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{{About|the University of South Carolina's flagship campus in Columbia|other campuses in South Carolina's state university system|University of South Carolina System}} {{Short description|Public university in Columbia, South Carolina, US}}
{{About|the University of South Carolina's campus in Columbia|other campuses in South Carolina's state university system|University of South Carolina System}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox university {{Infobox university
|name = University of South Carolina<br><small>Columbia</small> | name = University of South Carolina
| image = University of South Carolina seal.svg
|image_name = Universityofsouthcarolinaseal.png
| image_upright = 0.6
|image_size = 130px
| former_names = South Carolina College (1801–1865; 1882–1887; 1890–1905)<br />University of South Carolina (1866–1877)<ref name="firstuniversity">{{cite web| url=https://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/university-of-south-carolina/| title=University of South Carolina|last=Lesesne|first=Henry |date=June 28, 2016 |website=South Carolina Encyclopedia |publisher=University of South Carolina, Institute for Southern Studies |access-date=February 25, 2021 |quote=In 1866 state leaders revived the institution with ambitious plans for a diverse University of South Carolina.}}</ref><br />South Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanics (1880–1881)<ref>Green, Edwin Luther. "" History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/120/mode/2up.</ref>
|motto = ''Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros'' (])
| motto = '']'' (])
|mottoeng = Learning humanizes character and does not permit it to be cruel
| mottoeng = "Learning humanizes character and does not permit it to be cruel" (])
|established = 1801
| established = {{start date and age|1801|12|19}}
|type = ] <br/> ] ]<br/>]<br />
| type = ] ]
|endowment= $391.5 million<ref>As of June 30, 2009. {{Cite web | title = U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2009 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2008 to FY 2009| work = 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments | publisher = National Association of College and University Business Officers | url = http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2009_NCSE_Public_Tables_Endowment_Market_Values.pdf| format = PDF | accessdate = March 15, 2010}}</ref>
| academic_affiliations = {{hlist|]|]|]}}
|faculty = 1,608|
| parent = ]
|president= Dr. Harris Pastides
| accreditation = ]
|city = ]
| endowment = $1.044 billion (2024) <ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.uscfoundations.com/sites/default/files/pdf/USC%20Foundations%202024%20Annual%20Endowment%20Report%20FINAL.pdf |title=UofSC Foundations Annual Endowment Report 2023-2024|website=University of South Carolina Foundations}}</ref>
|state = ]
| president = ]
|country = ]
| provost = Donna K. Arnett
|students= 28,481
| faculty = 1,604
|alumni = 236,000<ref> ''The University of South Carolina.'' Accessed 4 October 2007.</ref>
| students = >38,000 (2024) (Columbia)<br />52,633 (system-wide)<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web |url=http://oiraa.dw.sc.edu/enrollment/prel2019/fall/freeze.pdf |title=About The University of South Carolina |publisher=University of South Carolina |access-date=October 31, 2017}}</ref>
|campus= ], {{Convert|359|acre|km2|1}}
| city = ]
|colors= <font color="#8C2633">█</font> <font color="#000000">█</font> Garnet and Black
|nickname = ] | state = ]
| country = United States
|mascot = ]
| campus = ]
|athletics=] ] ]<br>19 varsity teams
| campus_size = {{Convert|359|acre|ha}}
|website=
| free_label = Newspaper
|logo= ]
| free = '']''
| sporting_affiliations = ] – ]
| colors = {{college color list|team=South Carolina Gamecocks}}
| sports_nickname = ]
| mascot = ]
| website = {{official URL}}
| logo = University of South Carolina horizontal logo.svg
}} }}


The '''University of South Carolina''' (also referred to as '''USC''', '''SC''', or '''Carolina''') is a ], ]al ] ] located in ], ]. Its historic campus covers over {{Convert|359|acre|km2|1}} in downtown Columbia not far from the ]. The '''University of South Carolina''' ('''USC''', '''South Carolina''', or '''Carolina''') is a ] ] in ], United States. Founded in 1801 as '''South Carolina College''', It is the flagship of the ] and the largest university in the state by enrollment. Its main campus is on over {{Convert|359|acre|ha}} in downtown Columbia, close to the ]. The university is ] among "R1: Doctoral Universities with Highest Research Activity".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/lookup/view_institution.php?unit_id=218663|title=Institutional Profile: University of South Carolina-Columbia |publisher=Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching|access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref> It houses the largest collection of ] and Scottish literature materials outside Scotland and the world's largest ] collection.

Founded in 1801, USC is the
] institution of the ] and offers more than 350 programs of study leading to ], ], and ] degrees from fourteen degree-granting colleges and schools to an enrollment of approximately 28,481 students.<ref></ref> Professional schools on the Columbia campus include business, engineering, law, medicine, and pharmacy.


==History== ==History==
{{Main|History of the University of South Carolina}} {{Main|History of the University of South Carolina}}
]
]]]
The University was founded as '''South Carolina College''' on December 19, 1801, by an act of the ] initiated by ] ] in an effort to promote harmony between the ] and the ]. The first president was the ] minister Reverend ]. Maxcy's tenure lasted from 1804 through 1820.


===Foundation and early history===
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 ] period, the institution underwent several reorganizations. In 1957, the University expanded its reach through the ], a group of seven satellite campuses established around the state in addition to the flagship school in Columbia.
]]]The university was founded as South Carolina College on December 19, 1801, by an act of the ] initiated by ] ] in an effort to promote harmony between the ] and the ]. On January 10, 1805, having an initial enrollment of nine students, the college commenced classes with a traditional classical curriculum. The first president was the ] minister and theologian Reverend ]. He was an alumnus of ], with an honorary degree from ]. Before coming to the college, Maxcy had served as the second president of Brown and the third president of ]. Maxcy's tenure lasted from 1804 through 1820.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://president.sc.edu/FormerPresidents.php |title= Interim President Harris Pastides &#124; University of South Carolina|website=president.sc.edu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307234601/http://president.sc.edu/FormerPresidents.php |archive-date=March 7, 2009}}</ref>
]
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 became known as the ].

As with other southern universities in the antebellum period, the most important organizations for students were the two literary societies, the ] and the ].<ref>{{cite book|last=Durham|first=David|title=A Southern Moderate in Radical Times: Henry Washington Hilliard, 1808–1892|date=2008|publisher=LSU Press|location=Baton Rouge|isbn=978-0807133286|page=13}}</ref> These two societies, which arose from a split in an earlier literary society known as the Philomathic, grew to encapsulate the majority of the student body from the 1820s onward.

The college became a symbol of the South in the antebellum period as its graduates were on the forefront of secession from the Union. With the generous support of the General Assembly, South Carolina College acquired a reputation as the leading institution of the ] and attracted several noteworthy scholars, including ], ], and ].

