Updated February 2010

USC Salkehatchie

Campus Mission Statement

As part of the University of South Carolina, the USC Salkehatchie Regional Campus plays an important role in the lives of the citizens of the mostly rural regions of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton counties, as well as neighboring areas. With locations in both Allendale and Walterboro, USC Salkehatchie offers the citizens of its service area the opportunity for a higher education and noncredit continuing education courses. Salkehatchie offers associate in arts and science degree programs, and its primary purpose is to provide the first two years of a university education, offering USC Columbia courses taught by USC approved faculty. Further, USC Salkehatchie is committed to the education of the State's diverse citizens through its endeavors of teaching, research and creative activity, and service. After completing work at Salkehatchie, some students move on to other institutions to complete baccalaureate degree work, while others may elect to leave Salkehatchie after college study and enter the world of work. In addition to offering developmental courses and at least the first two years of general education instruction in many areas to enable students to earn associate degrees, the institution offers limited upper-division work at other institutions.

As a learning center of the University of South Carolina with approximately 1,000 students, the institution is committed to making University and other resources available to the majority of high-school graduates in the area. USC senior campuses and USC Columbia offer advanced courses at USC Salkehatchie which lead toward baccalaureate degrees awarded by the senior campuses and Columbia. Additionally, graduate courses are available through the Salkehatchie Office of Graduate Studies under the auspices of the USC Columbia graduate school.

Courses offered by Salkehatchie faculty are also complemented by courses offered through the University telecommunications network. USC Salkehatchie is committed to community outreach in such forms as offering selected college courses off campus at sites such as area high schools and correctional institutions and offering credit or noncredit courses as needed for area industries and residents. The institution is committed to using its own and other resources to meet the educational needs of the citizens of its service area.

USC Salkehatchie requires its graduates to possess oral and written communication, critical thinking, and computational skills. In addition, its graduates must have a grounding in the liberal arts through the acquisition of knowledge in the following areas: humanities or fine arts, social or behavioral sciences, natural sciences or mathematics. As an institution, USC Salkehatchie is committed to strength in teaching and to developing career and learning skills in its students. Additionally the institution seeks to create an atmosphere that encourages a dedication to learning throughout one's life, the search for truth, respect for cultural diversity, and freedom of inquiry.

USC Salkehatchie acts as a resource to its five-county area by serving as a focal point for the cultural and intellectual development of the area through providing various cultural, intellectual, economic, and education programs. Its academic, continuing education, cultural, public service, and recreational programs and services reflect USC Salkehatchie's purpose to enhance and enrich the communities of it service area and to improve the quality of life of its citizens.

General Education Goals

Upon completing core curriculum requirements, USC Salkehatchie degree-seeking students will possess the following skills and demonstrate knowledge in the following content areas.

Skills

1. Oral and Written Communication

• orally communicate clearly and effectively
• write compositions that are sufficiently coherent, unified, and developed
• write prose that is clear, understandable, and free from such errors in grammar and mechanics as would obstruct reader comprehension
• have knowledge of library research methods and mechanics
• read with understanding

2. Computational and Numerical

3. Critical Thinking

Content Areas

1. Humanities

2. Natural Sciences

3. Social and Behavioral Sciences

• understand and critically analyze the behavior of individuals, groups, and institutions in society
• understand the cultural, political, economic, or social contexts and developments that shape people’s lives

Students who attend USC Salkehatchie with the intent of transferring to a baccalaureate degree—granting institution without earning an associate’s degree will possess the knowledge and skills to do upper-level work at those institutions.

Service Goals for USC Salkehatchie

• to increase the availability of a variety of cultural and recreational experiences to students and the community
• to provide increased opportunities to community members for enrollment in credit and noncredit continuing education offerings
• to increase links between USC Salkehatchie and the area business community
• to encourage increased usage of library services by members of the community

History

USC Salkehatchie was established in 1965 as a regional center of the University of South Carolina as a result of local civic commitment initiated by residents from Allendale, Bamberg, and Hampton counties who organized a movement to create a regional campus in 1964. The General Assembly of South Carolina responded to this momentum by creating the Western Carolina Higher Education Commission, which is composed of two representatives from each of the participating counties. Barnwell County joined the compact three years later, followed by Colleton County in 1984.

