University of South Carolina

University of South Carolina Columbia
Motto	Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Latin)
Motto in English	Learning humanizes character and does not permit it to be cruel
Established	1801
Type	Public university Flagship state university Sea-grant university
Endowment	$391.5 million[1]
President	Dr. Harris Pastides
Academic staff	1,608
Students	28,481
Location	Columbia, South Carolina, USA
Campus	Urban, 359 acres (1.5 km2)
Colors	█ █ Garnet and Black
Athletics	NCAA Division I SEC 19 varsity teams
Nickname	Gamecocks
Mascot	Cocky
Website	www.sc.edu

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 359 acres (1.5 km²) in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House.

Founded in 1801, USC 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 to an enrollment of approximately 28,481 students.^[2] Professional schools on the Columbia campus include business, engineering, law, medicine, and pharmacy.

History

An 1872 illustration of the Horseshoe.

Reverend Jonathan Maxcy

The University was founded as South Carolina College on December 19, 1801, by an act of the General Assembly initiated by Governor John Drayton in an effort to promote harmony between the Lowcountry and the Backcountry. The first president was the Baptist minister Reverend Jonathan Maxcy. Maxcy's tenure lasted from 1804 through 1820.[3]

The College became a symbol of the South in the antebellum period as its graduates were on the forefront of secession from the Union. During the post Civil War period, the institution underwent several reorganizations. In 1957, the University expanded its reach through the University of South Carolina System, a group of seven satellite campuses established around the state in addition to the flagship school in Columbia.

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.

USC's historic 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.^[3]

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.

USC's new LEED building West Quad.

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 500,000 square feet (50,000 m²) spread over six city blocks and will eventually grow to 5,000,000 square feet (500,000 m²). This new district of campus, named Innovista,^[4] 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.^[5]

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.^[6] 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.

Points of interest

• The Horseshoe
• Williams-Brice Stadium
• Colonial Life Arena
• Carolina Stadium
• Stone Stadium
• Koger Center for the Arts
• School of Law
• W. Gordon Belser Arboretum
• Carolina Coliseum
• Longstreet Theatre
• McKissick Museum
• Gibbes Green
• National Advocacy Center
• Green Quad
• Close/Hipp Building (Darla Moore School of Business)
• Strom Thurmond Wellness & Fitness Center
• Thomas Cooper Library
• South Caroliniana Library
• Maxcy Monument
• Capstone House
• The Inn at USC

Academics

Admissions

Classified as more selective,^[7] USC admitted just over 58% of those who applied to be Freshmen in 2008.^[8] 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.^[9] and a high school GPA of 3.9.^[8]

Honors college

Founded in 1978, the South Carolina Honors College offers academically gifted undergraduates the advantages of a small liberal arts college with the resources and academic depth of a comprehensive research university.^[10][11] After gaining acceptance to the University of South Carolina, students must apply separately to the Honors College and demonstrate significant academic achievement.^[12] 2009 entering freshmen had an average weighted GPA of 4.5 and an average SAT score of 1404.^[13]

Over 120 courses are 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. Since 1994, Honors College students have won more than 278 national awards and fellowships.

The SC Honors College offers housing for freshmen and sophomores in the new Honors College residence hall, on the former site of the University's "Towers" dormitories.

National rankings

Research

USC is one of 62 public and 32 private research institutions and the only university in South Carolina classified a research institution of "very high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.^[17] 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 advocated the money from fundraising be channeled into USC's best programs, rather than spread the funds evenly.^[18] The strategy would pay off in the long term when these programs became nationally prominent, making a name for USC and attracting grant money.^[19] 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.^[18]

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 200-acre (0.8 km²) 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.^[9]

Current president, Harris Pastides, has a research background. His prior history with the university includes serving as the vice president for research and health sciences, executive director of the SC Research Foundation, dean of the Arnold School of Public Health and as an epidemiology professor.^[20] His stated objectives on taking over the position included boosting academics, promoting research and launching an ambitious fund raising campaign.^[20]

In May 2009, USC was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of 31 universities nationwide to house an Energy Frontier Research Center that is expected to bring $12.5 million in federal funding, the largest single award in the university’s history, to the College of Engineering and Computing. President Pastides commented on the grant, “This award solidifies the university’s position as a leader in alternative-fuel research.”^[21]

Student life

Demographics

Over 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 2009 indicate the following:^[22]

• Undergraduates 72%, Graduates 23%, Professionals 5%
• Females 55%, Males 45%
• Full-time 84%, Part-time 16%
• Residents 72%, Non-residents 28%
• Minorities 24%^[23]