Slavery and ] played a fundamental role in the foundation and construction of the University of South Carolina. Many of the primary buildings in the central heart of campus, known today as the horseshoe, were built not only by slave labor but also of slave-made brick. Slave labor played a large role in the maintenance operational duties of early campus activities. This includes maintenance, cleaning of student tenements and faculty duplexes, and the preparation of meals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://delphi.tcl.sc.edu/library/digital/slaveryscc/index.html |title=Slavery at South Carolina College, 1801–1865 – University of South Carolina Libraries |publisher=Delphi.tcl.sc.edu |access-date=March 18, 2022}}</ref>

===Civil War===
Seventy-two students were present for classes in January 1862 and the college functioned until a call by the ] government for South Carolina to fill its quota of 18,000 soldiers. A system of conscription began on March 20 for all men between the ages of 18 and 45, but many students volunteered.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Beach|first=Frederick Converse|title=The Americana: A Universal Reference Library, Comprising the Arts and Sciences, Literature, History, Biography, Geography, Commerce, Etc., of the World|publisher=Scientific American Compiling Department|year=1907|volume=14}}</ref> With the depletion of students, professors issued a notice that the college would open to those under 18 years old. Nine students showed up for class.

===Post-war===
The University Act of 1869 during the ] reorganized the university and provided it with generous financial support. An amendment was added to the act by ], a black representative from ], that would prevent racial discrimination from the admissions policy of the university. The legislature further proved its seriousness towards racial equality by electing two black trustees, ] (misspelled as "Bozeman" in the bill) and ],<ref>{{cite news |title=USC celebrates 110 years of black presence |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60433048/black-history-of-university-of-south/ |newspaper=The Index–Journal (]) |date=December 2, 1983 |first=Loretta Costello |page=9 |last=Brown |access-date=October 3, 2020 |archive-date=October 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008101455/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60433048/black-history-of-university-of-south/ |url-status=live }}</ref> to the ] on March 9, 1869. A ] was established by the legislature on the campus of the university as well as a preparatory school for black students, since most former slaves were ill-prepared for academic work. In addition, to encourage enrollment by blacks, tuition and other fees were abolished. On October 7, 1873, ], the ], became the first black student when he registered for the fall session in the medical college of the university.<ref>{{cite book |first=John S. |last=Reynolds |title=Reconstruction in South Carolina |url=https://archive.org/details/reconstructioni01reyngoog |year=1969 |publisher=Negro University Press |page=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |first=Daniel Walker |last=Hollis|title=University of South Carolina |year=1956 |publisher=University of South Carolina Press|volume=II|page=66}}</ref>

===Post-Reconstruction (Jim Crow era)===
In 1877 South Carolina state leaders closed the university. It was reopened in 1880 as a white only agricultural college.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sc.edu/about/our_history/university_history/timeline/index.php | title=Timeline - University History &#124; University of South Carolina | access-date=December 7, 2023 | archive-date=September 14, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914144135/https://www.sc.edu/about/our_history/university_history/timeline/index.php | url-status=live }}</ref>

===Previous institution names===

* Chartered as South Carolina College on December 19, 1801<ref>Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 11, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/11/mode/2up.</ref>
* Chartered as the University of South Carolina on January 10, 1866<ref>Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 84, 87(line 14), 88, 94, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/87/mode/2up.</ref><ref>Green, Edwin Luther. “Chapter VII. The University of South Carolina, 1865–1873.”
History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916</ref><ref name="firstuniversity" />
* Chartered as South Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanics on October 3, 1880<ref>Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 99–100, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/99/mode/2up.</ref>
* Chartered as South Carolina College in 1882<ref>Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 103–104, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/103/mode/2up.</ref>
* Chartered as the University of South Carolina on May 9, 1888<ref>Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 111, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/111/mode/2up.</ref>
* Chartered as South Carolina College on April 21, 1890<ref>Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 120, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/120/mode/2up.</ref>
* Chartered as the University of South Carolina on February 17, 1906<ref>Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 129, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/129/mode/2up.</ref>


==Campus== ==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.


]] is listed on the ], 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 ] and is the first freestanding academic library in the ].<ref></ref> ] is listed on the ], and most of its buildings reflect the federal style of architecture in vogue in the early days of the nation. Among them is the ], which was designed by ] and is the first freestanding academic library in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sc.edu/library/socar/about.html |title=About the South Caroliniana Library – University Libraries |publisher=University of South Carolina |access-date=December 13, 2012}}</ref>


]
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.


Over the years the 11 original buildings on the Horseshoe survived a fire, an earthquake, and the Civil War, but in 1939 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 ], the ], the ], ], and various facilities for ]. (] is located approximately one mile off campus.)


During the 20th century: the campus began to spread out dramatically from the Horseshoe. Today it includes the student union, 24 residence halls, numerous academic buildings, Longstreet Theatre, the ], the ], the ], ], and various facilities for ]. (] 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 Honors Residence Hall, the Public Health Research Center, the Graduate Columbia hotel, the Colonial Life Arena and Carolina Stadium. In 2017, a new ] building opened on Senate Street, and the Darla Moore School of Business opened its new home at the corner of Assembly and Greene in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sc.edu/highlights/item.php?hid=8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506212813/http://www.sc.edu/highlights/item.php?hid=8|url-status=dead|title=University of South Carolina - Highlights|archive-date=May 6, 2008|website=www.sc.edu}}</ref>
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 ] (LEED) program.


The University of South Carolina operates a transit system called Carolina Shuttle which consists of 14 buses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sc.edu/vmps/shuttle.html |title=USC Vehicle Management & Parking Services |publisher=University of South Carolina |access-date=December 13, 2012}}</ref> "Carolina Cab" offers students free rides from Five Points to their homes within {{convert|5|mi|km|0}} of campus on weekends.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
The campus continues to expand west toward the ] in support of its research initiatives (see below). Three separate sites, each specializing in its own research area, will initially cover {{Convert|500000|sqft|m2|-4}} spread over six city blocks and will eventually grow to {{Convert|5000000|sqft|m2|-5}}. This new district of campus, named Innovista,<ref></ref> 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.


==Academics==
Future plans also include a new home for the School of Law.<ref></ref>


=== Colleges and schools ===
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.<ref></ref> 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 ].
{|
|
* College of Arts and Sciences
* ]
* College of Education
* Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing
* Graduate School
* College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management
* College of Information and Communications
* ]
|
* School of Medicine–Columbia
* School of Medicine–Greenville
* ]
* College of Nursing
* College of Pharmacy
* Arnold School of Public Health
* College of Social Work
* South Carolina Honors College
|}


===Undergraduate admissions===
==Points of interest==
]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* 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


Undergraduate admissions are classified as ''more selective''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/lookup/view_institution.php?unit_id=218663|title=Carnegie Classifications &#124; Institution Lookup|website=carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu}}</ref> For the freshman enrollment of 2022, half the class had SAT scores between 1150 and 1360, or ACT scores between 26 and 31.<ref>{{cite web | title=University of South Carolina Admissions | website=US News Best Colleges | date=10 March 2016 | url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-south-carolina-3448/applying | access-date=13 August 2023}}</ref>
==Academics==

