled into USC's best programs, rather than spread the funds evenly. The strategy would pay off in the long term when these programs became nationally prominent, making a name for USC and attracting grant money. The board of directors has since used his notion to shield certain colleges from budget cuts at the expense of others. His primary goal was for the University of South Carolina to be admitted to the Association of American Universities - an association of the leading 62 research universities in the United States and Canada.
Former President Andrew Sorensen raised even larger sums for research, including a $300 million grant for colorectal cancer. In the spirit of Palms' budget, the board of directors moved to transform university land on Assembly Street into an "innovation district" called Innovista that will develop four strengths: biomedicine, nanotechnology, environmental science and alternative fuels.
Innovista is a partnered development with the City of Columbia and will form an ecosystem of sorts. The campus will house offices and private research firms among the university offices and labs, as well as hold residences and retail. Those who live and work in the Innovista will have easy access to the Congaree Vista and a Publix supermarket, as well as being within walking distance of the Five Points bar and shopping district. All told, Innovista is planned to add five million square feet of floor space to the metro area and could set Columbia on a more urban path.
National rankings
| Publication | Rank | Category |
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| U.S. News & World Report | # 1 | Undergraduate international business for 12 consecutive years | | # 2 | Graduate international business
(17 consecutive years as either # 1 or # 2) | | # 24 | Best business programs (among public universities) | | # 19 | Graduate library science, including # 2 school library media
and # 8 health information | | # 58 | Nursing master's program | | # 3 | School psychology doctoral program | | # 12 | Graduate social psychology | | # 95 | Law Schools | | # 108 | National Universities
(out of 262 institutions; # 52 out of 164 public institutions) | | Entrepreneur | Top 50 | Business schools in entrepreneurship | | Forbes Magazine | # 49 | Graduate business schools' "return on investment" | | Latin Trade | # 5 | MBA programs for Latin Americans | | National Science Foundation | # 38 | Chemistry and biochemistry federally funded research | | National Science Foundation | # 12 | Chemical Engineering total funded research | American Academy of Kinesiology
& Physical Education | # 8 | Exercise science | | Journal of Health Education | # 5 | Health education doctoral program | | Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education | # 9 | Hotel, restaurant, & tourism management | | American Board of Pediatrics | # 2 | Pediatrics residency program | | Journal of Public Affairs Education | # 10 | Publication rates of faculty research in journals
associated with the American Society for Public Administration | | Kiplinger's Personal Finance | # 31 | 100 Best Values in Public Colleges |
Student life
Demographics
Nearly 28,000 students attend the Columbia campus of the University of South Carolina, coming from all 46 South Carolina counties. In addition, students from all 50 states and more than 100 foreign countries are represented. (Another 13,000 students study at the regional campuses of the University of South Carolina System.) Enrollment statistics for Fall 2008 indicate the following:
- Undergraduates 72%, Graduates 23%, Professionals 5%
- Females 56%, Males 44%
- Full-time 84%, Part-time 16%
- Residents 72%, Non-residents 28%
- Minorities 21%
Housing
The University of South Carolina campus is currently home to twenty-five residence halls, the last of which opened in of the fall of 2004. The housing on campus is under the supervision of Department of Student Housing, and quality of life is enhanced through the Residence Hall Association, whose current structure was determined by former president and vice president Amanda Pippin and Steve Smith.
University Housing currently provides over 6,200 on-campus housing units on campus. Most of these Housing Centers have rooms that are air-conditioned and offer phone and cable television outlets and data connections that are networked to the University mainframe with access to the Internet. Housing provides many types of living experiences on the campus some include: family residents in the 9 story Cliff Apartments each apartment is furnished with a stove and refrigerator. Rent includes all utilities. Freshmen housing, these centers, or residence halls, have layouts that maximize opportunities for student interaction. Freshman Centers typically feature double rooms and one central bathroom on each floor per unit. Notable freshmen centers include the 10-story Columbia Hall, 10-story Bates House and Patterson Hall. Apartment style units are located in the modern housing units are which are commonly referred to as the “Quads” they are the most requested type of housing among upper-level students. All are air-conditioned featuring two-, three-, and four-private bedroom floor plans with a living/dining area, kitchen, and bath.. Residential learning communities offer a great opportunity to live with students who have similar academic interests. Learning communities enhance students’ living experience by providing active learning experiences, faculty-student interactions, and opportunities to explore diversity, community service, undergraduate research, and study abroad some of these centers are Maxcy College, Capstone, and Preston Residential College
Currently 9-story Patterson Hall, with a housing capacity of approximately 600 female freshmen, is Carolina’s largest residence hall. The tallest and most notable landmark on the Columbia campus is the 18-story Capstone House. Top of Carolina Dining Room is on the 18th floor and was the only revolving restaurant on an American college campus. In the fall of 2004, the 29 Million Dollar West Quad (now Green Quad) was the last residence hall opened on campus and is one of only four in the world to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The complex includes three four-story buildings with the latest technology and environmental features for conserving water and energy and creating a healthier, greener environment for the 500 undergraduate students who call it home. West Quad, was built with a significant amount of recycled materials, ranging from the cement blocks and copper roof to the interior carpet, is also intended to encourage students to learn more about their environment.
