USC Union

Mission/Statement of Purpose

In a sophisticated, democratic society, citizens must be literate, self-disciplined, and inquisitive. They must respect and enjoy critical thought and the search for truths. Therefore, the purpose of USC Union is to give the people of Union and surrounding counties an intellectual, social, cultural, and physical setting which challenges them to grow in many ways and to develop a desire for lifelong learning.

USC Union’s primary purpose is to provide the first two years of a liberal arts university education to about 500 traditional and nontraditional students and to confer the Associate in Arts and the Associate in Science degrees.

Through the USC campuses in Columbia and Spartanburg, USC Union also provides access to upper-division courses, for minorities, women, and older students, as well as for traditional students who wish to work toward and eventually receive baccalaureate degrees. Upper-division courses are taught both by USC Union faculty and by faculty from other USC colleges.

USC Union provides graduate courses and degrees through the USC Extended Graduate Campus Program and the state’s extensive telecommunications network.

USC Union sponsors a noncredit continuing education program for the enjoyment and enrichment of both children and adults.

Finally, USC Union provides effective orientation, counseling, and financial aid programs; a comprehensive placement testing program; a proactive system of academic advisement; and extracurricular programs for the benefit of all students. All of these programs help students to improve the following abilities:

• to communicate in a variety of ways, in a variety of settings, and for a variety of purposes
• to solve problems involving numbers and other kinds of quantitative measurement and to value quantification
• to understand the contributions of the arts and to integrate the arts into their lives in fulfilling ways
• to examine and clarify their values and motivations as well as those of others; to understand a variety of social institutions, and to function effectively within those institutions
• to understand the scientific method, to value objective inquiry, and to use wisely science and technology
• to recognize and adapt to the widespread use of computer technology in today’s society
• to study, learn, reason, and apply knowledge and skills in creative ways.

Central to this purpose is a faculty dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarship, institutional activities, and public service. USC Union supports faculty development activities that help maintain this excellence and improve its programs through institutional research, planning, and comprehensive faculty involvement in both campus and University affairs.

The University of South Carolina Union is a public multidimensional learning center of USC chartered to serve seven rural counties and committed to providing outreach, broad access, and a full range of USC programs and services.

Student Objectives

Expanding on the above academic goals, USC Union helps its students acquire the following skills and knowledge:

1. Communication

ability to discover a topic, state an effective thesis, organize support, compose coherent paragraphs, and use vocabulary and grammar in accordance with standard edited English

ability to state ideas clearly; pose questions; explain perceptions, materials, and processes; engage in debate; and present reasoned arguments orally and publicly in both extemporaneous and prepared settings

ability to comprehend, paraphrase, and summarize accurately the contents of written and verbal material

2. Mathematics

awareness that mathematics is the language of science, technology, and business

ability to recognize and state appropriate problems in quantitative terms

ability to solve problems involving numbers, units of measurements, graphs, and other representations of quantitative measurement

ability to understand problems expressed in quantitative terms and to assess the probable implications of a solution to a mathematic problem

3. Literature and the Arts

awareness of the contributions and importance of literature and the arts to human life both past and present

ability to produce informed responses to literature and the fine arts

ability to integrate literature and the arts in fulfilling ways into the daily patterns of life

4. Society and the Individual

awareness of personal values and motivations in oneself and in others

awareness of the variety of values and mechanisms of social institutions, both Western and non-Western

awareness of the cause-and-effect relationship between the actions of individuals and institutions and the consequences of those actions for local, regional, national, and global environments

awareness of how to participate effectively in a variety of social institutions

5. Science and Technology

awareness of the scientific method, the value of objective inquiry, and the nature and limitations of the world view given us by the sciences

awareness of the effects of technology in shaping society and the environment

awareness of the ethical dilemmas that arise in a society based on science and technology

ability to perceive and to interpret the physical world with accuracy and to communicate such observations in appropriate forms

ability to use computers across the curriculum for self-instruction, for collection and retrieval of data, and for word processing, modeling, simulation, and problem solving

6. Critical Thinking and Lifelong Learning

awareness that learning is a lifelong process based on personal initiative, active participation, and a belief in the value of inquiry

awareness of personal potentials, limitations, and mental/physical development

ability to be self-motivated, to form, articulate, and act upon reasoned decisions in personal, civic, and professional life

ability to use resources inside and outside the classroom, collect meaningful data, organize material in useful ways, and acknowledge sources of information

ability to synthesize information, distinguish fact from opinion, offer and accept constructive criticism, apply both knowledge and skills to new situations, and draw reasoned conclusions based on complete and incomplete evidence.

The 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…

...this introduction submits that membership in the Carolina community is not without its obligations. It is assumed or understood that joining is evidence of a subscription to certain ideals and an agreement to strive for the level of achievement and virtue suggested by the following...

