Approved by the Board of Trustees - October 11, 2019
Approved by SC Commission on Higher Education – December 5, 2019
Next Board of Trustees Scheduled Review - October 2023
The Salkehatchie regional Palmetto College campus is a branch campus of the University
of South
Carolina Columbia. Salkehatchie 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 Salkehatchie 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 Salkehatchie 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 Salkehatchie regional Palmetto College campus was established
to
encourage higher education in the counties of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton
and Hampton.
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 Salkehatchie 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 noncredit
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 Salkehatchie
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, Salkehatchie 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 Salkehatchie 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.
Vision
USC Salkehatchie will be recognized as a model rural “Community University” that plays a major role in enriching the cultural, educational, and economic opportunities of the citizens served.