The commission contracted with the University’s Board of Trustees to provide the facilities for a University center, while the University provided administrative and academic support. The center was named Salkehatchie after the river that runs through all five counties that support the campus.

A former elementary school in Allendale provided the first building for the new campus, and the academic program was initiated in the fall of 1965, with eight part-time faculty and 76 students. Student enrollment nearly doubled the following school year. Political support by community residents persuaded the legislature to provide additional support. Several measures were taken by the University to strengthen the regional campuses throughout the system and, with the appointment of a regional provost, administration was improved. Campus directors were given power to formulate budgets, and the state legislature began to provide a per-student contribution. Thus the task of increasing student enrollment was successfully undertaken, with student numbers increasing in succeeding years. Today nearly 1,000 enroll yearly at the campus.

The first non-University review of the campus came in 1968, when the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools visited Salkehatchie in the fall for an accreditation visit. The committee expressed a positive view of the efforts being made to develop both the program and the facilities at the new institution.

The expansion of facilities began in June 1972 when the Allendale Hut Complex, composed of two historic log cabin structures erected during the WPA movement, was deeded to the campus by Allendale County. USC Salkehatchie now owns facilities adjacent to the original building that now house faculty offices and the Extended Graduate Campus program. To provide for future expansion, the campus commission purchased 65 acres of adjoining land in February 1975. A master plan has been developed for future expansion of the campus. The Science/Administration Building was built in 1981, and in 1983 the campus added the Salkehatchie Civic Arts Center. A 29,500 square-foot Library/Computer Science Building was built in 1991 and is located next to the Science/Administration Building in the central part of campus. Also in 1991, the Sarah T. Winthrop Foundation donated an additional 94 acres adjacent to the original location, bringing the current holdings to over 150 acres.

Students, faculty, and community patrons use the Salkehatchie libraries in Allendale and Walterboro tens of thousands of times each year. To meet the needs of these patrons, the library provides a wide variety of services. In addition to being able to check out any of more than 57,000 books, patrons have access to more then 18,000 ebooks online. Salkehatchie library users can listen to music in the form of records, cassettes, and CD materials or new video, DVDs, and other multimedia and educational materials. They can read more then 150 current magazines and examine local, state, and national newspapers.  Patrons have access to online full-text and citation-based resources, can learn to do research, or utilize Internet access for research and investigation. Computers with word processing, spreadsheet, and powerpoint software are also available.

Beginning in 1978, USC Salkehatchie reached out to Walterboro by offering six courses there for the convenience of Colleton County residents. Today, nearly 100 courses are offered each semester, enabling residents of that area to work toward associate’s degrees. In the fall of 1982, the former Walterboro High School building and support facilities became vacant, allowing Salkehatchie to establish a permanent second location to its campus holdings. In 1991 the campus commission purchased additional acreage, providing a permanent site for USC in the historic district of downtown Walterboro. In 1994, the campus opened the Peden McLeod Library. This library, housed in the building behind the main building, is named after strong USC supporter and Walterboro resident Peden McLeod. In 2004, Colleton County donated two additional buildings to the campus that are now the Walterboro Science Building and the Walterboro Research Center Building.

Salkehatchie is proud of its contributions to the community that supports it. An outreach program offers courses in local high schools for academically talented seniors. An evening program of courses was begun in September 1976 with ten classes, but community response resulted in the rapid expansion of the evening program. The campus also sponsors an annual artist and lecture series, as well as workshops, seminars, and other programs of community interest.

Since 1965 USC Salkehatchie has provided opportunities in higher education to thousands of students who might otherwise have missed the chance for a college education. As the campus has grown, so has its educational, cultural, and economic impact on the community. Today the campus boasts an internationally and culturally diverse faculty dedicated to providing quality educational experiences to students.

