Specific accomplishments include the establishment and implementation of a retention and recruiting committee, resulting in an increase in headcount for Fall 2001 by 6% and headcount for Spring 2002 by 9%. Looking at enrollment for Fall 2002 and Spring 2003, the raw numbers indicate a decrease in enrollment. The administration made a decision during 2002 to reduce the course offering in the off-campus programs, resulting in budget savings as well as the loss of enrollment. Upon careful analysis of the enrollment figures, it should be noted that the loss of the off-campus enrollment was greater than the overall decrease in enrollment. This points out that the on-campus enrollment increased during this time period and reflects the success of the retention and recruiting efforts of the campus. Other successes include the establishment of a professional development fund through private donations; implementation of the first phase of the infrastructure upgrade; installation of a new communication system in Walterboro; and increasing course offerings using two-way video between Allendale and Walterboro.
USC Salkehatchie Campus values its role as a part of the University of South Carolina, bringing the programs, resources, and opportunities of the University to the local service area of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton Counties, along with the USC Salkehatchie mission of providing undergraduate and graduate course work. The USC Salkehatchie service area is rural, economically depressed, and ranks low in most educational and quality-of-life indicators. Thus, the campus presence and the opportunities provided are extremely important, and the campus administration recognizes the need to integrate educational and economic development efforts in the service area.
USC Salkehatchie plays an important role in helping the University fulfill its priority of providing students with an educational experience of the highest quality, grounded in the traditional liberal arts. 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, community development, cultural, public service, and recreational programs and services reflect USC Salkehatchie’s purpose to enhance and enrich the communities of its service area and to improve the quality of life of its citizens.
Funding Sources: State funding for the USC Salkehatchie Campus is a separate line item in the budget. Other revenues include student fees and campus generated revenues. The Unit Budget represents the entire campus operating budget. Figures were obtained from the University of South Carolina Financial Report for the period ending June 30, 2002.
1. Unit Budget: $2,679,552
2. Total extramural funding processed through SPAR in FY 2002: $611,009
3. Gifts and pledges received through FY 2002 (Development Reports): $2,131,614
4. Number of applications for fall 2002 : 817 undergraduate
5. Number of admissions for Fall 2002: 747 undergraduate
6. Number of majors in Fall 2002 by level: 747 “no major” undergraduate
7. Number of student enrolled in Fall 2002 by level: Headcount 747 FTE 442
8. Number of graduates in Fall 2001, Spring 2002, and Summer 2002
Fall 2001 9
Spring 2002 82
9. Total credit hours generated for Fall 2001, Spring 2002 and Summer 2002
Fall 2001 6679
Spring 2002 6388
Summer I 2002 724
Summer II 2002 234
10. Number of faculty by title as of Fall 2002
Instructor (non-tenure track) 3
Senior Instructor (non-tenure track) 1
Assistant Professor (tenure track) 3
Associate Professor 6
Professor 6
11. Publications in 2002 (books, book chapters, refereed articles, non-refereed publications)
12. Research paper presentations in AY 2001-2002: 2
13. Number of performances or juried exhibitions in AY 2001-2002: 2
14. Extramural funding by type in FY 2002
Research
Service $611,009
Training
Equipment
GA
15. Number of active externally-funded research collaborations with MUSC and Clemson
II. Progress Report on AY 2001- 2002 Plan
During a planning retreat in March 2001, the USC Salkehatchie Administration reviewed the ten strategic goals for the campus and identified four primary goals for AY 2001-2002. The change to the campus strategic plan was presented to and endorsed by the faculty. The four primary goals for AY 2001-2002 are:
1. Increase enrollment by recruiting and retaining more students.
2. Attract and retain qualified faculty and encourage existing faculty to enhance their teacher effectiveness and productivity by participating in scholarship and research activities
3. Upgrade the campus infrastructure to allow for more efficient campus operations, improved communication and better quality of instruction
4. Maintain a balanced budget and allocate more resources to support the academic program
USC Salkehatchie has made substantial progress toward the goals outlined in its 2001-2002 strategic plan. Some specific accomplishments include:
· Establishing a recruiting and retention committee consisting of faculty, staff and administrators
· Increased headcount for Fall 2001 by 6% and headcount for Spring 2002 by 9%
· Creating a professional development fund designated to fund scholarly activities for faculty who wish to present and/or attend conferences
· The professional development fund is derived from the “phonathon”, conducted in conjunction with the USC Development Office.
