Coastal Carolina University

Coordinates: 33°47′41″N 79°00′42″W / 33.794722°N 79.011667°W / 33.794722; -79.011667

Coastal Carolina University

Motto	Ex Libertate Veritas ("From Liberty, Truth")
Type	Public
Established	1954
Endowment	$25.5 million
President	David A. DeCenzo
Academic staff	556
Students	10,263[1]
Location	Conway, South Carolina, U.S.
Campus	Suburban 630 acres
Colors	Teal, Bronze[2]
Athletics	NCAA Division I FBS Big South Conference Sun Belt Conference July 2016 18 intercollegiate teams
Nickname	Chanticleers
Mascot	Chauncey the Chanticleer
Website	www.coastal.edu

Coastal Carolina University, commonly referred to as CCU or Coastal, is a public,^[3] state-supported, liberal arts university in Conway, South Carolina, USA, located eight miles (13 km) west of Myrtle Beach. Founded in 1954, Coastal became an independent university in 1993.

The university is a national sea-grant institution and owns part of Waties Island, a 1,105-acre (4.47 km²) barrier island which serves as a natural laboratory. Coastal Carolina is also the home of the Horry County Schools Scholars Academy, a high school for gifted students.

History

Framed by Blanton Park, the Edward M. Singleton Building was the first building on campus, built in 1962.

Coastal Carolina University was founded in 1954 as Coastal Carolina Junior College, a two-year community college, by the Coastal Educational Foundation, a group of citizens who wanted a post-secondary institution in the Grand Strand. The college originally operated under contract as an extension of the College of Charleston. Classes met at night at Conway High School and were taught by part-time faculty. After the College of Charleston closed its extension programs, Coastal became an independent community college supported by Horry County. The Horry County Educational Commission was created in 1959 to oversee some of the tax money. This body was responsible for contracting out operations to the University of South Carolina a year later under the name Coastal Carolina Regional Campus. It moved to its first permanent facility in 1962 under a new name, Coastal Carolina College of the University of South Carolina. A decade of growth led to the school becoming a four-year institution in 1974. By 1991, enrollment had grown to over 4,000 students, leading the Coastal Educational Foundation and Horry County Educational Commission to seek independent status for the school. On July 1, 1993, the school officially became an autonomous institution under the name Coastal Carolina University.^[4]

Academic organization

The E. Craig Wall, Sr. College of Business Administration

The Wall College of Business

The business college, most commonly referred to as "Wall" offers six undergraduate majors: accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing and resort tourism management. The PGA Golf Management program is one of only 20 programs in the nation accredited by the PGA of America. Business students can also minor in economics or international business. The business college also offers two graduate programs, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program and the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program, and a graduate certificate in fraud examination.^[5] The Wall College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).^[6]

The Wall College is also home to several programs and centers.

• BB&T Center for Economic and Community Development
• Clay Brittain, Jr. Center for Resort Tourism
• Professional Golf Management Program

William L. Spadoni College of Education

The Spadoni College of Education grants the degrees Bachelor of Arts in the areas of Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Middle Level Education, and Special Education / Learning Disabilies; Bachelor of Science in Physical Education; Master of Education in the areas of Educational Leadership and Teaching & Learning; and Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Education in six specialization areas, as well as an Online Teaching Endorsement. The College of Education is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE),^[7] and each of its constituent programs is recognized by the South Carolina Department of Education and its corresponding specialized professional association (SPA).^[8]

The Spadoni College of Education is home to several research and outreach endeavors, including the Biddle Center for Teaching, Learning, and Community Engagement and the Learning is for Everyone (LIFE) Program, a "post-secondary education and transition program for young adults who have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities".^[9] Beginning with the Fall 2015 semester, the College will also host Teaching Fellows cohorts. Teaching Fellows is a program of the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement intended to "address the need to recruit high quality teachers" in South Carolina.^[10]

Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

• Department of Communication, Languages and Cultures
• Department of English
• Department of History
• Department of Music
• Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
• Department of Politics and Geography
• Department of Theatre
• Department of Visual Arts

Coastal Carolina University Bands
The Coastal Carolina University Bands are currently under the direction of Dr. James Tully. Athletic Bands are under the direction of Dr. Raul Barcenes. All bands are housed within the Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts.