===Admissions===
===South Carolina Honors College===
{|style="float:right; font-size: smaller; border=2" class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
Founded in 1978, the South Carolina Honors College offers support to academically gifted undergraduate students.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web|url=http://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/undergraduate_admissions/honors_and_scholars_programs/sc_honors_college/index.php|title=SC Honors College – Office of Undergraduate Admissions – University of South Carolina|access-date=August 15, 2016|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816095348/http://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/undergraduate_admissions/honors_and_scholars_programs/sc_honors_college/index.php|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-7700943_ITM |work=The State |title=New program at University of South Carolina targets top students |first=Ellyde |last=Roko |date=December 2, 2004}}</ref> After gaining acceptance to the University of South Carolina, students must apply separately to the Honors College and demonstrate significant academic achievement. In 2019, entering freshmen had an average weighted GPA of 4.71 and a midrange SAT score (critical reading and math) of 1460–1530.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/undergraduate_admissions/requirements/for_freshmen/admitted_class_profile/index.php |title=Admitted Class Profile|publisher= University of South Carolina}}</ref>
|+'''Enrollment (Fall 2009)'''{{Ref|Enrollment (Fall 2009)|show=yes}}

===Rankings===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{{Infobox US university ranking
| THE_WSJ = 275
| QS_W = 575
| USNWR_NU = 124
| USNWR_W = 346
| THES_W = 401–500
| Wamo_NU = 153
| Forbes = 161
| ARWU_W = 401–500
}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style="float:right; text-align:center"
|- |-
! colspan=4 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|South Carolina Gamecocks|color=white}}" |National Program Rankings<ref>{{cite web|title=University of South Carolina Rankings|magazine=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=October 3, 2020|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/university-of-south-carolina-columbia-218663/overall-rankings|archive-date=July 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723043434/https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/university-of-south-carolina-columbia-218663/overall-rankings|url-status=live}}</ref>
! College
! Undergrad
! Graduate
|- |-
! Program
| College of Arts and Sciences
! Ranking
| 7,574
| 1,224
|- |-
| Biological Sciences || 159
| ]
| 3,953
| 424
|- |-
| Business || 62
| College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management
| 1,766
| 65
|- |-
| Chemistry || 88
| College of Engineering and Computing
| 1,584
| 453
|- |-
| Clinical Psychology || 80
| College of Mass Communications and Information Studies
| 1,388
| 518
|- |-
| Computer Science || 111
| College of Education
| 1,067
| 1,106
|- |-
| Criminology || 22
| College of Nursing
| 1,008
| 173
|- |-
| Earth Sciences || 90
| Arnold School of Public Health
| 766
| 653
|- |-
| Economics || 83
| College of Pharmacy
| 402
| 453
|- |-
| Education || 78
| School of Music
| 325
| 137
|- |-
| Engineering || 102
| College of Social Work
| 13
| 546
|- |-
| English || 85
| ]
| --
| 689
|- |-
| Fine Arts || 152
| School of Medicine
| --
| 510
|- |-
| Health Care Management || 39
| The Graduate School{{Ref|Grad}}
| --
| 6,527
|- |-
| colspan="3" | | History || 63
#{{Note|Enrollment}}As found at
#{{Note|Grad}}Graduate programs are run by the respective colleges, <br />but all graduate degrees are awarded by the Graduate School.
|}Classified as ''more selective'',<ref></ref> USC admitted just over 58% of those who applied to be ] in 2008.<ref name="USC Common Data Set, 2008"></ref> When admitting Freshmen, the university puts emphasis on the rigor of high school study and scores on standardized test, SAT or ]. It also considers class rank, extracurricular activities, and an optional personal statement. The average incoming freshman had a combined SAT score of 1194.<ref name=autogenerated1></ref> and a high school ] of 3.9.<ref name="USC Common Data Set, 2008"/>

===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.<ref></ref><ref>http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-7700943_ITM</ref> After gaining acceptance to the University of South Carolina, students must apply separately to the Honors College and demonstrate significant academic achievement.<ref></ref> 2009 entering freshmen had an average weighted GPA of 4.5 and an average SAT score of 1404.<ref></ref>

Over 120 courses are offered exclusively to Honors College students. Students are required to complete a Senior ] 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.
<!-- Deleted image removed: ] -->

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===
{{Infobox US university ranking
| GUR =
| ARWU_W =
| ARWU_N =
| ARWU_SCI =
| ARWU_ENG =
| ARWU_SOC =
| USNWR_NU = 110
| USNWR_Bus =
| USNWR_Law =
| USNWR_Medr =
| USNWR_Eng =
| USNWR_Ed =
| THES_W =
| Wamo_NU =
| Forbes =
}}

{|style="float:center; font-size: smaller" class="wikitable"
|- |-
| Law || 96
! Publication
! Rank<ref></ref>
! Category
|- |-
| Library Science & Information Studies || 18
| rowspan=12 | ]
| # 1
| Undergraduate international business for 13 consecutive years
|- |-
| Mathematics || 86
| # 2
| Graduate international business <br>(20 consecutive years as either # 1 or # 2)
|- |-
| Medical Schools-Primary Care || 90
| # 3
| Doctoral school psychology program
|- |-
| Medical Schools-Research || 91
| # 4
| Graduate social psychology
|- |-
| Nursing-Anesthesia || 65
| # 10
| Insurance/Risk Management
|- |-
| Pharmacy || 40
| # 19
| Graduate library science, including # 2 school library media <br>and # 8 health information
|- |-
| Physical Therapy || 42
| # 24
| Business programs (among public universities)
|- |-
| Physics || 119
| # 52
| Top public institutions, National Universities
|- |-
| Political Science || 72
| # 58
| Master's nursing program
|- |-
| Psychology || 112
| # 85
| Medical Schools - Research - #91 Primary Care
|- |-
| Public Affairs || 101
| # 87
| Law Schools
|- |-
| Public Health || 23
| # 110
| National Universities
|- |-
| Rehabilitation Counseling || 47
| American Board of Pediatrics
| # 2
| Pediatrics residency program
|- |-
| Social Work || 51
| ''Journal of Health Education''
| # 5
| Doctoral health education program
|- |-
| Sociology || 75
| ''Latin Trade''
| # 5
| MBA programs for Latin Americans
|- |-
| Speech-Language Pathology || 25
| ''American Academy of Kinesiology<br>& Physical Education''
| # 8
| Exercise science
|- |-
| Statistics || 74
| ''Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education''
|}
| # 9
{{col-end}}
| Hotel, restaurant, & tourism management

==Research==
The University of South Carolina is ] as a research institution of "very high research activity".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/lookup/srp.php?clq=%7B%22ipug2005_ids%22:%22%22,%22ipgrad2005_ids%22:%22%22,%22enrprofile2005_ids%22:%22%22,%22ugprfile2005_ids%22:%22%22,%22sizeset2005_ids%22:%22%22,%22basic2005_ids%22:%2215%22,%22eng2005_ids%22:%22%22,%22search_string%22:%22%22,%22level%22:%22%22,%22control%22:%22%22,%22accred%22:%22%22,%22state%22:%22%22,%22region%22:%22%22,%22urbanicity%22:%22%22,%22womens%22:%22%22,%22hbcu%22:%22%22,%22hsi%22:%22%22,%22tribal%22:%22%22,%22msi%22:%22%22,%22landgrant%22:%22%22,%22coplac%22:%22%22,%22urban%22:%22%22%7D|title=Carnegie Classifications – Standard Listings|access-date=August 15, 2016}}</ref> The university was awarded $309 million in sponsored awards during the 2024 fiscal year, a 27 percent increase in research funding from the previous year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2024/07/research-funding-tops-300-million-in-2024.php#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20South%20Carolina,35%20percent%20over%20last%20year.|title=USC research funding jumps double digits|access-date=January 10, 2025}} </ref>