USC Salkehatchie is also committed to the economic growth and development of its five-county service area. The USC Salkehatchie Leadership Institute opened in 1998 as a result of the cooperative effort of the University of South Carolina, the Allendale County Chamber of Commerce, BellSouth, South Carolina State University, Clemson University, U.S. Rural Development, the S.C. Commission on Minority Affairs, the S.C. Department of Commerce, the S.C. Downtown Development Association, and Leadership South Carolina. The mission of the institute is to provide programs for leadership development and to serve as a catalyst for community and economic development in the region. The center has been instrumental in generating grant funding for county programs and providing leadership training for county officials and citizens of the area. In addition, the Leadership Institute recently developed the USC Salkehatchie Entrepreneurial Development Center to foster small business development and ownership in order to stimulate economic progress in the five-county service area. The EDC establishes relationships with existing entrepreneurs and cultivates new business ownership. It provides the research and training necessary for successful micro-business ownership in an ever increasingly competitive economic environment.

The Salkehatchie Healthy Communities Collaborative began in March 2005. The mission of the collaborative is to enhance community wellness through education, prevention, and intervention. The primary purpose is to provide to adults and children in Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton counties who are living at or below poverty level the same health care opportunities that other citizens currently enjoy. Because the mission of USC Salkehatchie is twofold, to provide quality higher education opportunities and to serve as a resource to the communities it serves, USC Salkehatchie serves as the convener for the collaborative, providing facilities for meetings and a campus site for the wellness center.

The Salkehatchie Consortium, an organization of school districts in partnership with USC Salkehatchie, was organized during the 1979-80 school year by representatives of surrounding school districts and Salkehatchie personnel. The consortium provides staff development activities to meet the needs of the member districts with graduate courses, workshops, networks, and recertification credits for teachers employed in the districts. The office of the director is located in the Education Building on the West Campus.

Academic Organization

The highest academic officer on the Salkehatchie campus is the associate dean for academic affairs ("academic dean"). The faculty is organized in four divisions: Social Sciences, Arts and Languages, Mathematics and Science, and Professional Studies.

The division of Social Sciences includes the disciplines of geography, government, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology. Arts and Languages includes the disciplines of art, English, foreign languages, music, speech, and theater. Mathematics and Science includes biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, and statistics. And Professional Studies includes accounting, business administration, computer science, economics, education, nursing, office administration, and physical education.

Current officers are:

Academic Dean: Roberto Refinetti, Ph.D

Chair of Social Sciences: Carmela V. Gottesman, Ph.D

Chair of Arts and Languages: Duncan McDowell, M.A.

Chair of Mathematics and Science: Hussein Zeidan, Ph.D

Chair of Professional Studies: Charles H. Phillips, Ed.S

Special Programs and Opportunities

Branch Program

The Branch Program is a specially designed course of study for students who do not meet regular admission requirements because of test scores or other circumstances. These students may be admitted to the Branch Program at a regional campus by the local admissions committee. Students interested in this program should contact the admissions office at USC Salkehatchie for further information about entrance and progression requirements.

Students who participate in the Branch Program do not enjoy free movement to the Columbia campus. Upon completing 30 hours with a 2.00 grade point average, branch students may change to regular student status. At the end of 30 hours, if branch students do not have the requisite 2.00 GPA, they must continue in this category until they have a 2.00 average. Students in the branch category wishing to change campuses to Columbia must have a minimum 2.00 GPA or permission of the Columbia admissions committee and must meet the entrance requirements of the particular college of the Columbia campus to which they are changing.

Nondegree Seeking Students

Students who wish to take courses for personal interest and who are not interested in pursuing a degree may apply to USC Salkehatchie as nondegree seeking students and be admitted for no more than 30 credit hours through a simplified admissions process.

Extended Graduate Campus Program

The Extended Graduate Campus (EGC) serves the greater University community by administering graduate programming (course work as well as degree programs) offered by USC Columbia anywhere away from the Columbia campus, regardless of delivery mechanism. Programs offered through the EGC are designed to meet the needs of traditional and nontraditional students, businesses/organizations, and the community at large.