• Concert Bands
• The Spirit of the Chanticleer Marching Band and Pep Band
• CCU Jazz Ensembles
• POP 101
• Saxophone Ensemble
• Brass Quartet
• Flute Choir
• Percussion Ensembles

College of Science

The College of Science currently offers 20 academic programs (majors, minors, and graduate degrees), including a Master of Science degree in Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies and a new Doctor of Philosophy degree in Coastal and Marine Systems Science. The Marine Systems department houses 4 vessels for both teaching and research. The flagship of the fleet is the R/V Coastal Explorer, a 54 ft. coastal region research vessel.^[11]

• Burroughs and Chapin Center for Marine and Wetland Studies
• Department of Biology
• Department of Chemistry and Physics
• Department of Computing Sciences
• Department of Health Sciences
• Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies
• Department of Marine Science
• Department of Mathematics and Statistics
• Department of Psychology and Sociology
• School of Coastal and Marine Systems Science

Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC)

• Chanticleer Company

Accreditation

The University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). In addition, several of the University's other programs have been accredited. They include:

• The E. Craig Wall, Sr. College of Business Administration - accredited by AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).
• The Spadoni College of Education - accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) as well as the South Carolina State Board of Education.
• The Department of Computer Science - accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
• The University is also an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Leadership

Media and campus publications

Radio and television

• WCCU - Student-run online radio station launched in Spring 2009.
• Coastal Now - A television program produced by the University.

Print media

• Coastal Carolina Magazine
• Atheneum Newsletter

Student publications

• The Chanticleer - The student newspaper
• Archarios - A student-produced literary art magazine
• Tempo - A student-produced features magazine

Student life

Student facilities

The HTC Center is home to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers basketball teams as well as a student recreation center and campus bookstore

The Lib Jackson Student Union serves are the hub for student life at Coastal Carolina University. The building recently underwent a $12 million expansion, which opened in 2015. The Student Union contains a 250-seat movie theater/auditorium, conference rooms, a convenience store, as well as an entertainment and gaming area.^[12]

The HTC Recreation & Convocation Center was opened in 2012. The LEED-certified convocation center features a 3,370 multi-purpose arena, bookstore, as well as a recreation center open to students, faculty, and staff. The arena portion is home to both men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball teams, whose games were formerly held in Kimbel Arena. The arena is overlooked by private suites and a catering and banquet facility.^[13] The student recreation center features a large workout area with cardio machines, weight training, and a full indoor track. The recreation center is also home to several group exercise studios, a rock climbing wall, as well as ping pong tables.

University housing

The university requires all Freshmen and Sophomores to live on campus; the university houses approximately 3,700 in on-campus living facilities. Freshmen are primarily assigned to the university-owned Chancellors, Woods, and the Gardens on main campus, as well as the Grand Strand section of University Place; Sophomores are primarily housed in University Place. The CCUs Student Housing Foundation was created as a non-profit corporation in 2003 to lease, manage and contract for the construction of student housing facilities. The Foundation oversaw the construction of University Place, which the university currently leases from the foundation, as well as the current construction of new freshman housing on the north end of the campus. The university's trustees moved to purchase University Place from the foundation in 2014.^[14]

Main campus housing

• Chanticleer and Tradition Halls
• The Chancellors - Ingle and Eaglin Halls (formerly Waccamaw and Santee Halls)

Traditional suite and semi-suite residence halls

• The Woods - Dogwood, Oak, Cypress, Elm, Maple and Palmetto Halls

Suite-style living units with 4 single bedrooms

• The Gardens - Azalea and Magnolia Halls

Semi-suite living units each with a shared bedroom and common spaces

University Place

Located 1/2 mile from Main Campus off Highway 544, University Place consists of 46 apartment-style buildings, separated into five distinct neighborhoods; Grand Strand, Sandhills, Low Country, Blue Ridge, and Piedmont. University Place contains an activity house with a fitness center and outdoor pool, several basketball and volleyball courts, as well as the "UP Cafe" and convenience store. Shuttle buses run every 10–15 minutes between University Place and main campus.