· Implementation of a technology infrastructure upgrade including the upgrade of academic laboratories for student use and the installation of a new telephone system in Walterboro and the upgrade to the existing system in Allendale
· Offer courses at Allendale and Walterboro utilizing the Two-way video systems on both campuses
· Initiating budget saving measures by consolidating some non-academic operations, relocating some offices in closer proximity to allow for sharing of personnel
· Evaluating vacant positions and deciding to leave positions vacant
The actions taken provided available funds that were allocated to the academic program. However, mid-year budget cuts required that these funds be used to replace operational budget decreases. To offset some of the operational budget cuts, the administration has been successful in securing private support. Efforts to obtain private support for the designated areas of student scholarships, technology infrastructure, library resource acquisitions and facility improvements has also been successful, with over two million dollars raised in private funds over a five year campaign period.
III. Goals for USC Salkehatchie Campus for the Next Five Years (AY 2003-04 through AY 2007-08)
The institution is committed to continued implementation of the strategic plan and building on the success achieved in the past. In addition to the four primary goals identified in the 2001-2002 plan, the institution added a fifth goal for this academic year. This goal is community services and is in direct support of our campus mission. These five goals are basic goals that are the heart of the campus strategic plan each academic year. Other long range goals are projected and included in the five year plan. The long range goals are:
Goal 1: Provide sound fiscal management of campus financial and human resources
Goal 2: Enhance opportunities for faculty scholarship and research
Goal 3: Maximize campus enrollment
Goal 4: Improve technology infrastructure and use of technology in academic programs
Goal 5: Strength partnerships with communities served
Goal 1: Provide sound fiscal management of campus financial and human resources
Goal 2: Enhance opportunities for faculty scholarship and research
Goal 3: Maximize campus enrollment
Goal 4: Improve technology infrastructure and use of technology in academic programs
Goal 5: Strength partnerships with communities served
Goal 6: Provide human resources necessary to support the academic mission
Goal 1: Provide sound fiscal management of campus financial and human resources
Goal 2: Enhance opportunities for faculty scholarship and research
Goal 3: Maximize campus enrollment
Goal 4: Improve technology infrastructure and use of technology in academic programs
Goal 5: Strength partnerships with communities served
Goal 6: Provide human resources necessary to support the academic mission
Goal 7: Expand academic support services
Goal 1: Provide sound fiscal management of campus financial and human resources
Goal 2: Enhance opportunities for faculty scholarship and research
Goal 3: Maximize campus enrollment
Goal 4: Improve technology infrastructure and use of technology in academic programs
Goal 5: Strength partnerships with communities served
Goal 6: Provide human resources necessary to support the academic mission
Goal 7: Expand academic support services
Goal 8: Increase cooperation and collaboration among the USC campuses, other institutions, and agencies in order to meet academic needs
Goal 1: Provide sound fiscal management of campus financial and human resources
Goal 2: Enhance opportunities for faculty scholarship and research
Goal 3: Maximize campus enrollment
Goal 4: Improve technology infrastructure and use of technology in academic programs
Goal 5: Strength partnerships with communities served
Goal 6: Provide human resources necessary to support the academic mission
Goal 7: Expand academic support services
Goal 8: Increase cooperation and collaboration among the USC campuses, other institutions, and agencies in order to meet academic needs
Goal 1: Provide sound fiscal management of campus financial and human resources
q Establish more formal procedures for evaluating existing programs on the basis of the cost/benefit to the institution as well as how the program/activity will further the mission and vision of the institution
§ Expand the representation and scope of the budget committee to include all members of the executive council and a faculty representative from each of the three academic divisions
§ Provide financial analysis of programs to be used in decisions concerning hiring priorities and allocation of funds
§ Use Zero Based budget methodology for future budget development
q Address salary inequity issues
§ Annually review faculty salaries within rank
§ Allocate funding to address inequity issues within rank
§ Allocate funding as available to address overall faculty salaries