Credits toward graduate degrees in business administration, education, engineering, journalism, library and information sciences, nursing, public health, and social work may be earned on the USC Salkehatchie campus through the EGC. Graduate credit meeting other requirements (such as certification and licensure) may also be earned through the EGC.

Utilizing the entire range of educational technology, from live instruction to Web-based instruction, television, and videotaped course work, residents of the region are able to take advantage of the resources of a much larger university without leaving their home area. Students interested in additional information regarding the programming opportunities available in their region should contact the Extended Graduate Campus Program Office at USC Salkehatchie, located in the Extended Graduate Campus Program building.

Televised Instruction

The Office of Distance Education and Instructional Support coordinates for various academic units the offering of courses by television and audio/videocassette. Courses are delivered over local SCETV channels and by audio/videocassette. Live classes are transmitted through the state’s SCETV satellite system to viewing sites statewide and include audio interaction.

Courses are offered each fall, spring, and summer semester. Course offerings are available through the Office of Distance Education and Instructional Support at www.sc.edu/uis.

Students interested in enrolling in telecommunications instruction must be admitted through the Admissions Office or The Graduate School of the University. All courses offered through telecommunications meet the same University standards of prerequisites and sequence that are required in residence work and are subject to the same academic regulations.

For further information, contact your advisor, Salkehatchie Continuing Education, or the Office of Distance Education and Instructional Support, 915 Gregg Street, Columbia, SC 29208, 803-777-7210, or toll-free at 800-922-2577.

Palmetto Programs

Palmetto Programs are baccalaureate completion programs housed in the division of Regional Campuses and Continuing Education and taught by the faculties from the University’s four regional campuses of Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, and Union, with invited participation from the Aiken, Beaufort, Columbia, and Upstate campuses. The name of the program is noteworthy in that it incorporates South Carolina's official tree as a symbol for service and outreach to the state.

Independent Learning by Correspondence

Independent learning courses are designed for students who are unable to attend classes on campus. Teachers and persons in business fields often find these courses useful for professional development, and many take courses for self-improvement.

Admission. Independent learning courses may begin at any time. Formal admission to the University is not required. However, degree-seeking students are responsible for determining that courses are applicable for their purposes. An application must be completed for enrollment. Textbooks may be ordered from the University bookstore. A textbook order form and price list are included in the Independent Learning Bulletin.

Academic Regulations. The courses offered through independent learning meet the same University standards of prerequisites and sequence that are required in residence work. The maximum time for completion of a course is 12 months from the date of enrollment. The minimum time limit for completion for a college-level course is two months from the date of enrollment.

University of South Carolina students who wish to enroll in independent learning courses must secure the approval of the dean of the school or college in which they are registered. Students planning to transfer independent learning credits to another institution should secure the approval of that institution prior to enrollment.

A maximum of 30 semester hours earned through independent learning may be applied toward a degree. Students who wish to take independent learning courses during the last 30 semester hours of degree credits must petition for permission through the dean of the school or college in which they are majoring.

Examinations. Examinations must, when possible, be taken at the University. Otherwise, the examination must be supervised by an official approved by the Office of Distance Education and Instructional Support.

In order to receive credit for an independent learning course, a student must make a passing grade on the final examination. Students are expected to maintain a passing average on all written assignments, but the assignment grades will not be counted toward the final grade unless the student passes the final examination.

Teacher Certification. Independent learning credits may be applicable for educator certificate renewal. Specific questions concerning South Carolina certification or renewal of teaching credentials should be directed to the Division of Teacher Certification, South Carolina Department of Education, Columbia, SC 29201. Teachers in other states should contact that state’s department of education.

For further information, contact the Office of Distance Education and Instructional Support, 915 Gregg Street, Columbia, SC 29208, 803-777-7210 or toll free at 800-922-2577.

Opportunity Scholars

The Opportunity Scholars Program at USC Salkehatchie is a Student Support Services program funded by a federal TRIO grant. The program provides eligible students with services such as tutoring, academic advisement, and financial-aid advisement. The ultimate goal of all these services is to help students earn their baccalaureate degree.

For more information, contact the office at 803-584-3446, extension 251, or stop by the Opportunity Scholars Program office on either campus.