New Freshman housing

The CCU Housing Foundation is currently constructing a 1,270-bed housing complex on the north end of the campus. The first two halls, Tradition Hall and Chanticleer Hall were completed for the Fall 2015 semester. Tradition and Chanticleer Halls include clusters of rooms reserved for honors students as well as three special interest communities; "TEACH Community" for education majors, "Wall $treet Business Community" for business majors, and the "SEA Floor" for social and educational programming focusing on marine sciences. The last two buildings, Teal Hall and CINO Hall are set to be operational for the Fall 2016 semester. The four-building complex also features office space, conference and meeting rooms, recreation and a new dining hall.^[15][16]

Off-campus housing

There are several off-campus student housing apartment-style complexes located nearby the university. The university maintains a website listing available rentals to assist students looking to live off-campus. In addition to off-campus student housing complexes, many students rent apartments, townhomes and houses in the many nearby golf course communities such as Carolina Forest as well as in Myrtle Beach.

Campus dining

Coastal Carolina University has several options for campus dining. The primary venue for dining on campus is the cafeteria-style Hicks Dining Hall, which includes various stations offering a variety of food, such as a salad bar, sandwich station, pizza bar, and desserts. Adjacent to the Jackson Student Union is the CINO Grille, a food court featuring a Subway, Chick-fil-A, Grille Works, Chauncey's Queso Corner, as well as a Grab-n-go station. Other dining options include the UP Cafe located in University Place, a grab-n-go eatery in the Science Center, a late-night pizzeria, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Starbucks Coffee, as well as a dining facility at the Hackler Golf Course.

The university also runs a food truck, the Road Rooster, which serves breakfast on Prince Lawn, and serves late-night fare over the weekends at University Place.^[17] In 2014 the university was one of three college campuses in the country selected to receive a mobile Starbucks Coffee truck. The truck, which operates like a normal Starbucks retail location, is operational on weekdays on both Prince Lawn and University Place.^[18]

Transportation

The university operates a free shuttle system that runs on both weekdays and weekends. The shuttles, modeled after classic trolleys, run approximately every 10 minutes during peak hours, but stop less often during non-peak times. The Teal Shuttle route runs on weekdays between main campus and University Place. The Black Shuttle route runs between main campus and the Science Center and Band Hall across Highway 501; the Black Shuttle also stops at the Myrtle Ridge Wal-Mart during evening hours. The Bronze Shuttle runs on weekends and services all stops on the shuttle routes. The university also runs free shuttles during Fall, Winter, and Spring breaks, shuttling students to and from the Myrtle Beach International Airport and the Florence Amtrak station. The shuttle routes converge at a solar-powered bus shelter, donated by the Santee Cooper electric company in front of the Student Center.

In addition to free shuttles, the university has over 100 bicycles that are available to be checked out by students for use on campus, as well as an on-campus fleet of Zipcars.

Student activities

Student organizations include the Student Government Association (SGA), S.T.A.R. (Students Taking Active Responsibility) and the Coastal Activities Board, along with a number of other academic, honor, service, interest, social and religious organizations.^[19] Intramural sports are also offered through the Department of Campus Recreation.^[20]

The SGA is the governing body of the campus and is in charge of allocating and disbursing funds to the clubs and organizations on campus. Executive positions include President, Executive Vice-President, Chief of Staff, President Pro-Tempore, Vice President for Finance and Vice President for Public Relations.^[21] Elections for SGA positions are held each spring. The SGA's legislative body is composed of two senators from each grade and college who are elected by the student body. SGA has passed legislation to change various policies on campus. Over the years, they have passed legislation to create the HTC Center, Rowdy Rooster and have made replacement CINO cards free to students as well as more. SGA meetings are currently held on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in Wall building 317.

