University of South Carolina 
Institutional Demographics
- Chartered in 1801
- Public, co-educational state supported institution
- Faculty: 1,955 (for all campuses)
- Alumni: more than 203,000 living alumni
- 37,307 (total enrollment for all 8 campuses)
- 25,140 (enrollment for Columbia campus)
- Undergraduate: 16,567
- Master's: 5,813
- Doctorate: 1,508
- Professional: 1,252
- Degree Programs: more than 350
Program Highlights
University 101,
USC's freshman seminar, ranked No. 1 in U.S. News & World Report, 2003 Best Colleges
Guide, in the category "Programs that Really Work."- USC is listed in Kiplinger's Top 100 Best Buys for 2002.
- USC ranks No. 8 among Division 1 public universities in graduation of minority students, according to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 2001.
- USC ranks No. 3 in accessibility for students with disabilities, according to Colleges That Enable, by Prudence & Jason Tweed.
Policy Issues and Initiatives
- The University of South Carolina strives to protect our educational community and to maintain social discipline among its students and student organizations through the student code of conduct (http://www.sa.sc.edu/cc2002/judicial.htm#Student Code of Conduct).
- The Carolina Community is designed to provide information concerning the many policies, procedures, activities, and opportunities that exist here at Carolina. More information about this document may be found at http://www.sa.sc.edu/cc2002/.
- The Carolina Community outlines academic responsibility of all students (http://www.sa.sc.edu/cc2002/judicial.htm#Academic Responsibility).
- The Rule of Academic Responsibility and Disciplinary Procedures are available on the web at http://www.sc.edu/policies/staf/staf625.html.
- USC offers assistance to faculty for addressing academic classroom disruption http://web.sa.sc.edu/osjp/disruption.htm.
Carolinian Creed
Overview
The Carolinian Creed, created in 1990, is a statement of values, beliefs and behaviors that define the personal commitment expected of members of the University of South Carolina community. The Creed is a complement to the University's conduct code. It explains why we regulate and restrict what we do. It forms the basis for and serves as "a summary of what's expected by the institution."
The Carolinian Creed has been called our "summary of values," "a statement of principles," and, "a statement of standards we hope will govern relationships in the community." Reporters like to call it a "social honor code" or a "code of ethics." We like to call it a "teaching tool," anticipating that faculty and staff will use it to help students claim the rights and respect they deserve and to understand the obligations and assumptions that come with being a member of the Carolina Community.
Impact of Creed on campus
Creating and maintaining a campus culture that supports a learning environment is a responsibility of all members of the campus community. Through meaningful interactions with faculty and staff, students can become engaged in a learning community that promotes character development, personal and professional growth, and lifelong learning in a diverse world. The following examples are ways the Carolinian Creed is instilled in the academic and social lives of students at the University of South Carolina.
- All students interested in attending the University encounter the Creed on their application for admission and, with their signature, indicate their understanding of its meaning.
- During Fall Convocation, the President of the Student Government presents the Creed to a selected first year student and asks the student to accept it and commit to its ideals on behalf of the Freshman Class.
- The Creed is prominently printed in many university publications including university housing applications, the Carolina Community, and the Final Exam Blue Books.
- Students, faculty, and staff encounter framed copies or brass plaques of the Creed in offices and classrooms across campus.
- Officer inductions for various student groups, including Student Government, use the Carolinian Creed in their pledges.
- The Mortar Board annually gives a Carolinian Creed award to a student who has exemplified the tenets of the Creed in his/her campus involvement.
- Leadership training often includes aspects related to modeling the tenets of the Carolinian Creed.
- University 101 faculty extensively cover the Creed in their course.
- An annual Carolinian Creed Week is celebrated with essays, campus dialogues, and various other activities and learning opportunities.
- The Creed is periodically scrolled on the campus cable bulletin board.
- A copy of the Carolinian Creed is mailed to all deans, department chairs and new faculty each fall.
More information about the history, uses and impact of the Carolinian Creed can be found at: http://www.sa.sc.edu/creed/.
Programmatic Issues and Ideas
Carolinian Creed Week was recognized in 2002 by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) as one of eleven Exemplary Programs nationwide (http://www.sa.sc.edu/creed/CWrecognition.htm).
Through a week of observances, the University of South Carolina draws attention to the Carolinian Creed, a value statement to codify and communicate the campus community's values. Carolinian Creed Week brings together students, staff, faculty, and the community to work on programs and projects that speak to the values inherent in the Creed. Each activity is designed to increase campus civility and to promote academic and personal integrity. The Carolina Student Judicial Council, which adjudicates cases of alleged student misconduct and seeks to serve as a role model for the university community, is the primary student organization charged with rallying students around the Carolinian Creed and Carolinian Creed Week programming (http://www.sa.sc.edu/creed/creedweek.htm).