The University

USC System Mission Statement

The primary mission of the University of South Carolina System is the education of the state’s diverse citizens through teaching, research, creative activity, and community engagement. This public university system serves students from its flagship Columbia campus, three comprehensive universities (Aiken, Beaufort, and Upstate), and four regional Palmetto College campuses (Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, and Union).

The University of South Carolina System offers degree programs at the associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Through classroom and laboratory instruction delivered in a variety of face-to-face and distance learning formats and modalities, degree programs are offered in the following areas: arts and sciences; business; education; engineering and computing; hospitality, retail, and sport management; information and communications; law; medicine; music; nursing; pharmacy; public health; and social work.

With a flagship campus recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a top research and community engaged  institution and nationally ranked in start-up businesses, and an eight-campus system that confers nearly 40% of all bachelor’s and graduate degrees awarded at public institutions in South Carolina, the university has a profound relevance, reach, and impact on the people of the state. The University of South Carolina System provides all students with the highest-quality education, including the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for success and responsible citizenship in a complex and changing world through engagement in nationally and internationally ranked research, scholarship, service, and artistic creation.

USC Sumter Mission Statement

The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus is a branch campus of the University of South Carolina Columbia. Sumter has as its mission to provide higher education and intellectual leadership for its service area. At the heart of this mission is a teaching faculty of high quality dedicated to excellence in instruction, scholarship, public and professional service, and creative endeavor which enrich the classroom experience. The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus offers a varied curriculum grounded in the liberal arts and focused on preparing students to continue their education in the University of South Carolina System and throughout life.

The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus recruits students prepared to succeed in completing a baccalaureate‐ level education. While the institution does not offer remedial instruction, it is nonetheless able to admit most students who apply due to the close working relationship between students and faculty. The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus was established to encourage higher education in the counties of Clarendon, Lee, Kershaw, Sumter, and Williamsburg. The original design of the institution incorporated a flexibility that has allowed changes in institutional capability with increasing educational demands of constituents.

Through classroom and laboratory instruction delivered in a variety of face-to-face and distance learning formats and modalities, the institution awards the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees and provides for the completion of selected bachelor’s degrees on campus through cooperative agreements and delivery structures with other University of South Carolina System institutions. The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus also provides general education and upper division coursework applicable to baccalaureate degree programs offered through colleges and universities nationwide. In addition to academic coursework, the mission of the campus includes non‐ credit courses, seminars, and workshops made available to the community for cultural enrichment and professional development.

The traditions of cultural diversity and freedom of thought are valued at the Sumter regional Palmetto College campus. In a learning environment that develops respect for racial, geographical, intellectual, and economic diversity and an awareness of individual, societal, and global responsibilities, Sumter promotes courses, activities, and attitudes which influence the life of the mind in men and women and instill in them a thirst to continue learning throughout life.

The Sumter regional Palmetto College campus emphasizes the development of the whole person and especially seeks to foster in students the disciplines essential to an educated citizenry. Core competencies, including the ability to communicate through effective writing and articulate speech; computational and quantitative mastery; creative and critical thinking; and the duties of citizenship are strategically integrated within the curriculum. Classroom experiences, student activities, and physical education programs also provide opportunities for cultural enrichment, leadership development, intellectual growth and interpersonal relationships, all contributing to a sense of self‐reliance and a joy of learning.

Accreditation

The University of South Carolina Columbia is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The regional Palmetto College campuses (Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, and Union) are branch campuses of the University of South Carolina Columbia; the branch campuses’ accreditation is dependent on the continued accreditation of the University of South Carolina Columbia. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the University of South Carolina Columbia.