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 2009. 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 11-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.^[24]. Undergraduates may choose housing in a specific "living and learning community". The concept is to create a better social and learning environment by housing students with similar academic or career interests together on campus.^[25] 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 College.^[26]

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 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 172,000-square-foot (16,000 m²) 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.^[27] 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 hold 537 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.^[28]

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 Garnet River Walk; houses in the Shandon, Rosewood, and Olympia areas of Columbia; and off-campus housing provided by Greek organizations.^[29]

Student government

USC's student government is composed of the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches. A 50-member Student Senate is led by the Student Body Vice President. The 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 operated entirely by students with a Constitutional Council (its version of the Supreme Court) and Elections Commission. 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, Tau Sigma, 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, Biomedical Engineering Society, among others.

Religious organizations include Canterbury Community (The Episcopal Church), 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, The Navigators, Reformed University Fellowship (Presbyterian Church in America), St. Thomas More Catholic Community, Student Christian Fellowship, Saint Theodore's Anglican Chapel, and Kappa Upsilon Chi.

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 (Students Associated for Latin America), Pastafarians at USC, Society of Black Engineers, Hindu Students Council, and African-American Male Institute.

Other organizations include choral groups, concert band, the Carolina Debate Union, the USC Mock Trial Team, 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.^[30]

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.^[31]

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

About 14% of the male student body and 20% of the female student body (3,800 students or 20% of the total undergraduate population) participate in Greek organizations.^[32] The Greek Life is governed by an internal body that is called the Greek Council. There are two separate councils, one for males and another for females, that oversee activities and recruitment for Greek organizations on campus. The organizations hold two rush classes for the fall and spring semesters. The Greek organizations are heavily involved on campus with community service projects and spirit contests.^[33]

The Greek system has experienced a significant increase in interest over the last several years. Greek Life leaders credit this with the addition of the most prominent features of Greek Life at the University—the large, mostly Greek Revival, mansions maintained by the national fraternities and sororities as chapter houses lining Lincoln and Gadsden Streets, called the Greek Village. All students who live in these residences are members of a sorority or fraternity, and while the properties are managed by the University, each house is considered private ownership by each respective fraternity or sorority.^[34]

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 men's soccer which competes in Conference USA) and are known as the Gamecocks. The Gamecocks have won seven national team championships: 2010 National Championship in baseball, 2005 & 2007 National Championships in women's equestrian, 2005-2007 Hunt Seat National Championships in women's equestrian, and 2002 NCAA championship in women's track & field. 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 (1975, 1977, 2002), 1993 NCAA runner-up in men's soccer, and 2005 & 2006 NIT championships in men's basketball, and a Heisman Trophy winner (George Rogers, 1980). 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 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.^[35]
• 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.^[36][37]
• In January 2010, it was announced that USC placed the most student-athletes on the 2009 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll of any of the 12 schools in the conference. The Honor Roll was based on grades from the 2009 Spring, Summer and Fall terms. To be named to the list, a student-athlete must have maintained a 3.00 grade point average during the preceding academic year (two semesters) or a cumulative GPA at or above 3.00. The Gamecocks placed 78 student-athletes on the Honor Roll, while the University of Georgia was next closest with 51.^[38]
• On June 30, 2010, USC won the national championship in Division I baseball at the College World Series, defeating UCLA at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.^[39]

Noted people

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.

References

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

• Official website
• Official Athletics website
• Historical Photos of USC Buildings and Grounds at the University of South Carolina Library's Digital Collections Page

University of South Carolina Academics University of South Carolina School of Law • Moore School of Business • Palmetto Health Richland • University of South Carolina Press Athletics South Carolina Gamecocks • Carolina-Clemson rivalry Men's Sports: Baseball • Basketball • Football • Soccer • Tennis • Track & Field Women's Sports: Basketball • Soccer • Softball • Tennis • Track & Field • Volleyball Facilities: Williams-Brice Stadium • Colonial Life Arena • Carolina Stadium • Stone Stadium People: Mark Berson • Curtis Frye • Darrin Horn • Steve Spurrier • Dawn Staley • Ray Tanner Campus The Horseshoe • Currell College • Melton Memorial Observatory • South Carolina Institute of Anthropology and Archaeology • W. Gordon Belser Arboretum • Koger Center for the Arts Student life Cocky • The Daily Gamecock • WUSC • Student Gamecock Television (SGTV) • The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way • We Hail Thee Carolina • Mighty Sound of the Southeast • Five Points • Congaree Vista • Riverbanks Zoo • Lake Murray Miscellaneous Notable Gamecocks • Presidents • Board of Trustees • History of the University • Clariosophic • Euphradian • S.C.C. Cadets