During his tenure as president of the University of South Carolina, ] articulated a "Cathedrals of Excellence" budgeting philosophy. Palms advocated the money from fundraising be channeled into the school's best programs, rather than spread the funds evenly.<ref name="Lesesne 2001 331">{{cite book |first=Henry H. |last=Lesesne |title=A History of the University of South Carolina, 1940–2000 |year=2001 |publisher=University of South Carolina Press |page=331}}</ref> The strategy would pay off in the long term when these programs became nationally prominent, making a name for the University of South Carolina and attracting grant money.<ref>{{cite book |first=Henry H. |last=Lesesne |title=A History of the University of South Carolina, 1940–2000 |year=2001 |publisher=University of South Carolina Press |page=332}}</ref> His primary goal was for the university to be admitted to the ] – an association of the leading 62 research universities in the United States and Canada.<ref name="Lesesne 2001 331"/>

]

Former President ] raised even larger sums for research, including a $300 million grant for ]. In the spirit of Palms' budget, the board of directors moved to transform university land on Assembly Street into an "innovation district" called ] that will develop four areas: ], ], ] and ].

In May 2009, the University of South Carolina was selected by the ] as one of 31 universities nationwide to house an ] 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."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sc.edu/news/newsarticle.php?nid=175 |title=Record award to create Energy Frontier Research Center |publisher=University of South Carolina |access-date=December 13, 2012}}</ref>

The University of South Carolina is a member of the SEC Academic Consortium. Now renamed the ], the initiative was a collaborative endeavor designed to promote research, scholarship and achievement amongst the member universities in the ]. The SECU bolsters collaborative academic endeavors of ]. Its goals include highlighting the endeavors and achievements of SEC ], students and its universities and advancing the academic reputation of SEC universities.<ref>{{cite web|title=SECU|url=http://www.secsymposium.com/secu.php|publisher=SEC|access-date=February 13, 2013|archive-date=January 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124074319/http://www.secsymposium.com/secu.php|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=SECU: The Academic Initiative of the SEC|url=http://www.secdigitalnetwork.com/AcademicConsortium|publisher=SEC Digital Network|access-date=February 13, 2013|archive-date=July 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721055557/http://www.secdigitalnetwork.com/AcademicConsortium|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Student life==
{| class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"
|+ style="font-size:90%" |Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
|- |-
! Race and ethnicity<ref>{{cite web|title=College Scorecard: University of South Carolina-Columbia|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?218663-University-of-South-Carolina-Columbia|publisher=]|access-date=May 8, 2022|archive-date=June 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614235118/https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?218663-University-of-South-Carolina-Columbia|url-status=live}}</ref>
| ''Journal of Public Affairs Education''
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total
| # 10
| Publication rates of faculty research (Dept. of Political Science) in journals <br /> associated with the American Society for Public Administration
|- |-
| ]
| ''The Financial Times of London''
|align=right| {{bartable|75|%|2||background:gray}}
| # 25
| MBA program (# 55 worldwide; # 2 worldwide in international business)
|- |-
| ]
| ''The Wall Street Journal'' / Harris Interactive
|align=right| {{bartable|9|%|2||background:mediumblue}}
| # 49
| Business school (# 7 worldwide in international business)
|- |-
| ]
| rowspan= 3 | ]
|align=right| {{bartable|5|%|2||background:green}}
| # 23
| Chemical Engineering federally funded research
|- |-
| Other{{efn|Other consists of ] & those who prefer to not say.}}
| # 21
|align=right| {{bartable|5|%|2||background:brown}}
| Research expenditures in the Environmental Sciences<ref></ref>
|- |-
| ]
| # 38
|align=right| {{bartable|4|%|2||background:purple}}
| Chemistry and Biochemistry federally funded research
|- |-
| ]
| ''Kiplinger's Personal Finance''
|align=right| {{bartable|2|%|2||background:orange}}
| # 32
| Best Values in Public Colleges
|- |-
! colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |]
| rowspan=3 | ''Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index''
| # 1
| Doctoral kinesiology and exercise science program
|- |-
| ]{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal ] intended for low-income students.}}
| Top 10
|align=right| {{bartable|18|%|2||background:red}}
| Marine science
|- |-
| ]{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the ] at the bare minimum.}}
| Top 10
|align=right| {{bartable|82|%|2||background:black}}
| Nuclear engineering
|} |}


==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 ].<ref></ref> 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 ] 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.<ref name="Lesesne 2001 331">{{cite book | first = Henry H. | last = Lesesne | title = A History of the University of South Carolina, 1940-2000 | year = 2001 | publisher = University of South Carolina Press | pages = 331}}</ref> The strategy would pay off in the long term when these programs became nationally prominent, making a name for USC and attracting grant money.<ref>{{cite book | first = Henry H. | last = Lesesne | title = A History of the University of South Carolina, 1940-2000 | year = 2001 | publisher = University of South Carolina Press | pages = 332}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Lesesne 2001 331"/>

Former President ] raised even larger sums for research, including a $300 million grant for ]. In the spirit of Palms' budget, the board of directors moved to transform university land on Assembly Street into an "innovation district" called ] that will develop four strengths: ], ], ] and ].

Innovista is a partnered development with the City of Columbia and will form an ecosystem of sorts. The {{Convert|200|acre|km2|1|sing=on}} 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 ] and a ] supermarket, as well as being within walking distance of the ] 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.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

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.<ref name="postandcourier.com">http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/jul/12/pastides_named_usc_president47313/</ref> His stated objectives on taking over the position included boosting academics, promoting research and launching an ambitious fund raising campaign.<ref name="postandcourier.com"/>

In May 2009, USC was selected by the ] as one of 31 universities nationwide to house an ] 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.”<ref>
</ref>

==Student life==
===Demographics=== ===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 ].) Enrollment statistics for Fall 2009 indicate the following:<ref></ref> Over 34,500 <ref>sc.edu</ref> 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 here. (Almost 16,000 students study at the regional campuses of the ].)
* Undergraduates 72%, Graduates 23%, Professionals 5%
* Females 55%, Males 45%
* Full-time 84%, Part-time 16%
* Residents 72%, Non-residents 28%
* Minorities 24%<ref></ref>


===Housing=== ===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 ], whose current structure was determined by former president and vice president Amanda Pippin and Steve Smith.
<!-- Deleted image removed: ] -->