The future of housing on the Carolina Campus will include the new The Honors College Residence Hall which will be on the site of the former University's "Towers" dormitories. The residence hall will house will be a 600- to 700-beds and shoot for Gold LEED certification after its completion. The Honors dorm’s exterior design includes three wings perpendicular to Blossom Street and a main wing parallel to Blossom Street and facing the rear of the Graduate Science Research Center. The basic floor plan calls for “pods” that would include a common living area for 12 students who would live in either single- or double-occupancy rooms. Bathrooms shared by two to four students would be incorporated into each pod. A learning center will be incorporated into
the main building and situated to allow convenient access for those who don’t live in the residence hall. Until the completion of the Honors dorm, housing for Honors students are currently in Maxcy College on the historic Horseshoe which under the current plan will be turned into apartment and suite-style units for basic university students. In addition to Maxcy’s renovation the 18-story Capstone House will also be turned from Honors College residence hall to a general student resident hall.
Since campus academic enrollment exceeds the capacity of on-campus housing, the University is in the process of adding more residence halls, most of which will be suite-style. As a result, some students live in popular off-campus housing including apartments at Pointe West, College Suites, RiverSide Estates/University Commons, The Wilshire House at Union Station, Whaley's Mill (now The Loft), Granby Mill, and Sterling University; houses in the Shandon, Rosewood, and Olympia areas of Columbia; and off-campus housing provided by Greek organizations.
Student Government
Students can have a voice in the University's administration and have an impact on the quality of student life by election to and service in Student Government.
Student Government is composed of the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative Branches. A 50-member Student Senate is led by the Student Body Vice President. Student Senate enacts referendums, resolutions, and bills to enhance the student body in non-academic fields, maintains a budget for student life programs and organizations, confirms nominations for cabinet positions, and makes recommendations for change within the University.
Student Government is an entirely student-run system with a Constitutional Council (its version of the Supreme Court) and Elections Commission. Student Government authority derives from the Student Government Constitution, a document written and adopted with the inception of Student Government and overseen by the President of the University of South Carolina and the University's Board of Trustees.
Organizations
Students may participate in any of the 300 registered student organizations.
Carolina Productions is a student organization responsible for providing diverse educational programs, entertainment, and special events for the University. It is composed of seven commissions, each of which concentrates on separate programming.
Honor societies include Alpha Epsilon Delta, Alpha Lambda Delta, Alpha Phi Sigma, Beta Alpha Psi, Carolina Scholars Association, Chi Sigma Iota, Eta Sigma Delta, Gamma Beta Phi, Golden Key, Kappa Delta Epsilon, McNair Scholars Association, Mortar Board, Mu Sigma Rho, National Residence Hall Honorary, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Omicron Delta Kappa, Order of Omega, Phi Alpha Theta, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Lambda Sigma, Phi Sigma Pi, Pi Tau Sigma, Psi Chi, Rho Chi, Sigma Alpha Lambda, Sigma Delta Pi, Sigma Iota Rho, and Tau Beta Pi.
Professional organizations include Kappa Kappa Psi National Band Fraternity, Academy of Student Pharmacists, Alpha Kappa Psi, American Marketing Association, Delta Sigma Pi, Gamecock Pre-Veterinary Association, Global Business Council, Library and Information Science Student Association, Phi Alpha Delta, Public Relations Student Society of America, Social Work Student Association, Student Nurses Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, among others.
Religious organizations include Christian Legal Society, Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ, Chi Alpha (Assemblies of God), Christ's Student Church (Church of Christ), Hillel (Jewish), Lutheran Campus Ministry, Methodist Student Network, Muslim Students Association, Presbyterian (USA) Student Association, Reformed University Fellowship (Presbyterian Church in America), St. Thomas More Catholic Community, and Student Christian Fellowship.
Minority and international student organizations include Association of African American Students, Students Allied for Latin America, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Alliance, Black Graduate Student Association, Hellenic Student Organization, NAACP, Brothers of Nubian Descent, Ethnic Student Ministries, Indian Student Association, International Student Association, Nihon Club, Fellowship Association of Chinese Students and Scholars, Taiwanese Students Association, Thai Students Association, Turkish Student Association, Vietnamese Student Association, Filipino-American Student Association, SEED, SALA, Pastafarians at USC, Society of Black Engineers, Hindu Students Council, and African-American Male Institute.
Other organizations include choral groups, concert band, dance, drama/theater, jazz band, the Mighty Sound of the Southeast, music ensembles, musical theater, opera, pep band, symphony orchestra, and the campus radio station.
Students can also join the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) or participate in any of the local projects sponsored by Habitat for Humanity.
Media
The Daily Gamecock is an editorially independent student newspaper that is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer, with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. It has a readership of more than 30,000 and is distributed across the University campus and regional campuses in the USC System.
The student run radio station, WUSC, began broadcasting on the AM dial in 1947. In January 1977 WUSC began broadcasting on the FM dial, and in 1982 the station found its current home at 90.5 FM. In June 2006, WUSC upgraded to a current digital transmitter and are now broadcasting in HD radio. WUSC-FM was one of the first stations in the state to broadcast in HD and recently made history by being the first station in the state to broadcast in HD2.
Students also publish a literary magazine, Garnet & Black, which was formed in 1994 as a consolidation of the university's former yearbook and its literary magazine. The magazine focuses on timely issues and trends of student interest and regularly offering tidbits on current events and a "Create" section showcasing students' literature and artwork. It is published four times a year and is free to students at many locations across the Carolina community.
In the Fall 2006, USC established its first television station, Student Government Television (SGTV). It was funded by Student Government until April 2007 when Student Government released SGTV to the Department of Student Media, which operates Garnet & Black, The Daily Gamecock, and WUSC. SGTV airs Monday through Thursdays from 6pm-10pm and all weekend long and can be seen on cable channel 4. SGTV provides original, informative, and entertaining programming and serves as an outlet for student work.
Greek life
Currently, about 14% of the male student body and 19% of the female student body participate in Greek organizations.
- Total Number of Fraternities: 19
- Total Number of Sororities: 14
The Greek system has experienced a significant increase in interest with the addition of the Greek Village, where houses are owned and managed by individual Greek organizations. All students who live in these buildings are members of a sorority or fraternity.
The following chart is a list of the 20 fraternities and sororities with houses in the Greek Village:
Athletics
The University offers club, intramural, and varsity sports. Its 19 varsity sports teams compete in the Southeastern Conference (except for soccer which competes in Conference USA) and are known as the Gamecocks. The Gamecocks have won six national team championships: 2002 NCAA championship in women's track & field, 2005 & 2007 National Championship in women's equestrian, and 2005-2007 Hunt Seat National Championships in women's equestrian. Also, the men's and women's track & field teams have produced many NCAA individual champions, world championship medalists, and Olympic medalists. The men's baseball and basketball teams have also produced Olympic medalists. Other significant accomplishments include: 2005 NCAA runner-up in women's track & field; NCAA runner-up three times in baseball (2002, 1977, 1975); 1993 NCAA runner-up in men's soccer; and 2005 & 2006 NIT championships in men's basketball. See grid at the main article for other championships.
Fight Song
Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencement and convocation, and athletic games are: The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way, the USC fight song.
Recreation
Students tend to socialize off campus in Five Points and the Congaree Vista. Both of these areas are within walking distance of campus and offer restaurants, bars, cafés, and a variety of local entertainment.
Lake Murray and the three rivers (Saluda River, Broad River, and Congaree River) around Columbia offer students many recreational activities. The South Carolina coast--Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head--is only a 1.5 to 2 hour drive for additional recreational activities.
