We hold that the university expand recruitment efforts in order to increase racial diversity on our campus by:  

1. a) Creating a minority scholars program through the South Carolina Honors College, Capstone Scholars and Top Scholars programs that provides financial aid and mentorship for minorities.  
2. b) Increasing funding for Diversity and Inclusion recruitment in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.  
3. c) Increasing funding for the Grace Jordan McFadden Professors Program and other opportunities specific to underrepresented graduate students, both masters and doctoral.
4. d) Improving the relative racial/ethnic and gender representation in the selection of our university’s higher administration, faculty and staff.  

Student diversity 

Strategies/Action Plan

• Increase need-based financial aid, including advocating for an increase in the statuary 4% limit on tuition revenue allocation.
  • Timeline: Pending legislative action during current session, which ends June 2021, target FY 2023

• The Office of Admissions has secured funding to double the size of the Summer Seniors program, a summer pre-college program for high achieving African American high school seniors from South Carolina.
  • Timeline: Summer 2021

• Creation of the Undergraduate Admissions Diversity Advisory Council (UADAC), a collaborative networking opportunity for our recruitment staff, high school counselors at schools with high concentrations with low-SES and high minority student populations, and CBOs (community-based organizations). 
  • Timeline: complete
  • Who is responsible: Office of Admissions

• Created a program that students from underrepresented South Carolina high schools can earn micro-scholarships throughout high school, if the students attend UofSC.
  • Timeline: complete
  • Who is responsible: Office of Admissions

• A test-optional admissions policy that will evaluate its efficacy and impact on diversity of the freshman class as well as student success.
  • Timeline: In progress
  • Who is responsible: Office of Admissions

• Admissions is piloting a collaborative effort with the Career Center to provide admitted under-reprepresented minority students with early career exploration and career counseling prior to enrollment.  Under-represented minority students from South Carolina can take the SuperStrong Interest Inventory career assessment and discuss the results with a career counselor. 
  • Timeline: Spring 2021
  • Who is responsible: Office of Admissions and Career Center

• The Visitor Center now offers diversity, equity and inclusion focused informational meetings with university staff and current students as part of the overall visit experience.
  • Timeline: Complete
  • Who is responsible: Visitor Center

• Providing admissions marketing materials and content in Spanish
  • Timeline: Complete
  • Who is responsible: Office of Admissions

• Increase outreach to encourage students to apply to the Honors College, and to encourage admitted students to attend the South Carolina Honors College.
  • Timeline: In progress
  • Who is responsible: Office of Admissions and South Carolina Honors College

Faculty staff diversity 

Strategies/Action Plan

• All supervisors are required to attend LEAD (Supervisory Essentials) program where an interviewing and selection class is provided.
• Training requirements for search committee members will be enhanced to include comprehensive training for members and diversity toolkit.
  • Timeline: In progress
  • Who is responsible: Human Resources in collaboration with Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Office of Equal Opportunity Programs

• Human Resources has requested funding to promote jobs on sites like Chronicle of Higher Education.
  • Timeline: In progress
  • Who is responsible: Human Resources in collaboration with Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Office of Equal Opportunity Programs

• Human Resources is implementing systematic exit interview process.
  • Timeline: In progress
  • Who is responsible: Human Resources in collaboration Strategic Planning Group 4 subgroup on hiring and retention

• The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs is exploring options to add bias training for faculty and staff, which is in addition to the current prevention and harassment training.
  • Timeline: In progress
  • Who is responsible: The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs

• Hiring director of diversity education and inclusive excellence to increase capacity and professional development relating the recruitment/retention of a diverse faculty and staff.
  • Timeline: In progress
  • Who is responsible: Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion