University of South Carolina Sumter Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan 2003-2004

I. Unit Profile

A. Executive Summary         

USC Sumter continues to provide undergraduate education programs of superior quality.  Over the six years of the Performance Based Funding program in South Carolina, among the 33 public colleges and universities, none has scored at a consistently higher level than USC Sumter.  The range of educational opportunities available on the Sumter campus includes six cooperative baccalaureate degree programs with three other USC campuses.  Plans exist to seek new cooperative baccalaureate programs as needs of our service area and opportunities within the greater university reveal themselves.  Plans also exist to secure the approval of the President, the Board of Trustees, and the State Commission on Higher Education, for USC Sumter to become a senior (four-year) campus within the USC System.

Enrollment patterns at USC Sumter are still undergoing some change.  After several years of slight decreases in headcount enrollments and slight increases in FTE enrollments, the same pattern repeated itself in the 2002 Fall Semester.  However, both headcount and FTE enrollments increased slightly for the 2003 Spring Semester.  Upon examining enrollment data from the past several years, we believe that USC Sumter is experiencing a fundamental shift in enrollment demographics.  Degree-seeking traditional and non-traditional students now comprise a larger portion of the student body, while enrollment by students in special and non-degree categories is decreasing.  These shifts in enrollment patterns, if accurate, suggest future enrollment and retention may be more stable.  Complicating this analysis were four major variables:  (1) two significant tuition increases in the past twelve months; (2) the advent of Lottery Tuition Assistance for students attending USC’s Regional Campuses; and (3) significantly increased deployments of units and personnel from Shaw AFB to sites around the world; and (4) an increase in the Air Force's tuition assistance from 75% to 100%.

The campus has continued to investigate and evaluate the potential of distance education opportunities, based on community need and program availability within the larger University.  Distance education technology has presented USC with many challenges and has stalled the progression of further program development.  Much work is needed at the University-wide level to develop new policies and procedures that will be uniform throughout the USC campuses, because, at present, distance education programmatic and financial models are disjointed to non-existent.  To that end, under the auspices of the Palmetto College proposal, all of the regional campuses are currently participating in the development of uniform distance education technology, policies, and procedures throughout the larger university.

In terms of physical plant, renovation of the Arts and Letters Building (acquired in 2000 and formerly known as Alice Drive Baptist Church) is on schedule.  It is anticipated that faculty will occupy offices in the summer of 2003 and that classes will be held in this building in the 2003 Fall Semester.  The 24,000 square feet in this building will bring the campus’ total to 240,000 square feet distributed among eight permanent buildings on 50 acres, and permit us to dispose of the final two of eight portable buildings that were installed beginning in 1979.  These eight permanent buildings will contain 138 faculty and staff offices and 66 classrooms, laboratories, studios, and other defined instructional spaces, which are intended to help position USC Sumter to become a senior (four-year) campus within the USC System.

Specific contingencies for addressing expected reductions in state appropriations are outlined in the Resource Requirements section of this document.

B. Mission Statement

The University of South Carolina Sumter, a regional campus of the University of South Carolina, has as its mission to provide higher education and intellectual leadership for the Sumter area. At the heart of this mission is a teaching faculty of high quality dedicated to excellence in instruction, scholarship, public and professional service and creative endeavor which enrich the classroom experience. USC Sumter offers a varied curriculum rooted in the liberal arts and aimed at preparing students to continue their education in the university and throughout life. The University of South Carolina Sumter recruits students prepared to begin or planning to complete a baccalaureate level education. While USC Sumter does not offer remedial instruction, it is nonetheless able to admit most students who apply because of the close working relationship between students and faculty. Enrollment varies with community need, but is expected to remain near 1000 FTE students.

The University of South Carolina Sumter was established to encourage higher education in Sumter and adjacent counties. It primarily serves students from Sumter, Lee, Clarendon, Williamsburg, and Kershaw counties. The design of the early institution incorporated a flexibility that has allowed changes in institutional capability with increasing educational demand of constituents.

The institution itself grants the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees and provides for the completion of selected bachelor degrees on campus through cooperative agreements with other institutions. Graduate education is coordinated at USC Sumter through the University's Graduate Regional Studies program. USC Sumter also provides access to a wide variety of baccalaureate degree programs on other campuses by teaching some courses that must be taken by students in these programs. The mission includes other appropriate upper division coursework as well as non-credit courses, seminars, and workshops made available to the community for cultural enrichment and for professional development.

The traditions of cultural diversity and freedom of thought are valued at USC Sumter. In an atmosphere that develops respect for this diversity and an awareness of individual, societal, and global responsibilities, USC Sumter promotes courses, activities, and attitudes which favor the development of men and women who continue learning throughout life.

The university emphasizes the development of the whole person. The institution especially seeks to foster in students the disciplines essential to an educated citizenry. These include the ability to communicate through effective writing and articulate speech, as well as quantitative competence, creative and critical thinking, and the integration of knowledge. Classroom experiences, student activities, and physical education programs provide opportunities for cultural enrichment, leadership development, intellectual growth and interpersonal relationships contributing to a sense of self-reliance and self-esteem.

This statement was approved by the USC Sumter Faculty Organization March 6,1998.

This statement was approved by the Dean of USC Sumter March 6, 1998 .

This statement was approved by the Vice Provost and Executive Dean for Regional Campuses and Continuing Education.

This statement was approved by the USC Board of Trustees on April 23, 1998.

C. Statistical Profile

1)  Funding Sources:  USC Sumter Unrestricted and Auxiliary Budget as of July 1, 2002