University 101

University 101 is a three-hour seminar course open for credit only to freshmen and other undergraduate students (i.e. transfer students) in their first semester at USC Salkehatchie. This course provides an introduction to the nature and importance of university education and a general orientation to the functions and resources of the University.

The course helps new students adjust to the University, develop a better understanding of the learning process, and acquire essential academic survival skills. It also provides students a support group in a critical year by examining problems common in the new-student experience. Extensive reading and writing assignments relevant to the student’s college experience are required.

Organized in small groups of 20-25 students, University 101 is taught by faculty members and administrative personnel who have a special interest in working with new students. The course may be taken as part of a student’s regular load or as an overload. Course credit is awarded on a letter-grade basis. Credit is applicable as elective credit toward almost all baccalaureate degrees offered by the University.

Baccalaureate Degree Course Work

The Salkehatchie campus of the University of South Carolina offers courses that may be applied toward a baccalaureate degree awarded by other institutions. Students may choose from a number of major fields of study. For a complete list of academic programs offered at Salkehatchie, see “Academic Programs.”

Community Outreach

Salkehatchie Leadership Institute

The USC Salkehatchie Leadership Institute opened in 1998 through a cooperative effort of the University of South Carolina, the Allendale County Chamber of Commerce, Bellsouth, South Carolina State University, Clemson University, USDA Rural Development, the S.C. Commission on Minority Affairs, the S.C. Department of Commerce, the S.C. Downtown Development Association, and Leadership South Carolina. The mission of the center is to create, offer, and provide programs that stimulate leadership, community development, and economic development in the USC Salkehatchie service area of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton counties. Since its inception, leadership programs have reached over 2000 residents in the service area. The center is funded through state funds and federal and community grants.

Leadership Development – The flagship of the institute is its variety of ongoing leadership development programs geared toward providing education and training on leadership to youth and adults on several levels. The mission of these programs is to build a core of informed, committed, and active citizens who can effectively address community issues and focus on community growth and development. The Youth Leadership Program provides basic leadership training for 10th and 11th graders in Allendale, Barnwell, Bamberg, and Hampton counties as well as a continuing program for alumni. The Adult Leadership Programs include county leadership classes offering basic leadership education for emerging leaders in Allendale, Barnwell, Bamberg, and Hampton counties. Other advanced training programs are offered locally and regionally for leadership alumni and existing leaders. Topics included in the leadership education programs include leadership skills and information relevant to local and regional issues with a strong emphasis on project planning and implementation. Special seminars are provided for elected officials from the five-county area.

Community Development – The center serves as a resource center and a central point of reference for groups and organizations to facilitate community development in the five-county region. The center builds and maintains partnerships and collaborations to work on solutions for community problems and to strengthen fund-seeking efforts. It provides technical assistance in a variety of areas, providing workshops, improving communications, and facilitating public forums. It maintains a network of local, regional, state, and federal resources that are available for the community and provides connections between people and the resources needed. The center also provides a link for the community to various regional and state agencies and organizations. Summer youth camps are held each year for youth in grades K-8 that offer a variety of hands-on activities in academics, physical activity, and the arts. Many of the classes are offered in partnership with local schools, recreation departments, and arts programs.

Economic Development – The Entrepreneurial Development Center was opened in 2002 to promote economic growth by providing assistance and training to current and prospective small-business owners in the five-county service area. It provides a thirteen week (39 hours) business management training program that includes topics such as marketing, accounting, and business planning and maintains a library with relevant information for small-business owners. It also provides special workshops useful to new and existing small-business owners. The center provides hands-on counseling and technical assistance in developing marketing programs, business plans, customer service skills, financing, and marketing research. Other resources at the center are databases with information on demographics and consumer expenditures. Future plans include workforce education relevant to regional industry needs.

Speaker’s Bureau

Salkehatchie faculty and administration have formed a speaker’s bureau, with all members of faculty and administration available to speak on their individual disciplines or special interests. Listings of speakers are available to schools, civic groups, and the general public through the academic dean's office.