USC System Officers

Harris Pastides, Ph.D., President
Leslie G. Brunelli, M.B.A., Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Christopher D. Byrd, M.Ed., Vice President for Human Resources
Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., Vice President for System Planning
Douglas R. Foster, M.S., Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
Joan T. A. Gabel, J.D., Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
J. Cantey Heath Jr., M.A., University Secretary and Secretary of the Board of Trustees
Jancy L. Houck, M.A., Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations
Derrick E. Huggins, B.S., Vice President for Facilities and Transportation
Patrick M. Lardner, B.S., University Treasurer
Prakash Nagarkatti, Ph.D., Vice President for Research
Walter H. Parham, J.D., General Counsel and Executive Director of Compliance Programs
Dennis A. Pruitt Sr., Ed.D., Vice President fofr Student Affairs and Vice Provost for Academic Support 
Edward L. Walton, B.A., Senior Vice President for Administration and Chief Operating Officer

Mid-Carolina Commission for Higher Education

Austin E. Floyd, Sumter County, Chair
William H. Price, Sumter County, Vice Chair
Robert B. Smith, Sumter County, Treasurer
August J. “G.G.” Cutter, Clarendon County
John M. Brabham, Jr., Sumter County
Isaac M. Carr, Sumter County
Kay Oldhouser Davis, Ph.D., Sumter County
Angus F. McDuffie, Sumter County
Grady A. Brown, Lee County

Sumter Partnership of the USC Educational Foundation

William Dwayne Chase, President
Bronwyn Kelson McElveen, Vice President
Paul E. Robbins, Treasurer
Charles B. Bostic, Jr.
William O. Buyck, Jr.
Alan S. Cannon
E. Lee Craig
Thaddeus Cortes Dickey, II.
Francis L. Hill, Jr.
Joyce H. Hodge
James E. (Jim) Jones
Spencer A. Jordan, Ph.D.
Ronald F. (Roby) Kelley, Jr. V
Amy Anders Land
Theo L. Lane, Jr. 
Vonda K. Mociun
Delores Ditty Poston
Hennie van Bulck, Ph.D.
Melissa H. (Boo) White
Walter S. Wilson
Harris Pastides, Ph.D., President, USC, ex officio
Austin E. Floyd, Chair, Mid-Carolina Commission for Higher Education, ex officio
Michael E. Sonntag, Ph.D., Palmetto College Campus Dean, USC Sumter, and Director of Sumter Partnership of the USC Educational Foundation, ex officio
Vicki M. Singleton, Secretary/Assistant Tresurer, ex officio

USC Sumter Administration

Office of the Dean

Michael E. Sonntag, Ph.D. Palmetto College Campus Dean
Paula Epperson, Executive Assistant to the Dean

Academic Advisement

Hayes D. Hampton, Ph.D. Coordinator of Advisement

Academic Affairs

Eric M. Reisenauer, Ph.D., Executive Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
Carol J. Reynolds, Administrative Assistant

Administrative and Financial Services

Hendrikus van Bulck, Ph.D., Interim Assistant Dean for Business and Administrative Management

Admissions Services

Keith E. Britton, Director
Darren Witt, Counselor/Recruiter
Carolyn June, Admissions Processor
Renee Cocklin, Admissions Processor

Educational Partnerships/Continuing Education

Lara Richardson, Director of Educational Partnerships and Continuing Education

Athletic Department

Adrienne N. Cataldo, Director of Athletics, Head Softball Coach
Hope Giordano, Head Women’s Golf Coach
Timothy D. Medlin, Assistant Director of Athletics, Head Baseball Coach
Alex Poda, Head Tennis Coach
Christie Stutz, Donor Development and Fundraising Coordinator
Kendall Winge, Assistant Softball Coach
Skottowe Fox, Head Men’s Soccer Coach

Bookstore

Julie N. McCoy, Manager
Heather Smith, Bookstore Assistant

Business Office

Wendell D. Prescott, Manager/Bookkeeper
Laura L. Curtis, Cashier

Computer Services

Bryan Smith, Director of Information Technology
Robert Thompson, IT Specialist
Bradley Rogers, IT Specialist

Division of Arts and Letters

Andrew J. Kunka, Ph.D., Division Chair, Professor, English
Carolina Cruz, Instructor
Patricia Arias-Smith, Instructor, Spanish
Mary Ellen Bellanca, Ph.D., Professor, English
Park S. Bucker, Ph.D., Professor, English
D. Ray McManus, Ph.D., Associate Professor, English
Michele N. Reese, Ph.D., Professor, English
Wanda Fenimore, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Speech Communications
Jane Luther Smith, Instructor, Music
Nadia Nunez Magula, Instructor of Speech Communications
Margaret Hughes, Instructor of Art
Lenord Lawson, Instructor of English
Rachel Webb, Administrative Specialist

Division of Business Administration and Economics

Sheryl S. Grosso, Instructor, Economics
Santosh Nandi, Instructor, Business Administration
Hendrikus van Bulck, Professor, Business Administration, Ph.D.