Club sports

A sand sculpture during the 2015 Big South Conference Men's Basketball Tournament held at Coastal Carolina University

Coastal Carolina University also boasts an array of competitive and non-competitive club sports including : Baseball, Hockey, Soccer (M), Soccer (W), Lacrosse(M), Lacrosse(W), Triathlon, Wrestling, Saltwater Anglers, Surfing, Wake Sports, Rugby, Equestrian, Field Hockey, Fishing, and Quidditch.

The Chanticleer Rugby club, a member of USA Rugby South, won the Small College National Championship in 2009.^[22] The club also won the 2009 NSCRO Men's Division III Rugby Tournament.

Greek life

Athletics

The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team plays at Brooks Stadium

From 1983 until the 2015 season, Coastal Carolina's athletic programs competed in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big South Conference, while the football team competed in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision or FCS. On September 1, 2015, Coastal Carolina announced they would leave the Big South Conference following the 2015–16 school year to transition to FBS-level football and the Sun Belt Conference. The university will join in all sports except for football starting July 1, 2016, with football joining in 2017.^[24]

The football team plays at the 9,214-seat Brooks Stadium, which is notable for its teal artificial turf.^[25] Following the announcement of the university joining the Sun Belt Conference, Brooks Stadium will undergo construction to expand the stadium to 20,000 seats; the NCAA requires FBS programs to maintain an average attendance of at least 15,000 over a rolling two-year cycle. The addition will complete a lower level seating bowl between the home, visitors and student sections, as well as adding a second level to the section backing up to S.C. 544.^[26]

Coastal's athletic teams were once known as the Trojans. But once the school established an affiliation with the University of South Carolina, the decision was made to select a mascot in line with the parent institution's mascot, the Gamecock. The ultimate choice was the Chanticleer (pronounced SHON-ti-clear), the proud, witty rooster made famous in "The Nun's Priest's Tale" of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. The university's teams are affectionately known as the Chants (pronounced "shonts") and the mascot itself is named Chauncey. When Coastal Carolina became an independent university in 1993, despite some calls for "a complete split from USC" (i.e., change the mascot), the Chanticleer remained the school's mascot. The mascot is one of the most distinctive in all of college sports.^[27]

In 2013, TD Bank gave CCU a $5 million gift. In September 2014, CCU officially renamed all its sports facilities TD Sports Complex.^[28]

Notable alumni

Athletics

Arts, entertainment, and media

References

External links

• Official website
• Coastal Carolina Athletics website

Sports teams based in South Carolina Baseball CL Myrtle Beach Pelicans SAL Charleston RiverDogs Columbia Fireflies Greenville Drive CPL Florence Red Wolves Lexington County Blowfish Basketball ECBL Columbia Crusaders PrimeTime Players South Carolina All-Stars TRBL Palmetto Flight Football AIF Myrtle Beach Freedom Hockey ECHL Greenville Swamp Rabbits South Carolina Stingrays Roller derby WFTDA Columbia Quadsquad Greenville Derby Dames Lowcountry Highrollers Rugby union USA Rugby Charleston Outlaws Columbia Olde Grey Soccer USL Charleston Battery NPSL Myrtle Beach FC FC Carolina Discoveries Upward Stars College athletics (NCAA Division I) Charleston Cougars Charleston Southern Buccaneers The Citadel Bulldogs Clemson Tigers Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Furman Paladins Presbyterian Blue Hose South Carolina Gamecocks South Carolina State Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs USC Upstate Spartans Winthrop Eagles Wofford Terriers