q Explore opportunity to provide a faculty course reduction for one semester to provide release time for faculty research
§ Develop a formal policy with procedures to allow faculty to apply for a one course reduction during the academic year
§ Solicit formal proposals from faculty
§ Provide release time to faculty to conduct research
q Identify incentives and encourage faculty/administrative personnel to pursue grant and external funding opportunities
§ Use resources available through Sponsored Programs and Research to identify funding opportunities
q Provide faculty/staff professional development opportunities as a mechanism of enhancing job performance
§ Schedule professional development opportunities in areas such as information technology, classroom presentation, blackboard, customer services, grant writing
§ Provide funding through professional development funds to support professional conferences and presentation of papers
§ Provide training on grant-writing principles
q Provide qualified faculty
§ Adhere to SACS requirements
§ Use evaluations, both student and administrative, to assess faculty productivity
q Increase enrollment in existing Distributed Learning courses and develop offerings between campuses
§ Increase number of course offerings through distributed learning methods
§ Train campus faculty to use two-way video to provide course offerings between Allendale and Walterboro
§ Improve infrastructure to allow for multi-point two-way video
q Identify academic areas of greatest need
§ Analyze reports of faculty teaching loads and faculty/student ratios by department
§ Use student surveys to determine other areas of interest
§ Maintain adequate faculty in each department to teach required courses
q Increase number of qualified full-time faculty and academic support personnel
§ Identify areas of greatest need for qualified academic support personnel through the use of student surveys and work load assessment
§ Increase number of qualified academic support personnel through hires and recommendations of the Hiring Priority Committee
§ Identify funding requirements for personnel needs and submit priority to Budget Committee
q Promote AA/AS degree programs, and increase enrollment in BAIS degree program
§ Increase the number and diversity of upper level (300 and above) course offerings
§ Produce brochure to assist recruiters in marketing degrees
q Provide appropriate programs of study leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees or job-related advancement
§ Use work force needs analysis to determine offerings that can be provided and add offerings to curriculum
§ Market offerings through undergraduate recruiting efforts
§ Market offerings through the Salkehatchie Leadership Center leadership and entrepreneurial programs
q Improve retention rates
§ Expand evaluation of current advising procedures
§ Modify advising procedures based on results of evaluation
§ Identify academically challenged incoming freshman and direct them to programs that offer support and assistance
§ Evaluate responses from Student Satisfaction Survey and address concerns raised
§ Increase number and diversity of course offerings
§ Promote Opportunity Scholars Program, tutoring, and counseling
q Promote joint elementary education programs with USC Aiken
§ Expand course offerings through mutually beneficial agreements with BA/BS degree course granting institutions
§ Expand Distributed Education capabilities through increase physical space to provide these type courses
q Recruit academically better prepared students
§ Target recruiting efforts to students with high SAT/ACT scores
§ Increase number of academic scholarships
Goal 4: Improve technology infrastructure and use of technology in academic programs
q Upgrade core infrastructure for campus
§ Replace routers, switches and upgrade fiber throughout campus
§ Further upgrade telephone switch in Allendale
q Provide access to electronic information sources and available technology
§ Incorporate use of technology in library orientation programs
§ Upgrade workstations for faculty and staff
§ Increase number of public access stations in learning resource centers
q Encourage use of technology in academic instruction
§ Train faculty for the use of blackboard and other web based tools
q Promote the Salkehatchie Leadership Center programs
§ Market programs in areas of leadership, business development, and community development
§ Secure funding to support programs
q Work with local schools to identify opportunities to provide services
§ Provide Junior Leadership Programs in area schools through grant funded opportunity
§ Provide Character Education Academy to school teachers
§ Encourage faculty to participate in local school science fairs, classroom presentations, tutoring and other K-12 activities. Document activities during annual faculty evaluation process
q Address needs of business/industry, educational entities, and community