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.<ref></ref>. 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.<ref></ref> 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.<ref></ref> University Housing provides over 6,200 on-campus housing units. Rent includes all utilities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.housing.sc.edu/virtualtour/apartment_style_index.html |title=Apartment Style Description |publisher=Housing.sc.edu |access-date=January 21, 2013}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/housing/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327033257/http://www.housing.sc.edu/rsl/rescom.html|url-status=dead|title=Housing - Housing &#124; University of South Carolina|archive-date=March 27, 2009|website=sc.edu}}</ref>


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 {{Convert|172000|sqft|m2|sing=on}} 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.<ref></ref> In the fall of 2004, the $29 million West Quad (now Green Quad) opened and became one of only four in the world to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council's ] (LEED) program. The {{Convert|172000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} complex includes three four-story buildings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/housing/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808195016/http://www.housing.sc.edu/westquadgo.asp|url-status=dead|title=Housing - Housing &#124; University of South Carolina|archive-date=August 8, 2007|website=sc.edu}}</ref>
<!-- Deleted image removed: ] -->
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.<ref></ref>


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.<ref></ref> Since campus academic enrollment exceeds the capacity of on-campus housing, the university is adding more residence halls, most of which will be suite-style. As a result, some students live in popular off-campus housing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipr.sc.edu/ |title=USC Institutional Assessment and Compliance |publisher=Ipr.sc.edu |access-date=January 21, 2013 |archive-date=October 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027132746/http://www.ipr.sc.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


===Student government=== ===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. The university's student government is composed of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. A 50-member Student Senate is led by the student body speaker of the Senate. The Student Senate enacts referendums, resolutions, and bills to enhance the student body in non-academic fields, maintains a budget for student life projects, confirms nominations for cabinet positions, and makes recommendations for change within the university. Their work is arranged according to 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.

] 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, ], 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 ], music ensembles, musical theater, opera, pep band, symphony orchestra, and the campus radio station.

Students can also join the ] (ROTC) or participate in any of the local projects sponsored by ].


===Media=== ===Media===
] ] receives honorary doctorate, 2014, and delivers the commencement address.]]
'']'' 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.
'']'' is an editorially independent, daily student newspaper founded in 1908. It has a readership of more than 30,000 and is distributed across the University of South Carolina System.


The student run radio station, ], 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.<ref></ref> The student run radio station, ], 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. Since June 2006, WUSC is broadcasting in HD radio.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wusc.sc.edu/index.php?q=about |title=About WUSC |publisher=Wusc.sc.edu |access-date=January 21, 2013 |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912033424/https://www.wusc.fm/index.php?q=about |url-status=live }}</ref>


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.<ref></ref> Students publish a literary magazine, ''Garnet & Black'', which was formed in 1994 as a consolidation of the university's former yearbook and its literary magazine. It is published four times a year and is free.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/student_affairs/our_experts/our_offices/student_life/student_media/index.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506212752/http://www.sa.sc.edu/studentmedia/garnetblack.htm|url-status=dead|title=Student Media - Student Affairs and Academic Support &#124; University of South Carolina|archive-date=May 6, 2008|website=www.sc.edu}}</ref>


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. The University of South Carolina established its first television station in the Fall 2006, 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 also operates '']'', ''Garnet & Black'' Magazine and ]. It was then that the station changed its name to it current name, Student Gamecock Television (SGTV).


===Greek life=== ===Fraternities and sororities===
About 22% of undergraduate men and 34% of undergraduate women participate in fraternities and sororities.<ref>{{cite web | title=University of South Carolina Student Life | website=US News Best Colleges | date=16 June 2014 | url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-south-carolina-3448/student-life | access-date=13 August 2023 | archive-date=September 12, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912033501/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-south-carolina-3448/student-life | url-status=live }}</ref> These Greek letter organizations are governed by an internal body, the Greek Council. There are two separate councils, one for males and another for females.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sa.sc.edu/greeklife/ |title=USC Greek Life |publisher=Sa.sc.edu |date=October 11, 2012 |access-date=January 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002201352/http://www.sa.sc.edu/greeklife/ |archive-date=October 2, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Many of the fraternities and sororities have large, mostly ] mansions; Lining Lincoln Street, Gadsden Street, and Mark Buyck Way are the houses referred to as the Greek Village.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sa.sc.edu/greeklife/greek-housing/ |title=USC Greek Housing |publisher=Sa.sc.edu |date=October 11, 2012 |access-date=January 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002201448/http://www.sa.sc.edu/greeklife/greek-housing/ |archive-date=October 2, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
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.<ref></ref> 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.<ref></ref>
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===Recreation===
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.<ref></ref>
Students tend to socialize off campus in ] and the ]. Both of these areas are within walking distance of campus and offer restaurants, bars, cafés, and a variety of local entertainment.


] and the three rivers (], ], and ]) around ] offer students many recreational activities. The South Carolina coast—], ], ]—is only a 1.5- to 2-hour drive for additional recreational activities.
The following chart is a list of the 20 fraternities and sororities with houses in the Greek Village:


==Athletics==
{| class="wikitable"
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===Athletics===
{{Main|South Carolina Gamecocks}} {{Main|South Carolina Gamecocks}}
]
The University offers club, intramural, and varsity sports. Its 19 varsity sports teams compete in the ] (except for men's soccer which competes in ]) and are known as the ''']s'''. The Gamecocks have won seven national team championships: ], 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 ] championships in men's basketball, and a Heisman Trophy winner (], 1980). See grid at the main article for other championships.
] (est. 1930, renovated 1996)]]


The university offers club, intramural, and varsity sports. Its 19 varsity sports teams compete in the ] (except for men's soccer which competes in the ] and women's sand volleyball which competes as an independent) and are known as the ]s.
===Fight Song===
Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as ] and ], and athletic games are: '']'', the USC ].


===Recreation=== === Fight song ===
The university's band director James Pritchard obtained a band arrangement of the ]-penned song "Step to the Rear" from the ] '']'' in 1968 and the marching band played the song at the first game of the 1968 season.<ref name="USC Music Library"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912033425/https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/university_libraries/index.php |date=September 12, 2024 }} The Music Library at the University of South Carolina website. Retrieved December 1, 2009.</ref> It caught the ear of Coach ] who contacted Pritchard about making it the official fight song of the university to replace the original "Carolina Fight Song" (or "Carolina Let Your Voices Ring," now called the "Old Fight Song").<ref name="USC Music Library"/> Dietzel wrote the lyrics for the song, but asked that he remain anonymous because knowledge that the football coach wrote the lyrics might render it unacceptable to the basketball program.<ref name="USC Music Library"/> The song was officially introduced on November 16, 1968, prior to the football game against ] and has been the fight song since the fall of 1969.<ref name="USC Music Library"/>
Students tend to socialize off campus in ] and the ]. Both of these areas are within walking distance of campus and offer restaurants, bars, cafés, and a variety of local entertainment.