Division of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education

Blane DaSilva, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Sociology
David F. Decker, Ph.D., Associate Professor, History
Salvador Macias III, Ph.D., Professor, Psychology.
Bianca Rowlett, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History
Damien Picariello, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science
Erin Baribeau, Ph.D., Instructor of Political Science
Kristina Grob, Ph.d., Assistant Professor of Philosophy

Division of Science, Mathematics, and Engineering

James E. Privett, Chair, Ph.D., Professor, Chemistry and Physics
Hui-Yiing Chang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Physics
Elizabeth Costello, Instructor, Mathematics
Robert C. Costello, Ph.D., Professor, Chemistry
Pearl Fernandes, Ph.D., Professor, Biology, 
Kajal Ghoshroy, Ph.D., Professor, Biology
Matthew Hawkins, Instructor, Computer Sciences
Rebecca A. Hillman, Ph.D., Professor, Mathematics
Matthew Holley, Instructor, Mathematics
R. Austin Jenkins, Jr., Ph.D., Instructor, Biology
Daniel A. Kiernan, Ph.D., Instructor, Biology
Mark Roberts, Ph.D., Instructor Biology
Anthony Vasaturo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Mathematics
Kim L. High, Lab Specialist

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veteran Affairs

Lisa Jeffords, Director of Financial Aid 
Jacquelyn Lynn, Financial Aid Counselor
Nada Morant-Wilson, Veterans Affairs Counselor

Fire Ant Café

Windy Brown, Manager

Human Resources

Marchetta L. Williams, Human Resources Officer

Institutional Research

Charles W. Wright, Institutional Research Analyst

Library

Sharon H. Chapman, Head Librarian
Connie M. Pender, Library Manager 

Maintenance Services

William Rickard, Facilities Supervisor
Lucille C. Green, Building/Grounds Specialist
Kent Oliver, Groundskeeper
Cynthia White, Building/Grounds Specialist

Opportunity Scholars Program

Lisa Sullivan Rosdail, Director
Wanda Baker, Director
Anne Marie Howell, Counselor 
Harry Friday, Advisor
Suzette Britton, Administrative Assistant
Mary Hankins, Administrative Assistant 
Erica Canty, Administrative Assistant

Upward Bound Program

Lisa Rosdail, Director
Jodi Robbins, Administrative Assistant 
Steve Evans
Kyndall Locklear

Palmetto College

Christopher Knezevich, Regional Admissions Representative 

Enrollment Management

Joe Mews, Ph.D., Director of Enrollment Management

Records and Registration

Anna Oswald-Hensley, Registrar
Savannah Williams, Coordinator of Disability Services

Shaw Air Force Base Office

Ricky L. Boyd, Director, Shaw AFB Program

Student Life

Kristopher E. Weissmann, Director of Student Life

University Advancement

Erin Duffie, Marketing and Public Relations Assistant

Development and Alumni Services

Vicki Singleton, Executive Director of Development and Alumni Services

Carolinian Creed

The community of scholars at the University of South Carolina is dedicated to personal and academic excellence.

Choosing to join the community obligates each member to a code of civilized behavior.

As a Carolinian…

I will practice personal and academic integrity;

I will respect the dignity of all persons;

I will respect the rights and property of others;

I will discourage bigotry, while striving to learn from differences in people, ideas and opinions;

I will demonstrate concern for others, their feelings, and their need for conditions which support their work and development.

Allegiance to these ideals requires each Carolinian to refrain from and discourage behaviors which threaten the freedom and respect every individual deserves.