§ Evaluate the agreement with the Colleton Coalition for Workforce Development. Make adjustments to agreement to provide services required
§ Expand offerings of the Business Development program of the Salkehatchie Leadership Center to foster economic development in the area
q Annual renewal of Salkehatchie Consortium agreement
§ Review and negotiate an annual renewal of the agreement between USC Salkehatchie and the Salkehatchie Consortium
§ Continue to provide base of operations for the Salkehatchie Consortium
§ Work with the Extended Graduate Campus to provide courses needed by the school districts and teachers in the Salkehatchie Consortium
Requesting college/school: USC Salkehatchie Campus
Unit providing resource/service: USC Salkehatchie Campus
Prioritized list of requested resources or services with brief explanation linking them to the unit’s goals, objectives, and strategies for the year:
1. Reallocation of operating funds to support faculty salary inequity issues. An annual reallocation of $10,000 is needed to provide sufficient funding to support this goal.
2. Release time for full-time faculty of one course for one semester to allow the faculty sufficient time for research will cost the salary of an adjunct faculty to cover courses. It is estimated that $5,000 annually is needed to meet this goal. Release time will allow faculty research opportunities. Written progress reports are required from faculty granted release time.
3. Professional development account has been established through private fund raising. These funds are allocated to faculty through requests to the academic dean. Some funds are allocated for staff development.
4. Funds are needed to develop and equip a “smart classroom” in Allendale and expand an existing room in Walterboro. Funding, in the amount of $100,000, from a special technology appropriation that the campus received last year has been earmarked for this project.
5. Vacant faculty positions need to be filled to maintain the undergraduate offerings of the campus. Some positions are simply replacements and minor salary differences may occur. Other positions have been vacant over a budget year and to fill the positions during the coming academic year will result in the need for additional funding allocated from the general operations to faculty salaries. Some hiring decisions may be postponed due to recent reductions of state funds.
6. Increasing course offerings will require that faculty positions be increase and/or adjunct faculty be hired to offer the courses. Decisions on this strategy will be affected by the loss of state funding for the coming year.
7. The Salkehatchie Leadership Center programs for leadership, business development and community development will be marketed through the publication of brochures and through media publications. Funds to support this goal will be budgeted through the current grant funds received to provide operations for the Salkehatchie Leadership Center and the Entrepreneurial Development Center through the USDA Rural Enterprise Grant.
8. Infrastructure enhancement is estimated at $275,000. This includes the upgrade of connectivity in Allendale and Walterboro at $122,695; the development of a “smart classroom” in Allendale at $75,000 and upgrade of a classroom in Walterboro at $25,000; upgrades to student computer labs at a cost of $39,000; and the upgrade of the Allendale phone switch to allow for IP trunking at a cost of $13,150. $250,000 of this budget is anticipated through the South Carolina Lottery Funding and the additional funds will come from a special appropriation for technology the campus received last year.
University of South Carolina Salkehatchie Campus
Mission: The primary mission of the USC Salkehatchie Regional Campus is to provide the first two years of university education, making University and other resources available to the majority of high school graduates, and offering the citizens of its service area the opportunity for post-secondary education. This is accomplished primarily through teaching and service.
Teaching: To prepare high school graduates and non-traditional students to transfer to a four-year university, and to be capable life-long learners through USC Salkehatchie (and Distributed Education) course offerings, offerings that can culminate in the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees.
Service: To serve the citizens of the five-county service area by participating in outreach activities through Community Development, the Salkehatchie Consortium, the Salkehatchie Leadership Center, and efforts that reflect specific interests of individuals.
Program Purposes and Philosophy: USC Salkehatchie offers the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees. The basis of these two degrees is the completion of the traditional preparation of students to transfer to baccalaureate institutions to complete their undergraduate work.