=== Alma mater ===
'']'' reported in its March 1911 issue that very little progress had been made on the alma mater for the university despite a reward of $50 by the faculty. English professor, George A. Wauchope, took it upon himself and wrote the lyrics for the alma mater in 1911 set to the tune ''Flow Gently, Sweet Afton'' by ]. Other songs were written and sung, but Wauchope's song proved to be the most popular and it was adopted by the university in 1912.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://registrar.sc.edu/html/graduation/tradition.stm#ALMAMATER |title=USC: Office of the University Registrar: A University Tradition |publisher=Registrar.sc.edu |access-date=January 21, 2013 |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912033426/https://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/registrar/#ALMAMATER |url-status=live }}</ref>


The tradition has developed that alumni raise their right hand as though raising a cup for the phrase "Here's A Health, Carolina" as if offering a toast.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sc.edu/usc/almamater.html |title=USC: Alma Mater |publisher=Sc.edu |access-date=January 21, 2013 |archive-date=June 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618204622/http://www.sc.edu/usc/almamater.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
] and the three rivers (], ], and ]) around ] 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.


==Notable people==
===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.<ref></ref>
* 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.<ref></ref><ref>http://www.independentmail.com/news/2008/aug/22/university-south-carolina-ranked-top-10-most-promi/ Independent Mail August 22, 2008</ref>
*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 ] was next closest with 51.<ref></ref>
* On June 30, 2010, USC won the national championship in Division I baseball at the College World Series, defeating ] at ] in Omaha.<ref></ref>


==Noted people== ===Alumni===
===People===
{{Main|List of University of South Carolina people}} {{Main|List of University of South Carolina people}}
In 2017, the university reported having over 300,000 living alumni.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilks|first=Avery|date=March 24, 2017|title=Out-of-state students double at USC|url=https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article140672673.html|access-date=August 29, 2020|website=The State|archive-date=June 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619150413/https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article140672673.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
The University has over 250,000 living alumni.


<gallery mode="nolines" perrow="8">
===Presidents===
File:A'ja Wilson.jpg|], BA 2018, No. 1 pick in the ], 3-time ], 2017 ]
{{Main|Presidents of the University of South Carolina}}
File:Mike Colter 2015.jpg|], BA 1999, actor best known for his role as ] in the ]
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.
File:Deebo Samuel South Carolina.jpg|], BA 2019, ] for the ]
File:Lindsey Graham by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg|], BA 1977, JD 1981, ] from ]
File:Darius rucker (49562468842).jpg|], musician and lead vocalist, ]
File:Dawn Brancheau - Riders on the Storm (cropped, full body).jpg|], animal trainer at ].
File:Aliyah Boston (53029603721) (cropped).jpg|], BA 2023, ] and ] for the ]
File:Jadeveon Clowney.JPG|], ] for the ]
File:Lee Atwater.jpg|], MA 1977, chair of the ]
File:Melvin Purvis profile.jpg|], JD 1922, ] agent instrumental in capturing bank robbers ] and ] in 1934
File:SC Governor Henry McMaster 2019 (cropped).jpg|], BA 1969, JD 1973, current ]
File:Leeza Gibbons.jpg|], BA 1979, TV host, seven-time ] nominee, reporter for '']''
File:Alex English.jpg|], BA 1976, 8-time ] all-star
File:Wade Hampton.gif|], 1836, ], ], and ]
File:RitaCosby.jpg|], BA 1989, three-time ] winner, special correspondent for '']''
File:Benjamin021 (cropped 2).jpg|], BA 1991 and JD 1994, 36th mayor of ], ]
</gallery>


===Board of Trustees=== ==See also==
{{Portal|United States}}
{{Main|University of South Carolina System}}
*
Since its charter in 1801, the University has been governed by a board of trustees, which now governs the entire USC system.
* ]
* ]
*]
{{Clear}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{reflist}}


==Resources== ==Further reading==
* 1. Hollis, Daniel Walker, (1951) ''University of South Carolina'' Volume I ''South Carolina College'', Columbia: University of South Carolina Press *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 *Hollis, Daniel Walker, (1956) ''University of South Carolina'' Volume II ''College to University'' Columbia: University of South Carolina Press
*Sugrue, Michael, (1992) ''South Carolina College: The education of an antebellum elite.'' Dissertation


==External links== ==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Portal box|South Carolina|University}}
* *{{Official website}}
* *
*{{Cite Collier's|wstitle=South Carolina, University of|short=x|display=University of South Carolina}}
* at the University of South Carolina Library's Digital Collections Page
*{{Cite NSRW|wstitle=South Carolina, University of|short=x|display=University of South Carolina}}
*{{Cite NIE|wstitle=South Carolina College|short=x}}


{{University of South Carolina|show=yes}} {{University of South Carolina}}
{{University of South Carolina System|show=yes}}
{{Colleges and universities in South Carolina}}
{{Universities Research Association}}
{{Southeastern_Conference}}


{{Navboxes
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Latest revision as of 21:44, 10 January 2025

Public university in Columbia, South Carolina, US This article is about the University of South Carolina's campus in Columbia. For other campuses in South Carolina's state university system, see University of South Carolina System.

University of South Carolina
Former namesSouth Carolina College (1801–1865; 1882–1887; 1890–1905)
University of South Carolina (1866–1877)
South Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanics (1880–1881)
MottoEmollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Latin)
Motto in English"Learning humanizes character and does not permit it to be cruel" (Ovid)
TypePublic research university
EstablishedDecember 19, 1801; 223 years ago (1801-12-19)
Parent institutionUniversity of South Carolina System
AccreditationSACS
Academic affiliations
Endowment$1.044 billion (2024)
PresidentMichael Amiridis
ProvostDonna K. Arnett
Academic staff1,604
Students>38,000 (2024) (Columbia)
52,633 (system-wide)
LocationColumbia, South Carolina, United States
CampusMidsize city, 359 acres (145 ha)
NewspaperThe Daily Gamecock
ColorsGarnet and black
   
NicknameGamecocks
Sporting affiliationsNCAA Division I FBS – SEC
MascotCocky
Websitewww.sc.edu Edit this at Wikidata

The University of South Carolina (USC, South Carolina, or Carolina) is a public research university in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, It is the flagship of the University of South Carolina System and the largest university in the state by enrollment. Its main campus is on over 359 acres (145 ha) in downtown Columbia, close to the South Carolina State House. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities with Highest Research Activity". It houses the largest collection of Robert Burns and Scottish literature materials outside Scotland and the world's largest Ernest Hemingway collection.

History

Main article: History of the University of South Carolina

Foundation and early history

The university's first president, Reverend Jonathan Maxcy

The university was founded as South Carolina College on December 19, 1801, by an act of the South Carolina General Assembly initiated by Governor John Drayton in an effort to promote harmony between the Lowcountry and the Backcountry. On January 10, 1805, having an initial enrollment of nine students, the college commenced classes with a traditional classical curriculum. The first president was the Baptist minister and theologian Reverend Jonathan Maxcy. He was an alumnus of Brown University, with an honorary degree from Harvard University. Before coming to the college, Maxcy had served as the second president of Brown and the third president of Union College. Maxcy's tenure lasted from 1804 through 1820.

