The South Carolina Board of Trustees held its June meeting Friday (June 20), approving not only a host of academic initiatives but also a significant partnership with OpenAI and ChatGPT and the budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
New center, academic approvals
The board approved a pair of new centers Friday: the Center for American Civic Leadership and Public Discourse and the Center of School Behavioral Health.
The Center for American Civic Leadership and Public Discourse — which will be housed in the McCausland School of Arts and Sciences — is designed to expand fluency in the core ideals that shaped American history.
It will explore themes like liberty, justice and democratic self-governance through public events, publications and academic programs.
There were also 91 candidates across the USC system approved for tenure and promotion: 43 at Columbia, 23 at Upstate, 15 at Aiken, eight in the Palmetto College and two at Beaufort.
The board also approved 13 new hires with tenure and six honorary academic titles for USC Columbia along with one new hire with tenure at Aiken.
There was a slew of academic initiatives approved at USC Columbia during the board meeting including:
- Program modifications to the bachelor’s degree in physics, the master’s and doctoral psychology programs and the doctor of nurse anesthesia practice.
- Two new certificates: a postbaccalaureate certificate in operation and supply chain management and an undergraduate certificate in artificial intelligence literacy.
- Approval of 100 percent online delivery of the master’s in art education and approving a change of the name of the nurse midwife certificate, master’s degree and doctorate programs to nurse midwifery.
- Terminating the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary studies, the Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and a Master of Mathematics in Mathematics.
- Approving revisions to the faculty manual and establishing new fixed-term professorships at the College of Information and Communications.
Here are the academic approvals from across the USC system:
- New programs at USC Aiken: a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity and a master’s degree in exercise and sport science with an emphasis in strength and conditioning.
- Modifications to USC Aiken bachelor programs in exercise and sport science, middle level education and secondary education.
- Merging two USC Beaufort departments to create the Department of Business, Hospitality and Communications.
- New certificates at USC Upstate: undergraduate certificate in artificial intelligence and both an undergraduate and postbaccalaureate certificate in accounting.
- At USC Upstate: one program modification to the computer information systems bachelor program, termination of the bachelor’s program in entrepreneurship and innovation and revising the USC Upstate faculty manual.
OpenAI, other contracts approved
The board approved 25 contracts or agreements during Friday’s meeting, including a contract with OpenAI that will give all USC students, faculty and staff access to OpenAI and ChatGPT to streamline efficiency at the university, better protect the data of the USC community and provide training and resources so users understand how to use artificial intelligence now and in the future.
The bulk of the contracts approved were task order contracts from USC’s Purchasing and Facilities departments:
- General contract agreements with Solid Structures, Boyer Commercial Construction, Huss and M.E. Contracting.
- Mechanical contracting agreements with Walker White Inc., McCarter Mechanical, Johnson Controls and MSI Construction Co.
- Roofing contracting agreements with Watts & Associates Roofing, Lloyd Roofing Co., C.E. Bourne & Co. and Aqua Seal Manufacturing & Roofing.
- Electrical contracting agreements with DNB Electric, Farmer Construction Co., MSI Construction Co. and AOS Specialty Contractors.
USC athletics had three contracts approved: administrative services agreements with The Gamecock Club and Ascend Carolina plus an amendment to the Colonial Life Arena naming rights and sponsorship agreement.
The board also approved two USC Upstate services agreements: one with EAB Global and another with Tri-State Pump and Controls.
Two memorandums of understandings were approved: one between the Darla Moore School of Business and the U.S. Army finance and comptroller school and another between USC enrollment management and the Evans Scholars Foundation.
Facilities, infrastructure projects advanced
The board approved multiple naming opportunities Friday as well as the 2025-26 designated funds budget while advancing 14 different projects.
Phase I approval was granted for three projects:
- Property acquisition to add over four acres to USC’s Health Sciences Campus to construct the Clinical Neurological and Rehabilitation Center.
- Construction of the USC Sumter facilities management building.
- Renovation and upfit of the student commons and conference center at USC Salkehatchie.
The board also approved 10 other projects:
- Renovations at 1220 Catawba St. for the Carolina Institute for Battery Innovation.
- Infrastructure replacement at the west energy cooling tower cell and north energy chiller plus envelope restoration at McMaster College.
- Renovation increase for the College of Nursing biobehavioral research suite.
- Construction of a softball field house at USC Aiken, the USC Upstate campus gateway and approval of text for a commemorative plaque at the Taylor House.
- Dominion easements behind 1206 Flora St. and the Health Sciences Campus.
Budget and other approvals
The board approved the university’s operating budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, holding tuition flat for in-state students system wide.
Other approvals included the second approval of board bylaws as well as approvals for candidates to the Board of Visitors.
The board also approved Craig Wilson as the new Palmetto College chancellor. Wilson comes over after five years as vice provost for Outreach, Distance and Continuing Education at the University of Arizona.