Each of these degree programs includes the following:
§ Courses needed to meet general institutional education requirements;
§ A minimum number of earned credit hours; and
§ Elective courses in disciplines of interest, including through Distributed Education offerings
Intended Educational Goals: The intended educational goals, which upon completion of core curriculum requirements, include demonstrated skills and knowledge in the following areas:
§ Oral and Written Communication
§ Clear and effective oral communication
§ Computational and Numerical
§ Mathematical skills and computer competency
§ Critical Thinking
§ Development and refinement of reasoning skills
§ Content Areas
§ Humanities: Understanding of the basic elements of fiction, poetry, and drama and ability to analyze these
§ Natural Sciences: Understanding of the scientific method and ability to apply scientific principles to daily life.
§ Social and Behavioral Sciences: Understand cultural, political, economic or social contexts that shape people’s lives and be able to analyze behavior of individuals, groups, or institutions in society.
Procedures, Measures, and Criteria:
§ Oral and Written Communication
§ Measured by (1) grades earned in oral communication-specific courses (e.g., SPCH 140), which grades more closely reflect performance rather than mastery of subject matter; (2) written and oral graded classroom presentations in other classes, and (3) via internal evaluation by an Assessment Committee that evaluated Critical Thinking skills (Comprehension, Analysis, and Applications/Synthesis) and Writing skills (Content, Style, and Mechanics) in randomly selected student papers from mainly English, Psychology, and Sociology classes. This assessment samples an entering cohort and then re-samples that cohort at the beginning of their second year. The Committee originally envisioned a five-year cycle. Results are shared with all faculty, pointing out common areas for improvement.
§ Computational and Numerical
§ Indicated by grades earned in mathematics and computer classes, and in the case of education majors, the discipline-specific test required of secondary education teachers
.
§ Critical Thinking
§ Indicated by (1) grades earned in a variety of courses, and (2) through an internal evaluation by an Assessment Committee that evaluates Critical Thinking (Comprehension, Analysis, and Application/Synthesis) and Writing skills (Content, Style, and Mechanics) in randomly selected student papers from mainly English, Psychology, and Sociology classes. Results are shared with all faculty, pointing out common areas for improvement.
§ Content Area
§ Humanities: Indicated by grades earned in courses, and via communications (writing) skills assessed by the Assessment Committee.
§ Natural Sciences: Indicated by grades earned in courses.
§ Social and Behavioral Sciences: Indicated by grades earned in courses, and via communications (writing) skills assessment of student papers by the Assessment Committee.
Implementation Plan: Individual course grades are submitted to USC Columbia for compilation, from which data, USC Salkehatchie receives a grade breakdown report. That report is used to help assess achievement of students.
In terms of tracking graduates and former students, the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education maintains records (Annual Associate Degree Program Evaluation) of graduation rates at both the associate and baccalaureate levels, which data is used to gauge the movement and success of students beginning their post-secondary academic career at USC Salkehatchie, then moving on the Columbia campus. USC Salkehatchie is currently investigating avenues potentially available to more efficiently track students who matriculate to other institutions.
USC Salkehatchie also conducts Alumni Surveys every other year. The survey instrument includes specific questions on type of employment, where that employer is located, how long it took to secure employment following graduation, life-long learning activities, how well did their experience at USC Salkehatchie prepare them for their employment in the areas of communication, technology, mathematics and data interpretation, problem solving skills, and workplace diversity and workplace skills.
Student Satisfaction Surveys are administered to a randomly selected population of students annually. These surveys provide information to assist the institution in its efforts to continually improve services to its students. Results of the surveys are shared with the several student service offices where the responses are considered in light of current procedures, and warranted changes are implemented where feasible. Examples of changes that have resulted from surveys and other input include: revisions in the academic advising process, installation of student suggestion boxes, and preparation of academic schedules on an earlier time schedule to allow for students to make decision affecting future course enrollments a semester in advance.