South Carolina College as it appeared in 1850 looking from College Street

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 became known as the Horseshoe.

As with other southern universities in the antebellum period, the most important organizations for students were the two literary societies, the Clariosophic Society and the Euphradian Society. These two societies, which arose from a split in an earlier literary society known as the Philomathic, grew to encapsulate the majority of the student body from the 1820s onward.

The college became a symbol of the South in the antebellum period as its graduates were on the forefront of secession from the Union. With the generous support of the General Assembly, South Carolina College acquired a reputation as the leading institution of the South and attracted several noteworthy scholars, including Francis Lieber, Thomas Cooper, and Joseph LeConte.

Slavery and slave labor played a fundamental role in the foundation and construction of the University of South Carolina. Many of the primary buildings in the central heart of campus, known today as the horseshoe, were built not only by slave labor but also of slave-made brick. Slave labor played a large role in the maintenance operational duties of early campus activities. This includes maintenance, cleaning of student tenements and faculty duplexes, and the preparation of meals.

Civil War

Seventy-two students were present for classes in January 1862 and the college functioned until a call by the Confederate government for South Carolina to fill its quota of 18,000 soldiers. A system of conscription began on March 20 for all men between the ages of 18 and 45, but many students volunteered. With the depletion of students, professors issued a notice that the college would open to those under 18 years old. Nine students showed up for class.

Post-war

The University Act of 1869 during the Reconstruction era reorganized the university and provided it with generous financial support. An amendment was added to the act by W. J. Whipper, a black representative from Beaufort, that would prevent racial discrimination from the admissions policy of the university. The legislature further proved its seriousness towards racial equality by electing two black trustees, Benjamin A. Boseman (misspelled as "Bozeman" in the bill) and Francis Lewis Cardozo, to the governing board of the university on March 9, 1869. A normal school was established by the legislature on the campus of the university as well as a preparatory school for black students, since most former slaves were ill-prepared for academic work. In addition, to encourage enrollment by blacks, tuition and other fees were abolished. On October 7, 1873, Henry E. Hayne, the Secretary of State of South Carolina, became the first black student when he registered for the fall session in the medical college of the university.

Post-Reconstruction (Jim Crow era)

In 1877 South Carolina state leaders closed the university. It was reopened in 1880 as a white only agricultural college.

Previous institution names

  • Chartered as South Carolina College on December 19, 1801
  • Chartered as the University of South Carolina on January 10, 1866
  • Chartered as South Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanics on October 3, 1880
  • Chartered as South Carolina College in 1882
  • Chartered as the University of South Carolina on May 9, 1888
  • Chartered as South Carolina College on April 21, 1890
  • Chartered as the University of South Carolina on February 17, 1906

Campus

The McKissick Museum sits prominently at the head of the USC 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 South Caroliniana Library, which was designed by Robert Mills and is the first freestanding academic library in the United States.

Built in 1909, Davis College was the university's first new building after the Civil War. It currently houses the School of Library and Information Science.

Over the years the 11 original buildings on the Horseshoe survived a fire, an earthquake, and the Civil War, but in 1939 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, 24 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 Honors Residence Hall, the Public Health Research Center, the Graduate Columbia hotel, the Colonial Life Arena and Carolina Stadium. In 2017, a new School of Law building opened on Senate Street, and the Darla Moore School of Business opened its new home at the corner of Assembly and Greene in 2014.

The University of South Carolina's historic Horseshoe, on which the university's first building was built in 1805

The University of South Carolina operates a transit system called Carolina Shuttle which consists of 14 buses. "Carolina Cab" offers students free rides from Five Points to their homes within 5 miles (8 km) of campus on weekends.

Academics

Colleges and schools

  • School of Medicine–Columbia
  • School of Medicine–Greenville
  • School of Music
  • College of Nursing
  • College of Pharmacy
  • Arnold School of Public Health
  • College of Social Work
  • South Carolina Honors College

Undergraduate admissions

Lieber College, originally constructed in 1837, is the office of undergraduate admissions at the University of South Carolina and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Undergraduate admissions are classified as more selective. For the freshman enrollment of 2022, half the class had SAT scores between 1150 and 1360, or ACT scores between 26 and 31.

South Carolina Honors College

Founded in 1978, the South Carolina Honors College offers support to academically gifted undergraduate students. After gaining acceptance to the University of South Carolina, students must apply separately to the Honors College and demonstrate significant academic achievement. In 2019, entering freshmen had an average weighted GPA of 4.71 and a midrange SAT score (critical reading and math) of 1460–1530.

Rankings

Academic rankings
National
Forbes161
U.S. News & World Report124
Washington Monthly153
WSJ/College Pulse275
Global
ARWU401–500
QS575
THE401–500
U.S. News & World Report346
National Program Rankings
Program Ranking
Biological Sciences 159
Business 62
Chemistry 88
Clinical Psychology 80
Computer Science 111
Criminology 22
Earth Sciences 90
Economics 83
Education 78
Engineering 102
English 85
Fine Arts 152
Health Care Management 39
History 63
Law 96
Library Science & Information Studies 18
Mathematics 86
Medical Schools-Primary Care 90
Medical Schools-Research 91
Nursing-Anesthesia 65
Pharmacy 40
Physical Therapy 42
Physics 119
Political Science 72
Psychology 112
Public Affairs 101
Public Health 23
Rehabilitation Counseling 47
Social Work 51
Sociology 75
Speech-Language Pathology 25
Statistics 74

Research

The University of South Carolina is classified as a research institution of "very high research activity". The university was awarded $309 million in sponsored awards during the 2024 fiscal year, a 27 percent increase in research funding from the previous year.

During his tenure as president of the University of South Carolina, John Palms articulated a "Cathedrals of Excellence" budgeting philosophy. Palms advocated the money from fundraising be channeled into the school'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 the University of South Carolina and attracting grant money. His primary goal was for the university to be admitted to the Association of American Universities – an association of the leading 62 research universities in the United States and Canada.

Completed in May 2000, the Science Research Center is home to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

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 areas: biomedicine, nanotechnology, environmental science and alternative fuels.

In May 2009, the University of South Carolina 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."

The University of South Carolina is a member of the SEC Academic Consortium. Now renamed the SECU, the initiative was a collaborative endeavor designed to promote research, scholarship and achievement amongst the member universities in the Southeastern conference. The SECU bolsters collaborative academic endeavors of Southeastern Conference universities. Its goals include highlighting the endeavors and achievements of SEC faculty, students and its universities and advancing the academic reputation of SEC universities.

Student life

Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
Race and ethnicity Total
White 75% 75 
Black 9% 9 
Hispanic 5% 5 
Other 5% 5 
Asian 4% 4 
Foreign national 2% 2 
Economic diversity
Low-income 18% 18 
Affluent 82% 82 

Demographics

Over 34,500 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 here. (Almost 16,000 students study at the regional campuses of the University of South Carolina System.)

Housing

West Quad, also called the "Green Quad", became the University of South Carolina's first LEED certified residence hall when it opened in 2004.

University Housing provides over 6,200 on-campus housing units. Rent includes all utilities. 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.

In the fall of 2004, the $29 million West Quad (now Green Quad) opened and became 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 m) complex includes three four-story buildings.

Since campus academic enrollment exceeds the capacity of on-campus housing, the university is adding more residence halls, most of which will be suite-style. As a result, some students live in popular off-campus housing.

Student government

The university's student government is composed of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. A 50-member Student Senate is led by the student body speaker of the Senate. The Student Senate enacts referendums, resolutions, and bills to enhance the student body in non-academic fields, maintains a budget for student life projects, confirms nominations for cabinet positions, and makes recommendations for change within the university. Their work is arranged according to 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.

Media

Vice President Joe Biden receives honorary doctorate, 2014, and delivers the commencement address.

The Daily Gamecock is an editorially independent, daily student newspaper founded in 1908. It has a readership of more than 30,000 and is distributed across the University of South Carolina 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. Since June 2006, WUSC is broadcasting in HD radio.

Students publish a literary magazine, Garnet & Black, which was formed in 1994 as a consolidation of the university's former yearbook and its literary magazine. It is published four times a year and is free.

The University of South Carolina established its first television station in the Fall 2006, 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 also operates The Daily Gamecock, Garnet & Black Magazine and WUSC-FM. It was then that the station changed its name to it current name, Student Gamecock Television (SGTV).

Fraternities and sororities

About 22% of undergraduate men and 34% of undergraduate women participate in fraternities and sororities. These Greek letter organizations are governed by an internal body, the Greek Council. There are two separate councils, one for males and another for females. Many of the fraternities and sororities have large, mostly Greek Revival style mansions; Lining Lincoln Street, Gadsden Street, and Mark Buyck Way are the houses referred to as the Greek Village.

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, SC, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head—is only a 1.5- to 2-hour drive for additional recreational activities.

Athletics

Main article: South Carolina Gamecocks
The university's mascot, Cocky entertaining Gamecock fans at Gamecock Village prior to game vs. LousLaf in 2007
Williams-Brice Stadium (est. 1930, renovated 1996)

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 the Sun Belt Conference and women's sand volleyball which competes as an independent) and are known as the Gamecocks.

Fight song

The university's band director James Pritchard obtained a band arrangement of the Elmer Bernstein-penned song "Step to the Rear" from the Broadway musical How Now, Dow Jones in 1968 and the marching band played the song at the first game of the 1968 season. It caught the ear of Coach Paul Dietzel who contacted Pritchard about making it the official fight song of the university to replace the original "Carolina Fight Song" (or "Carolina Let Your Voices Ring," now called the "Old Fight Song"). Dietzel wrote the lyrics for the song, but asked that he remain anonymous because knowledge that the football coach wrote the lyrics might render it unacceptable to the basketball program. The song was officially introduced on November 16, 1968, prior to the football game against Virginia Tech and has been the fight song since the fall of 1969.

Alma mater

The Gamecock reported in its March 1911 issue that very little progress had been made on the alma mater for the university despite a reward of $50 by the faculty. English professor, George A. Wauchope, took it upon himself and wrote the lyrics for the alma mater in 1911 set to the tune Flow Gently, Sweet Afton by Robert Burns. Other songs were written and sung, but Wauchope's song proved to be the most popular and it was adopted by the university in 1912.

The tradition has developed that alumni raise their right hand as though raising a cup for the phrase "Here's A Health, Carolina" as if offering a toast.

Notable people

Alumni

Main article: List of University of South Carolina people

In 2017, the university reported having over 300,000 living alumni.

See also

Notes

  1. Other consists of Multiracial Americans & those who prefer to not say.
  2. The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
  3. The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

References

  1. ^ Lesesne, Henry (June 28, 2016). "University of South Carolina". South Carolina Encyclopedia. University of South Carolina, Institute for Southern Studies. Retrieved February 25, 2021. In 1866 state leaders revived the institution with ambitious plans for a diverse University of South Carolina.
  2. Green, Edwin Luther. "The Third South Carolina College, 1891–1906." History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/120/mode/2up.
  3. "UofSC Foundations Annual Endowment Report 2023-2024" (PDF). University of South Carolina Foundations.
  4. "About The University of South Carolina" (PDF). University of South Carolina. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  5. "Colors – Communications and Public Affairs | University of South Carolina". Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  6. "Institutional Profile: University of South Carolina-Columbia". Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  7. "Interim President Harris Pastides | University of South Carolina". president.sc.edu. Archived from the original on March 7, 2009.
  8. Durham, David (2008). A Southern Moderate in Radical Times: Henry Washington Hilliard, 1808–1892. Baton Rouge: LSU Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0807133286.
  9. "Slavery at South Carolina College, 1801–1865 – University of South Carolina Libraries". Delphi.tcl.sc.edu. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  10. Beach, Frederick Converse (1907). The Americana: A Universal Reference Library, Comprising the Arts and Sciences, Literature, History, Biography, Geography, Commerce, Etc., of the World. Vol. 14. Scientific American Compiling Department.
  11. Brown, Loretta Costello (December 2, 1983). "USC celebrates 110 years of black presence". The Index–Journal (Greenwood, South Carolina). p. 9. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  12. Reynolds, John S. (1969). Reconstruction in South Carolina. Negro University Press. p. 233.
  13. Hollis, Daniel Walker (1956). "University of South Carolina". II. University of South Carolina Press: 66. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. "Timeline - University History | University of South Carolina". Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  15. Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 11, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/11/mode/2up.
  16. Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 84, 87(line 14), 88, 94, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/87/mode/2up.
  17. Green, Edwin Luther. “Chapter VII. The University of South Carolina, 1865–1873.” History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916
  18. Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 99–100, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/99/mode/2up.
  19. Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 103–104, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/103/mode/2up.
  20. Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 111, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/111/mode/2up.
  21. Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 120, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/120/mode/2up.
  22. Green, Edwin Luther. History of the University of South Carolina. The State Co., 1916, pp. 129, https://archive.org/details/historyofunivers00greerich/page/129/mode/2up.
  23. "About the South Caroliniana Library – University Libraries". University of South Carolina. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  24. "University of South Carolina - Highlights". www.sc.edu. Archived from the original on May 6, 2008.
  25. "USC Vehicle Management & Parking Services". University of South Carolina. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  26. "Carnegie Classifications | Institution Lookup". carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu.
  27. "University of South Carolina Admissions". US News Best Colleges. March 10, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  28. "SC Honors College – Office of Undergraduate Admissions – University of South Carolina". Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  29. Roko, Ellyde (December 2, 2004). "New program at University of South Carolina targets top students". The State.
  30. "Admitted Class Profile". University of South Carolina.
  31. "America's Top Colleges 2024". Forbes. September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
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Further reading

  • Hollis, Daniel Walker, (1951) University of South Carolina Volume I South Carolina College, Columbia: University of South Carolina Press
  • Hollis, Daniel Walker, (1956) University of South Carolina Volume II College to University Columbia: University of South Carolina Press
  • Sugrue, Michael, (1992) South Carolina College: The education of an antebellum elite. Dissertation

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