History and Facilities

History

The citizens of Sumter and adjacent counties saw a need to provide higher-education opportunities at an affordable price. In 1965, by an act of the state legislature, the Sumter County Commission for Higher Education was created and granted authority to establish in Sumter County facilities to offer standard freshman and sophomore courses and such other courses as were deemed desirable. To fulfill this purpose and objective, the commission entered into a long-term contract with Clemson University for the purpose of operating the new educational facilities.

A local bond issue was passed, and with federal assistance a physical plant, with capacity for 550 to 600 students, was erected on an attractive 35-acre tract of land located in the Palmetto Park area, made available jointly by the city and county of Sumter.

In August 1966 Clemson University at Sumter opened its doors to its first class, and in December 1968 the campus was officially accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The campus has retained its accreditation since that time.

On July 23, 1973, after negotiations between the Sumter County Commission for Higher Education and officials of Clemson University and the University of South Carolina, operations of the Sumter campus were transferred to the University of South Carolina. This change was recognized by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, and after evaluating a self-study and visiting the campus in 1975, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools officially accepted the change. In 1996 the Sumter County Commission for Higher Education was restructured as the Mid-Carolina Commission for Higher Education.

In the fall of 1978, USC Sumter developed a new evening program of courses designed to meet the needs of adult students. This evening program consists of two eight-week sessions per semester and one eight-week summer session, thus enabling students to carry a full-time load solely with evening hours. An identical program is also offered primarily for military personnel at Shaw Air Force Base, but with an emphasis on upper-level courses not regularly taught at USC Sumter.

Facilities

The University of South Carolina Sumter is situated on 50 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, with eight modern and attractive administrative and academic buildings.

The Administration Building houses the offices of the dean; associate dean for academic affairs; assistant dean for University advancement; assistant dean for administrative and financial services; assistant dean for student affairs; director of marketing and public relations; director of admissions, services, and recruitment; admissions; financial aid; records; business; advisement/counseling center; and others. It also has conference rooms and a faculty lounge.

The Business Administration Building contains classrooms and a computer instructional lab. It also houses the Opportunity Scholars Program.

The Science Building has three lecture rooms and fully equipped laboratory facilities for astronomy, chemistry, physics, botany, and zoology. Also in the Science Building are offices for the science faculty and a lobby with tables for group study.

The Anderson Library of the Sumter campus provides a pleasant setting for faculty and students to read and study. The 90,000-volume collection is especially selected to assist students in their undergraduate studies. Recreational reading is also provided. The library houses resources in many formats, including books, periodicals on microfilm, cassette lectures, microfilm readers, and a microfiche viewer. Services offered by the library include photocopying, microfilm copying, online indexes, databases, full-text journals, the online catalog, and bibliographic instruction for groups or individuals.

The Anderson Library also contains computer labs and two computer instructional labs. The Computer Services Division is also located in the library. Art displays can be seen in the University Gallery located off the main lobby. The Anderson Library also has private study rooms for students, a conference room, and a lounge area. The rear of the building contains six large classrooms and lobby space for studying.

The Student Union Building features the campus bookstore, a food court, and an open commons area with an adjacent outdoor terrace, as well as meeting rooms for student organizations. The commons area and terrace offer students a place where they may gather to eat, talk, or study. This commons area can also be used for dances and other recreational programs. The building also contains a lounge area for relaxation, reading, and viewing television.

The Schwartz Building houses the Division of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education. It contains an enhanced classroom with two-way compressed video and audio capabilities, as well as classrooms, faculty offices, and two conference rooms.

The Nettles Building contains the campus recreation and physical education department facilities, which include a wellness center, three racquetball/handball courts, a multiprogram gym, a first-aid facility, and a 500-seat auditorium.

The Arts and Letters building is the home of the Division of Arts and Letters. The building also contains a lecture hall/conference center with small break-out rooms, a banquet hall, and faculty offices, classrooms, and art labs.

Dormitory facilities are not available at the Sumter campus. Students whose homes are not in the Sumter area may find rooms in private homes or apartments.

A limited number of classrooms are also provided by the United States Air Force for USC Sumter’s use on Shaw AFB, as well as office facilities for the Shaw coordinator.