Recent accomplishments
- Since 1994 students have won 383 national fellowship and scholarship competitions totaling more than $11.4 million dollars for advanced academic study. Included are seven selections to the USA Today All-Academic Team and and nearly 150 Marshall, Rhodes, Truman, National Science Foundation, Fulbright, Goldwater, Madison, Cooke, Javits, Udall, and Knowles Science Teaching fellows and scholars—among others. During the 2007-08 academic year alone, South Carolina students won 31 awards and more than $1.3 million.
- USC was listed as No. 9 among the nation's “Most Promising and Innovative Schools" by U.S. News and World Report. The first-time category is based on “promising, innovative changes” in academics, faculty, students, facilities or the campus.
- Two more public relations teams from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications won national titles at the 2006 Bateman Competition sponsored by the Public Relations Student Society of America. Teams were challenged to design campaigns that would increase awareness and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, and of the more than ninety universities that started, sixty-two actually submitted entries. USC's Keystone Group won the international campaign division, and the University's Merlin Group won the regional campaign division. In 2004, USC won a national title while another USC team placed third. USC also won the 2002 competition.
Campus
When South Carolina College opened its doors in 1805, the building now known as Rutledge College was the only building on campus. Located one block southeast of the State Capitol, it served as an administrative office, academic building, residence hall, and chapel. However, the master plan for the original campus called for a total of eleven buildings, all facing a large lush gathering area. In 1807, the original President's House was the next building to be erected. The building now known as DeSaussure College followed shortly thereafter, and the remaining eight buildings were constructed over the next several decades. When completed, all eleven buildings formed a U-shape open to Sumter Street. This modified quadrangle is known as the Horseshoe.
The Horseshoe is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and most of its buildings reflect the federal style of architecture in vogue in the early days of the nation. Among them is the Caroliniana Library, which was designed by Robert Mills and is the first freestanding academic library in the United States.
Over the years the eleven original buildings on the Horseshoe survived a fire, an earthquake, and the Civil War, but in 1940 McKissick Museum replaced the original President's House. The President's House would eventually return to the Horseshoe after extensive remodeling of one of its original buildings, which was dedicated as such in 1952.
During the 20th century, the campus began to spread out dramatically from the Horseshoe. Today it includes the student union, 21 residence halls, numerous academic buildings, Longstreet Theatre, the Koger Center for the Arts, the Carolina Coliseum, the Colonial Life Arena, Carolina Stadium, and various facilities for Olympic sports. (Williams-Brice Stadium is located approximately one mile off campus.)
Recent additions to the campus are the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center, the Greek Village, the Green Quad, the Public Health Research Center, the Inn at USC, the Colonial Life Arena and Carolina Stadium.
The Green Quad was opened in the fall of 2004 as a residence hall and is one of only four in the world to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
The campus continues to expand west toward the Congaree River in support of its research initiatives (see below). Three separate sites, each specializing in its own research area, will initially cover spread over six city blocks and will eventually grow to . This new district of campus, named Innovista, will mix university and private research buildings, parking garages, and commercial and residential units. At the center will be a public plaza called Foundation Square.
Future plans also include a new home for the School of Law.
The University of South Carolina also operates a transit system under Parking Services called Carolina Shuttle (formerly ShuttleCock) which operates Monday - Friday, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm with 7 routes and 14 buses including converted buses that use more energy-efficient biodiesel. The Evening Shuttle operates from 6pm to 2:30am. The system operates during the Fall and Spring semesters, with limited operation during the summer, reading days, and holidays. Service is free to all USC students, faculty and staff. A new system called "Cocky's Caravan" was recently added in 2008 as a weekend service, shuttling students from main areas on campus to the local entertainment district "Five Points".
See also
People
The University has over 250,000 living alumni.
Presidents
During its more than two hundred year history, the University has had 27 presidents. The Board of Trustees announced the selection of Harris Pastides as the 28th president on July 11, 2008.
Board of Trustees
Since its charter in 1801, the University has been governed by a board of trustees, which now governs the entire USC system.
Points of interest
Resources
- 1. Hollis, Daniel Walker, (1951) University of South Carolina Volume I South Carolina College, Columbia: University of South Carolina Press
- 2. Hollis, Daniel Walker, (1956) University of South Carolina Volume II College to University Columbia: University of South Carolina Press
External links
- at the University of South Carolina Library's Digital Collections Page
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