2016 Annual Conference

In 2013, the University of South Carolina created Palmetto College to provide greater access, affordability, and flexibility to bachelor's degrees. The innovative system model combines four two-year campuses with online bachelor's degrees completion programs from three comprehensive campuses and the Research 1 institution to reach students across the state.

The target audience for the session is faculty, staff, and administrators at both campus and system levels, including but not limited to those involved in regional campuses and distance learning.

Much of South Carolina is rural and under-served by higher education, resulting in low bachelor's degree attainment levels and corresponding poverty and quality of life issues. To address raising educational levels across the state, the innovative concept of the University of South Carolina Palmetto College was developed and launched in 2013. The Palmetto College concept will be introduced and described, from development to launch to successes of the first three years. The importance of improving access, affordability, and flexibility to bachelor's degrees through Palmetto College is critical, especially for adults and other students across the state who may not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue a degree. During the first three years of operation, over 1500 students have been enrolled in the seven initial bachelor's degree completion programs, with more than 500 of those graduating to date. Additionally, the combined enrollment of the four two-year campuses across the state with the online programs is over 5,000 students. This innovative, transformative effort for the eight campus USC system is very timely and important to the college completion agenda.