I will practice personal and academic integrity;

...a commitment to this ideal is inconsistent with cheating in classes, in games, or in sports. It should eliminate the practice of plagiarism or borrowing another student’s homework, lying, deceit, excuse-making, and infidelity or disloyalty in personal relationships...

I will respect the dignity of all persons;

...a commitment to this ideal is inconsistent with behaviors which compromise or demean the dignity of individuals or groups, including hazing, most forms of intimidating, taunting, teasing, baiting, ridiculing, insulting, harassing, and discriminating...

I will respect the rights and property of others;

...a commitment to this ideal is inconsistent with all forms of theft, vandalism, arson, misappropriation, malicious damage to, and desecration or destruction of property. Respect for others’ personal rights is inconsistent with any behavior which violates their right to move about freely, express themselves appropriately, and to enjoy privacy...

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

...a commitment to this ideal pledges affirmative support for equal rights and opportunities for all students regardless of their age, sex, race, religion, disability, international/ethnic heritage, socioeconomic status, political, social or other affiliation or disaffiliation, or affectional preference...

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

...a commitment to this ideal is a pledge to be compassionate and considerate, to avoid behaviors which are insensitive, inhospitable, or incitant, or which unjustly or arbitrarily inhibit others’ ability to feel safe or welcomed in their pursuit of appropriate academic goals...

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

...this last clause reminds community members that they are not only obligated to avoid these behaviors, but that they also have an affirmative obligation to confront and challenge, to respond to, or report the behaviors whenever or wherever they are encountered.

History

Similar to the other USC regional campuses, the Union campus was established as a result of local initiative. The Union County Commission for Higher Education was created by an act of the state legislature in the spring of 1965, and a contract was immediately signed by that commission with the University of South Carolina, an arrangement which guaranteed University-quality education at a low cost for area students within commuting distance of the campus. A former public secondary-school building was secured by the commission, and local funds were made available to renovate the structure. Scheduled classes began in September 1965 for the original freshman class of 51 students. Enrollment for the fall of 1966 showed a 31.8 percent increase over the previous year. In September 1967, 160 students registered at the campus, and enrollment has continued to climb.

Centrally located near the downtown business district, USC Union occupies a seven-acre tract fronting the east side of Main Street. Established to meet the educational needs of Union, Laurens, Cherokee, York, Chester, Fairfield, and Newberry counties, the campus has grown to its present undergraduate/graduate enrollment of over 500 and a physical plant consisting of four buildings, which house administrative offices, classrooms, laboratories, a library, a campus shop, and a gymnasium.

The Union campus has traditionally focused on offering the first two years of courses for most University curricula, and the campus continues that tradition today. As a consequence of its expanding role as a unit of USC, upper-level courses are increasingly available, including both junior- and senior-level courses, as well as graduate courses.

Union-area residents realize the beneficial aspects of a local regional campus and have been enthusiastic supporters of both the campus and its programs. Recently, both the city and county governments have generously increased their support of the campus and have provided much-needed funds for both physical-plant and equipment needs. Several local organizations provide scholarships for USC Union students, and the campus has been the recipient of numerous gifts of goods and services. The campus and the surrounding area have continually maintained this mutually supporting relationship, the result of which has been a high-quality, comprehensive program of higher education for area citizens.

Facilities

The physical plant consists of four buildings.

Main Building. The Main Building was a secondary public school originally constructed in 1909, renovated in 1965, and completely restored in 1991. It currently houses classrooms; an auditorium; administrative and faculty offices; biology, chemistry, and computer science laboratories; a student lounge; a bookstore; and a conference room.

Central Building.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Central Building was built in 1891 as the first modern public-school building in Union County. After several additions and incarnations as a high school, middle school, and elementary school, it was secured for USC Union by the Union County Commission for Higher Education in 1975.

The library, which houses over 34, 000 books and 17,510 e-books, periodicals and newspaper subscriptions, has occupied the front half of the lower floor since 1981. The library also has audiovisual equipment for in-house use of its media collection and a computer room for student use.

Renovations were completed on the Central Building in the fall of 1988 and, in addition to the library, it now houses administrative and faculty offices, classrooms, a telecommunications instruction classroom, and a community room for meetings and receptions.

Truluck Activity Center. Completed in 1969, the activity center provides space for athletic and social activities and houses the campus art studio. The center contains a basketball court, office space, and physical-fitness equipment. The center has a seating capacity of 500.

Special Events

Extracurricular Activities

From its beginning, USC Union has recognized the importance of developing all facets of the individual. In keeping with this goal, the campus has offered a wide array of extracurricular activities, including the Student Government Association, the African American Association  (AAA), numerous other clubs, media experience in newspaper production, a competitive intramural program, service organizations, and frequent social functions.

October 2, 2007